The Andrews Families of Johnson County, Iowa

ORRIN ANDREWS (Deceased)

Probably no couple were more intimately associated with the early history of Johnson county than Orrin Andrews, who passed to his reward January 11, 1902, and his venerable widow, who is so widely and favorably known there. They passed through many years of hardship and privation and enjoyed the fruits of their early toil together, being among the earlier pioneers to locate in their community. Mrs. Andrews well remembers the early years when wolves were frequently seen in front of their cabin, and deer, elk, and wild fowl were plentiful. At first the candles used for lighting the home were made by the primitive method of "dipping," and later, when molds came into the market, the new method was considered a great saving of time and work. She was a typical pioneer wife and mother, and was always most solicitous of the comfort and welfare of her family.

Orrin Andrews was born in Orange county, N. Y., December 8, 1825, son of Nathan and Filena (Ames) Andrews, and died in Johnson county, Iowa, the same day that his son, Charles M., was called to rest, a severe shock to the widow and mother, thus doubly bereaved, and one from which it seemed difficult to recover. Mr. Andrews was very young when he removed with his parents to Oswego, New York. Eight years later he accompanied them to Trumbull county, Ohio. One year later removal was made to Erie county, Pennsylvania, where he attended the country schools. He was married in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, and moved to Iowa in 1854, locating first on the home where his father had located, the latter being a pioneer of Graham township, Johnson county. Later he purchased eighty acres of land in Section 10 and kept adding

H&f JB to his holdings until lie had 300 acres, lie took an active and honorable part in all public movements and was one of the building committee who erected the Christian church at Morse, being one of its founders and an elder for many years. His widow is still an active and useful member. He served as township trustee and four years as justice of the peace, also being active in school matters. Tie was keenly interested in local and national politics. He became very successful as an agriculturist and erected good, substantial buildings on his farm. He also made other improvements and installed modern machinery. He fenced and tiled the place and brought it to a high state of cultivation. In the early days he was obliged to use the crude and primitive tools of the day, such as the diamond plow and the cradle, and was delighted with modern tools for lightning labor and saving time. He was a most highly respected member of society, popular in many circles, and sincerely mourned by his multitude of friends. He is buried in the Morse cemetery as is his son, as this is the family cemetery with many members buried there.

Mr. Andrews was united in marriage with Sarah Shepard in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, December 16, 1852, married by Justice Finley, and they made their first home in Erie county, Pennsylvania, remaining there two years until moving to Iowa. Sarah Shepard was born in Erie county, Pennsylvania, February 6, 1827, daughter of Mason and Jane (Smith) Shepard, her father a native of Vermont and a farmer by occupation. He was married in Erie county and died in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, in 1866, at the age of seventy-seven years. Mrs. Shepard was born in Erie county and died in Crawford county, at the age of eighty-six years. Mrs. Andrews, the eldest of their eight children, is now in her eighty-fifth year, and in full possession of her faculties. She was reared on her father's farm and well educated in the public schools and in an academy. The locality where she and her husband settled, soon after coming to Johnson county in the spring of 1854, was mostly unbroken prairie, but contained some timber. The trip to the new home was fraught with interest to the young couple. They came by wagon to Erie City, thence down the Ohio by steamer and on to Cleveland, thence by rail to Chicago, and on from that city by stage to Tipton, Iowa. Arriving at Tipton, they crossed the Cedar river at Gower's Ferry, now Cedar Bluffs, and landed in Newport township, their final destination. Part of Newport was later included in Graham township, the present home of Mrs. Andrews.

Mr. Andrews lived for a time on his father's farm, where their first children were born, and the first eighty acres of their own was unimproved. Their hewed log cabin was of fair size, plastered and mortared with clay, and it is still plainly remembered by Mrs. Andrews. The location was formerly known as Picayune Grove, and they lived there nine years. In the rugged pioneer cabin Charles M. Andrews first saw the light. Their three children were: Jennie I., wife of Arthur

E. Page, a farmer of Polk county, Wisconsin, whose postoffice address is Frederick; Jessie married.james Cozine, M. a Chicago physician, died November 27, L911, ami is buried in Oakwoods cemetery, Chicago, Illinois, also have one child deceased; Charles M., who died in L902. Mr. and.Mrs. Page have the following children:.Miss Edna, the sole companion and comfort of her grandmother; Ada, married Charles Johnson, lives in Frederick, Wisconsin; one child, Gladys I.eora, the only great grandchild of Mrs. Andrews; Arthur O., Tracy S., Bertha X., and two deceased. These are Jennie Andrews' children. Mrs. Andrews lives in the old homestead in Graham township. Miss Edna is a bright and charming young woman and brightens the days of her aged grandmother. Mrs. Andrews has rented all her land and is relieved from its care, so that she is able to enjoy a well earned rest 'with few cares to interrupt her ease and quiet. She lias a vivid recollection of early days and her account of her earlier life is most interesting. This is one of the rare families in which there are four generations living.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JOHN G. ANDREWS

John G. Andrews is one of the well-known farmers of Graham township and lives in honorable retirement on the eighty acres of land he first purchased in the region. He came to Johnson county when land was cheap and his possessions have doubled in value several times since he made his first purchase of land in 1875. He was born in Pennsylvania, January 4, 1846, son of Joseph and Johanna (Garrett) Andrews, natives of the same state, the father born in 1819 and the mother in 1815. They came west in 1860 and the mother died in 1890 and the father passed away in Graham township, June 3, 1911. He was a millwright and farmer and worked in grist mills in his native state, also after coming to Iowa. He and his wife had three children: Mary Jane, unmarried; John G., of this sketch; and AVilliam, of Morse, a sketch of whom appears in this work. The family came to Madison county, Iowa, in 1868, and lived there until the spring of 1876.

Mr. Andrews has followed farming all his life, and in 1875 bought eighty acres of land where he now lives, forty acres of which were a part of the old pioneer farm of Henry Felkner, and forty acres were formerly owned by E. B. Moore, who sold it to E. B. Morse, from whom, in 1875, Mr. Andrews purchased it at $35 per acre. Mr. Andrews purchased his east eighty acres, the James Ryan quarter section, in 1880, at $60 per acre, and all of this land is now (1912) valued at $200 per acre. Mr. Andrews also owns 113 acres of land comprising the old John Hope estate. The first purchase of land contained no buildings and was literally covered with cockle-burrs. He brought it to a tillable state and,has put in tiling and constructed fences. In 1 885 he moved the old James Ryan house, which forms the north part of his residence, and added to it. In 1880 he erected the building he now uses for a stock barn, 30 by 20 feet, with 16 foot shed, at first used as a granary. In 1899 be put up a more modern building, 42 by 56 feet, with 20 foot posts, and having a capacity of 75 to 80 tons of bay. In 1905 he erected a handsome residence for his son, a short distance north of his home.

Mr. Andrews has always believed in high-grade stock. His farms tare stocked with some 35 head of Hereford cattle and 80 head of Duroc Jersey hogs. In 1911 his corn crop averaged 75 bushels to the acre. He now has both his farms rented, one to his son and one to his son-in-law. He has been an enterprising and ambitious farmer and has prospered in all his undertakings.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

William Andrews is a representative business man of Morse, Johnson county, and has been residing in the vicinity the past forty years. He came to Graham township with his parents in 1860, just prior to the Civil War, and since reaching manhood has been actively interested in the general progress and prosperity of the region. He was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, July 23, 184-9, son of Joseph and Joanna (Garrett) Andrews, the former a native of Allegheny county and the latter of Chester county, he horn March 4, 1820, and she January 10, 1817. The mother died in Graham township August 1, 1889, and the father June 3, 1911.

The Andrews family came to Johnson county in 1860, locating in Graham township, William Andrews being then in his eleventh year, and he finished his education in the common branches in the local schools. Later he attended the State University of Iowa a year and a half, preparing for the profession of teaching. He spent two years in Madison county, being engaged in teaching one year, but aside from this, has lived in Johnson county since first coming here. At the time the Rock Island railroad was built to Morse, he came to the town, where he has since been a leading business man. In the early seventies, when a railroad was completed between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, he entered the employ of a Burlington firm, buying and shipping grain, with headquarters at Morse, and at the expiration of his contract with this company formed a partnership with E. K. Morse, a prominent pioneer. He spent two years in the stock and lumber business, and at the time of dissolving partnership with Mr. Morse, he continued alone a short time, but on May 7, 1876 (Centennial Year), took Alfred R. Ohl as a partner, the style of the firm being Andrews & Ohl until September 1, 1880. Later the firm became known as Andrews, Ohl & Company, when Samuel H. Hempsted became a partner. Mr. Hempsted was the father of Mrs. Ed Graham, and a sketch of his career may be found in these pages. The concern dealt in stock, grain, lumber, seeds, wagons, farm implements, buggies, harness, coal, and rock salt. They won a wide reputation in eastern Iowa for the fairness of their dealings and for the strict integrity of the men interested in the enterprise. They built up a substantial business.

For some years past Mr. Andrews has carried on a lumber business on his own account, also dealing in other building material, coal, salt, and other commodities and devotes much of his attention to his business at Morse. He has other interests, however, and is a man of large affairs, farming on quite an extensive scale. His farms are stocked with a line grade of Polled Hereford cattle. His herd has taken a state premium and he takes great pride in the reputation he has in this line. In the year 1911 his corn yield varied from 85 to 90 bushels per acre, one of the best records in his part of the state. His land is well tiled and fenced "hog-tight," and he has the most modern and substantial buildings possible. In 1911 he erected a concrete foundation to his barn, and his splendid farm residence, located just outside of the town of Morse, stands on a most pleasant eminence, so that it overlook the surrounding country and is most desirable situated. The house is surrounded by cement walks and is fitted with everything possible to add to the comfort and pleasure of the inmates. Mr. Andrews gives employment to several men on his place, which is kept in fine condition.

On May 25, 1876, Mr. Andrews was united in marriage with Charlotte L. Morse, daughter of a pioneer, E. K. Morse, and a native of Graham township, where their union took place.

Seven children have blessed this union, of whom three died in early childhood, the others being: Alfred, Lewis, Frank, and Ruth. Mrs. Andrews is prominent in church, social and Literary circles, and influential in various movements in Graham township. They were among the founders of the Christian church at Morse and have always been active in its support. Mr. Andrews is a member of the A. F. & A. M. He is one of the most public-spirited citizens of Johnson county, always ready to lend a helping hand to those in distress or need, who deserve his consideration, and helping forward every worthy cause. He is pleasant and genial, hut modest and unostentatious, and greatly enjoys the society of his friends, of whom he has a large number, ne is an advocate of temperance and at the time of the incorporation of the village voted to keep out intoxicants, believing it to be for the best interests of the community toward off the evils which would be likely to follow the advent of a saloon. His action in this regard has been appreciated by the best element in the township and identifies him with the best interests of all.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.