Untitled Document

James Andrews

James Andrews, a farmer on section 7, in the township of Geneseo , has been a resident of Henry County since 1854. He was born in Trumbull Co., Ohio , April 23, 1829 . Wells and Nancy (Harper) Andews, his parents, were born respectively in the States of Connecticut and Virginia. His mother was the daughter of John Harper, a Virginia of the old school, and who was the parent of 29 children. She was number 28 in order of birth. The paternal grandfather was born in Connecticut and was one of the pioneers of the Western Reserve , in Ohio .

The senior Andrews was in his childhood when his parents removed to Ohio . They were not poor nor obscure, and they took to the Buckeye State the training and ideas of which the value had been proved in the East. Accordingly, they gave their children the best advantages of education they could command, and the father of Mr. Andrews, after obtaining a fair preliminary education, was sent to the college at Cannonsburg, in Pennsylvania . There he completed a full course of study and was graduated. Afterward he went to North Carolina and taught school for a time, going thence to Virginia , where he entered the ministry of the Presbyterian Church. He was married while officiating in the capacity of a clergyman in the South, and after a time returned to Ohio . He was engaged in the discharge of ministerial duties in Hartford , Trumbull County , and in 1836 was called to the Professorship of the University of Ohio , at Athens . He filled the chair to which he was appointed seven years. In 1843 he came to Illinois . The journey was made via the river route, over the Ohio , Mississippi and Illinois Rivers . A location was made at Washington , Tazewell County , where the senior Andrews bought large tracts of land. His family occupied the farm and the father resumed preaching. After a residence of a few years at Washington , a farm near Tremont was purchased, on which they resided until 1856, when it was sold and the family returned to Washington . The father died there in 1869. There were eight children.

Mr. Andrews of this sketch was the fourth son. When he was 14 he came to Illinois with the family of his father. He attained to the age and growth of manhood in Tazewell County , and was reared and educated on the farm. He was under the care and authority of his parents until the expiration of the period required by law, and when he was 21 he took the direction of his affairs into his own hands. His father gave him a quarter-section of land in Tazewell County and he began the work of improvement on it. He plowed and fenced a portion of the estate and continued to hold possession of it until 1854, when he came to Henry County . He at once bought land in the townships of Edford and Colona, all of which was in a wild and uncultivated condition. After breaking and fencing a portion of the property, he bought section 7 in the township of Geneseo , on which no improvements had been made. Two years later he erected a house on the place. A little later he sold one-half of the section and the remainder has since been retained by him. It is all in an excellent condition of improvement.

The marriage of Mr. Andrews and Mary Etta Campbell took place March 28, 1862 . She was born in St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., and is the daughter of Hiram and Elvira ( Lowell ) Campbell. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Andrews are named Charles C., John, William L., James H., Robert L., George H., Mary B., Jessie C., Maud V. and Hiram W.

1885 Portrait & Biographical Album of Henry County, Illinois page 515

Transcribed by Jan Roggy

Illinois Ancestors