Robert G. Andrews
The life history of Robert G. Andrews, one of the well known and highly esteemed older residents of Fayette county, now living in honorable retirement after a strenuous life given to agricnltnral work, shows what good habits, industry and stanch citizenship will accomplish in the battle for success in life. His record shows duty well and conscientiously performed in every relation of life and as a natural result he holds an enviable place in the regard of a vast number of friends and acquaintances. Over the span of his years he has come dowm to the present time from conditions that seem to us very remote, and he has noted the wondrous transformation from that time to this, playing his part in the drama of civilization. Throughout his life he has been an advocate of wholesome living and cleanness in all things and has always stood for the highest and best in any community where his interests were.
Robert G. Andrew-s, a retired farmer living quietly at fiis home m Bloomingburg, Fayette county, was born on July 29, 1836, in Ross county, this state, near the town of Bournville. He is a son of William G. and Rebecca (Townsend) Andrews, the former of whom was born in Queen Anne county, Maryland, coming to this state as early as 1810, where he settled near Frankfort on a farm. He was married before he came to this state and had his oldest child, Thomas. He had in all a family of twelve children, several of whom have passed into the great beyond. Among these are Thomas, the first-born, who is buried near Lafayette Indiana; John, who died in Kansas; George, who is buried in Ross county, and Phoebe and two infants buried at Frankfort. Nancy, Mary P. and Elizabeth reside at Mount Pleasant in Pike county, this state, in the cemetery at which place both William and his wife lie buried. William and George are buried at Bournville in Ross county.
Robert, the immediate subject, in his early youth attended the schools of Ross county, industriously acquiring such information as the schools of ihat time and location afforded. When he was twelve years of age the family removed to Pike county, where he finished his school days. In his early manhood he returned to Ross county, where he remained for eight years and then came into Fayette county, where he has since made his home. Mr. Andrews was twice married, his first wife being Nancy Zickefoose, with whom he united in marriage on April 14, 1857. She bore him eleven children, five of whom were born before the outbreak of the Civil War. So filled with patriotism was he, however, that at the beginning of hostilities he went to Pike county and vohinteered in a company which was being made up there, owever, too many men were enlisted and four of them, all heads of families and among them the subject, were returned to their homes. This was in 1861 and he remained home until 1864, but on July 30th of that year he became a private in Company K, One Hundred and Seventy-sixth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under Col. Edward C. Mason, and served until the close of the war. His regiment was assigned to the Eastern Army of the Cumberland and saw some active service, among the engagements being the battle of Nashville (Tennessee) and other minor skirmishes. After the close of the war, he returned to his home in Pike county and his wife and five children, taking up his work as a farmer. He was also a cooper by trade, working at this vocation at odd times.
Mr. Andrews has a most interesting family, for besides his eleven children, he has had fifty-four grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren. His children are as follows: James, his first-born, who first married Susan Shoemaker, who bore him five children, Robert, George, Earl and two who died in earliest infancy. James married for his second wife Mellie Smith, wlio has borne him five children, Ray, Roscoe, Owen. Mary and May. Joseph married Ella Stephenson and is the father of five children. Earnest, Cora, Grace. Carl and Clarke. There are four grandchildren in that family. Josephine, the subject's oldest daughter, is the wife of E. H. Shumate and the mother of five children, Guy. Fairy and Fannie (twins). Lulu and Edward. Josephine is also grandmother to six children. Elizabeth, the wife of Charles Owens, is the mother of six children, George, Glenn. Nancy, five children, Harvev, Abraham, Vine, Eva and Ruby. There is one grandchild in this family. Lovisa was first married to John Bryan, by whom she had two children, Maude and John. Her second husband is William Clarke and bv him she is the mother of four children, Mabel, Vera. Catherine (deceased) and Georgia. John's first wife was Minnie Sorrell. who bore him three children, Bessie. Robert and Hazel. His second wife was Eva Fisher, who is the mother of three children, Frank, Charlotte and Eloise. Claude married Cora Casey, who bore him two children, Dorris and Dwight. William chose Nellie Ward as his wife and they have two children, Leo and Russell. Francis married Iva Irvin and is the mother of three children, Donald. Leland and Edgar, deceased. Pearl is the wife of Paul Johnson and the mother of six children. Robert, Edith. Hallie. Armilda Ruth. Elizabeth and Nancy Jane. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Andrews married Sarah J. (Taylor) Bloomer, widow of Jefferson Bloomer, and together they are passing the later years of life.
Mr. Andrews is a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal church, with which he united in 1867, and much of the well-being of the local society is due to his tireless efforts to promote its welfare. He has for many years served both as trustee and steward and gladly gi\es of both time and means to further the means of grace. Politically, he is identified with the Republican party, although he has never devoted much time in this manner. His fraternal affiliation is with the ancient order of Free and Accepted Masons and he is also a member of Myron Judy Post, Grand Army of the Republic, at Bloomingburg. Mr. Andrews had the management of the county infirmary on his hands for five years up to 1911, and he most etffciently performed the duties thus devolving upon him to the satisfaction of all. Mr. Andrews' home farm of four hundred acres is devoted to general farming and stock raising, the management of which. however, he has largely given into other hands. He is known as one of the most successful raisers of live stock in this section, having given to this line the most painstaking care and careful study and well deserves the reputation which is his. Mr. Andrews has always led a quiet, well-regulated and honest life, which has gained for him the respect of a host of admiring friends. To the rearing of his fine family he gave the best efforts of his life and is well repaid in knowing that each in his place is regarded as a most excellent citizen. Because of his genuine worth and the success which has crowned his life's efforts, Mr. Andrews is eminently entitled to representation in a work of this character.
From History of Fayette County Ohio - Her People, Industries and Institutions by Frank M. Allen (1914, R. F. Bowen & Company, Inc.)