William Jasper Andrews

 William Jasper Andrews, son of William and Jane Wellman Andrews, was born April 22, 1840, on his father’s farm on Brouillet’s Creek south of Saint Bernice, Indiana. A part of this farm later became the site of the West Clinton shops of the Milwaukee Railroad, which are now abandoned. The aged Andrews farmhouse still stands to the west of the railroad tracks.

Jasper or Jap, as he was familiarly called, was third in a family of ten children, two of whom died in infancy. The father had migrated from Ohio to Helt Township, Vermillion County, Indiana, in 1822. The mother was a native of Kentucky.

There was as yet no school in the home neighborhood; so Jasper with a brother and sister attended Independence School southeast of Bono. This was five or six miles from home, and it is believed that he lodged and boarded nearby during the school week at the home of his grandfather, James Andrews, on Norton Creek. The weekend trips were made on foot.

Much of the land was yet in virgin timber, and Jasper became accomplished as a rail-splitter. His father was a tanner of leather and made shoes for the entire family.

During the Civil War Jasper served in Company D, 85th Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He was for thirteen months a cannonier in the siege battery at Franklin, Tennessee, and later was a participant in the Battle of Resaca (Georgia) and Sherman’s March to the Sea. Sixteen letters which he wrote in the Union Army have been preserved to this day. Honorably discharged as a corporal after the war’s end, he returned home, and finding that his neighborhood now had school facilities at Pleasant Hill, he re—entered grammar school at the age of twenty—five.

On March 17, 1870, he was married to Amanda Minerva Davis. She was born near Waveland, Indiana, December 10, 1846, and came to Helt’s Prairie with her parents, Robert and Melvina Davis, in 1855.

Jasper and Amanda moved to an eighty—acre tract at the north edge of Jonestown after residing briefly in Jonestown awaiting completion of their new house. Their new farm, situated two and one—half miles northeast of his birthplace, had been purchased by Jaspers father in 1853 and was still largely in timber.

In the years that followed their home was blessed with six children, all of whom lived to maturity. They were Elsie, Melvina, Ambrose, Carrie, Rena, and Clyde. Their mother devoted herself almost exclusively to home and family but was known in the community for her helping hand in time of need.

They were faithful members of Saint Bernice United Brethern Church of which Jasper’s parents had been charter members. Jasper was also active in the Odd Fellows Lodge and the Grand Army of the Republic. He served one term as justice of the peace for Belt Township, elected as a Republican.

By the mid—nineties Jasper’s health would not permit him to manage the farm alone. When Ambrose, the older son, reached maturity he became postmaster and storekeeper at Saint Bernice. This left Clyde to bear the major part of the farm work at the age of twelve.

Jasper Andrews died at his home on January 24, 1909, and was buried in Sugar Grove Cemetery situated in Illinois one mile west of Saint Bernice, Indiana. He was survived by his wife Amanda and five of his six children. His daughter, Mrs. Melvina Davis, had preceded him in death by two months.

That summer Ira D. Andrews, Jasper’s cousin, offered Clyde employment in a building and loan association and insurance and real estate agency in Terre Haute. In the autumn of 1909 Clyde and Rena and their mother moved to Terre Haute and purchased a home at 2205 North 11th Street. It was here that Amanda resided until her death on September 25, 1918. She is buried beside her husband at Sugar Grove.

CHILDREN OF JASPER AND AMANDA ANDREWS:

1. Elsie Andrews——born January 26, 1871; died December 30, 1951, Terre Haute, Indiana; married August 31, 1910, James W. Brumfield (1853—1916), an attorney of Petersburg, Indiana. She is buried in Sugar Grove Cemetery. A graduate of Indiana State Normal School, she taught school for several years throughout Indiana. As a widow she resided with her sister Rena in Terre Haute, was a member of Maple Avenue Methodist Church, and was active in women s clubs. No children.

2. Melvina Jane Andrews——born February 18, 1873; died November 17, 1908, Saint Bernice, Indiana; married September 1, 1895, Marion Davis (1867— 1929), a farmer and railroader. She and her husband are buried in Sugar Grove Cemetery. She was a member of Saint Bernice United Brethern Church. Two children: Harry Hobart Davis, deceased, and Esther Mae Davis (Mrs. George A. Williamson), Chicago.

3. E. Ambrose Andrews-—born August 8, 1875; died January 13, 1925, Indianapolis, Indiana; married June 26, 1898, Edna B. Hartsook (1879—1931). He and-his wife are buried in Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis. After serving as postmaster and storekeeper at Saint Bernice, he moved to Indianapolis in 1900 where he was a bookkeeper at Carter—Lee Lumber Company and later conducted a retail grocery business at several locations, the last one at 801 North Gray Street. He was a member of First United Brethern Church, Indianapolis. One son: Wilbur Ambrose Andrews, Indianapolis. Ambrose and Edna also reared her younger sister, Jewel Hartsook (Mrs. Chester Sterling).

4. Carrie Elizabeth Andrews——born April 22, 1878; died February 26, 1952, Clinton, Indiana; married October 25, 1897, Elbert F. Ingle (born 1875), a contractor and builder. She is buried in Sugar Grove Cemetery. She spent her married life in Dana, Indiana, and was a member of Dana Methodist Church. Her husband now resides at 326 Sycamore Street, Clinton, Indiana. Five children: Mrs. Genevieve Ingle Luke, Santa Monica, California, Mary Elizabeth Ingle, who died in infancy, Mrs. Wilma Ingle Ferguson, Terre Haute, Marjorie Ingle (Mrs. Raymond Osmon), Clinton, and Robert W. Ingle, deceased.

5. Rena Andrews-—born May 16, 1881. She kept house for her parents until their deaths, was for two years a deputy in the Terre Haute city clerk’s office, and was later a part—time clerk at Merchants Loan and Savings Association. She lived for many years with her sister Elsie, was for nine years with her brother Clyde following Louise’s death, and now resides at 2205 North 11th Street, Terre Haute, which house has been occupied by the family since 1909. She is a member of Barbour Avenue Evangelical United Brethern Church.

6. Clyde W. Andrews-—born July 14, 1884; married October 8, 1922, Louise Pickett (1890—1934), a school teacher; married February 1, 1949, Mrs. Mildred Hansel Myer (born 1900), a school teacher. He was graduated from Clinton High School, taught school for two years, attended Indiana University, and managed his father’s farm which he later owned until 1948. Has been connected with the same business firms in various capacities since September 6, l90~, now serving as president of Merchants Savings Association and as senior partner in The Andrews Company, an insurance and real estate agency. He is an active member of Maple Avenue Methodist Church, Sycamore Toastmasters Club₁ Terre Haute Y. M. C. A., Taxpayers’ Association of Vigo County, and the Masonic Lodge. Was twice elected to the Terre Haute city council and is a past president of the Savings and Loan League of Indiana. Clyde and Mildred reside at 2228 North 11th Street, Terre Haute. One son by first wife: James Pickett Andrews, Terre Haute.