JACOB ANDREWS, a representative of one of the oldest and most highly esteemed pioneer families of Smith township, is descended from Irish ancestry. Jeremiah Andrews, his grandfather, was born, reared and married in Ireland, coming to America long before 1800. They located on a wild-piece of forest land, lying about three miles north of Burgettstown, Washington Co., Penn., no improvements having then been made. Here a rude cabin was hastily erected, and the couple settled permanently in their pioneer home, where children were born as follows: Matthew, Jeremiah, Joseph, Robert, John, Elizabeth (wife of Nathan Scott ), Catherine (Mrs. Scott) and Nancy (married to Andrew Carlile). Jeremiah Andrews, son of Jeremiah, was born about 1790, on the home farm in Smith township, where he was reared to agricultural pursuits, receiving a meager education at the common schools of the period. He was first married to a Miss Carlisle, of this county, whose children were Jeremiah (deceased, a farmer of Beaver county, Penn., who afterward moved to Columbiana county, Ohio), John C. (also a farmer of Beaver county, who lived in Columbiana county, Ohio, for a time, afterward returning to Beaver county, Penn., where he died), and Isabella (deceased wife of William Nichols, a stone mason, who lived in Beaver county, Penn., for some time, and then moved to Kentucky). The mother of these children died, and for his second wife Jeremiah Andrews was united in marriage with Catherine Neiswonger, of Hancock county, W. Va., and the following children were born to their union: Rachel (Mrs. Francis McBride, of Ashland county, Ohio), Jacob (subject of this sketch ), Elizabeth (wife of James McMillen, of Columbiana county, Ohio), Joseph (a farmer of Beaver county, Penn.), George H. (a farmer in California), Susanna (wife of Capt. J. H. Melvin of Fairview, W. Va.) and Catherine (married to W. W. Morrow, of Wellsville, Ohio). After his marriage Jeremiah Andrews followed agricultural pursuits on a farm near Fairview, Hancock Co., W. Va. He was very successful in his business, possessing energy, enterprise and good management, and at the time of his death was one of the wealthiest citizens of his neighborhood. Politically he was a lifelong Democrat, but voiced his opinion by his vote alone, leaving the rising generation to choose for themselves their political preference. He was a member and pillar of the U. P. Church, with which his wife was also connected. He died in 1856, being followed by his wife in 1875, and the remains of both were laid to rest in Tomlinson's Run cemetery, Beaver county, Penn. Jacob Andrews was born September 6, 1828, in Hancock county, W. Va., where he received a common school education. In 1849 he and his half brother, John C., went to Columbiana county, Ohio, and followed farming, their sister Rachel acting as housekeeper for her brothers until her marriage, when Elizabeth (another sister) supplied her place. In 1856 Jacob sold his interest in the farm, returning to Hancock county, W. Va. , where he followed agriculture a short time. On May 3, 1857, he was united in marriage with Hannah Carlile, of Columbiana county, Ohio. She was born March 22, 1838, being the tenth in a family of fourteen children born to John and Margaret (Hephner) Carlile. John Carlile was a native of New Jersey, and when but a boy came to Columbiana county, Ohio, with his parents, Daniel Carlile and his wife, early settlers of that county. In early life John was married to Margaret Hephner, daughter of Henry and Mary (Shoemaker) Hephner, the former a native of Germany who settled in Columbiana county, Ohio, in an early day. The following children have been born to Jacob and Hannah (Carlile) Andrews: Josephine (deceased in youth); William D. (a conductor on the P .C.C. & St Louis R. R.); George W. (a clerk in the shipping department of the Edgar Thomson Steel Works, Braddock, Penn.); Luella (deceased in infancy); Lizzie (wife of Barcley S. Fennimore, of Jewett, Ohio); John H . (a conductor on the N.Y.C. & H.R.R.R.); Manda B. (wife of D. C. Fulton , a farmer of Hanover township, Washington county), and Harvey (deceased at the age of seventeen years). Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Andrews began their married life on a farm in Beaver county, Penn., and in 1864 came to Washington county, locating on the farm adjoining Burgettstown, Smith township, where they are yet living. He has been a very successful farmer, but of recent years has taken no active part in the work of the place. In politics Jacob Andrews has always been a stanch Democrat. He and his wife are both highly esteemed citizens of the community in which they reside.

Text taken from page 603 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed May 1997 by Alex Caldwell of Tulare, CA as part of the Beers Project. Published May 1997 on the Washington County, PA pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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