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Below is a family biography included in The Portrait and Biographical Record of Randolph, Jackson, Perry and Monroe Counties, Illinois published by Biographical Publishing Co. in 1894.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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JUDGE G. W. ANDREWS, United States Inspector of Government Land Offices, and a highly respected citizen of Murphysboro, was born in Dayton, Ohio, February 22, 1842. His grandfather, Hugh Andrews, was born in Pennsylvania and was a land speculator. In 1810 he went to Ohio with his family and became the owner of several thousand acres of land. He served in the War of 1812 as Lieutenant. Samuel A. Andrews, the father of our subject, was born in Dauphin County, Pa., in 1801, and was reared and educated in a log schoolhouse. He owned a farm of three hundred and forty acres in Montgomery County, Ohio, one of the finest in the community, which he operated until his death, in 1889. In politics he was a Democrat, and from eighteen years of age until his death he was an Elder in the Presbyterian Church. The family is of Scotch-Irish descent. Mrs. Andrews, whose maiden name was Margaret Ramsey, was a native of the Keystone State. She died October 19, 1869, at the age of sixty-nine. In the family were eleven children, nine of whom grew to mature years.

Our subject is the fourth son. He was reared on a farm and educated in the common and high schools and Fairfield Academy and Hayesville (Ohio) College. He taught school for one year, and in 1862 entered the University of Michigan. The following year he entered the law department of that school, from which he was graduated in March, 1865, with the degree of LL.B. In April of the same year, he came west to Jonesboro, and in May came to Murphysboro, opening a law office in connection with U. E. Robinson, but after a year the partnership was dissolved. In 1877 he was elected on the Democratic ticket as County Judge, which position he filled for five years. In 1882 he retired and resumed private practice. In 1886 he was appointed Postmaster of this place, but in May, 1889, resigned on account of the change in the administration. He then once more took up the practice of his profession, and in May, 1893, he received the appointment of Inspector of Land Offices of the United States. In May he reported for duty in Washington, and in June was sent to Oklahoma, and thence to the north western states. He is one of three who have the general supervision of these offices.

Judge Andrews was married at Ann Arbor, Mich., December 19, 1867, to Miss Jennie Slocum, who was born in Norwich, N. Y. She is a daughter of Smith E. Slocum, who was a member of the Sixty-second New York Regiment, and died of wounds received in the late Civil War. Five children were born to them: Samuel A., of Greenville, Miss., an employe of the Mississippi Valley Railroad Company; Ella J., Myra M., William H. and Eugene S.

The Judge is a man of excellent business and executive ability, and has been connected with a number of the leading interests of this place. For a number of years he was engaged in real-estate dealing and built his residence and double store, a three-story brick building. He has been connected with the railroad interests of this community and owns an interest in the Murphysboro Street Railway. He has also a highly improved farm of two hundred and thirty acres. Although his life has been a busy and useful one, he has found time to serve in positions of public trust and has ever been found true and faithful. From 1867 until 1877 he was Master in Chancery, for two years was City Attorney, was Alderman for two terms, and served as Mayor from 1882 until 1884. For ten consecutive years he was Chairman of the Democratic County Central Committee and was delegate to the National Convention in Chicago in 1892. Socially, he is a Knight Templar Mason, and also belongs to the Odd Fellows’ society. Mrs. Andrews holds membership with the Presbyterian Church.

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This family biography is one of 679 biographies included in The Portrait and Biographical Record of Randolph, Jackson, Perry and Monroe Counties, Illinois published in 1894.  View the complete description here: The Portrait and Biographical Record of Randolph, Jackson, Perry and Monroe Counties, Illinois

View additional Jackson County, Illinois family biographies here: Jackson County, Illinois Biographies

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