William Robert Fisher Andrew

CENSUS:

1860 U.S. census population schedule, Great Salt Lake City Ward 7, Great Salt Lake, Utah Territory, p. 115, dwelling 648, family 20, family of Frederick Andrew; digital images (accessed 9 Sep 2009); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M653, roll 1313; Name: William Fisher; Age in 1860: 4; Birth Year: abt 1856; Birthplace: Utah; Home in 1860: Great Salt Lake City Ward 7, Great Salt Lake, Utah Territory; Gender: Male; Post Office: Great Salt Lake City.

CENSUS:

1880 U.S. census population schedule, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, enumeration district (ED) 43, p. 60 d, dwelling 304, family 363, family of Mary A. Andrew; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 11 Sep 2009); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T9, roll 1337; Name: William R. Andrew; Home in 1880: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah; Age: 24; Estimated Birth Year: abt 1856; Birthplace: Utah Territory; Relation to Head of Household: Son; Father's birthplace: England; Mother's Name: Mary A.; Mother's birthplace: England; Occupation: Blacksmith; Marital Status: Single; Race: White; Gender: Male; House Number: 4238606.

HISTORY:

My father, William Robert fisher Andrew was the eldest of nine children born to Frederick Chadwick Andrew and Mary Ann Fisher Andrew. He was born December 5, 1855 in Salt Lake City, Utah. This was just eight years after the first pioneers entered Salt Lake Valley. Both of his parents were converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and emigrated to Utah on the same ship and in the same company from England in the year 1853. They were married in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City on the 19th of November, 1854.

Frederick Chadwick Andrew was skilled in the manufacture of nails, screws and bolts and other metal products and opened a blacksmith shop in the Salt Lake Valley. William worked with his father in the shop in Salt Lake and followed the blacksmithing trade most of his life. He was well known for his skill in forge welding, as a carriage maker and a horse shoer. As a young man he went to work for the contractor who was building a railroad in Colorado. It is not known lust how long he worked on this project but it was long enough to save quite a fair sum of money. He sent all of his earnings home to his mother to put in the bank for him.

William was not a large man but was wiry and very strong. No horse was too large or mean for him to handle. As a blacksmith his skills were needed in connection with the construction of the Salt Lake Temple and as a young man he volunteered his service on that large project. It is not known just how long he worked at the Temple site, but as a boy I recall him telling me about this. He considered it a real honor to help in the construction of a House of the Lord. I also recall that he told me that he was on guard duty at the home of President Brigham Young at the time of President Young's death in 1877.

Adda Gibby:

William fell in love with Ada Gibby, the daughter of William and Catherine Stevenson Gibby and proposed to her. Since construction of the Salt Lake Temple had not yet been completed, William and Ada went to Logan to be married on December 19, 1888. To that union were born nine children, five girls and four boys, eight of whom grew to maturity.

My mother, Ada, was the fourth of ten children born to William and Catherine Gibby.

William and his brother John, were born in Slebeck, Pembrokeshire, South Wales. They were converted to the Gospel and baptized September 16, 1853 and emigrated to Utah in 1854. They sailed on the ship (sailing vessel) Clara Wheeler" from Liverpool, England. Catherine Stevenson and her sister Ellen were born in England and they also joined the Mormon Church and decided to go to America and Join the Saints in Utah. They were in the same company to cross the plains that John and William Gibby were in. This was the Canute Peterson Company of 52 wagons which arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in September, 1856. It was while crossing the plains that William and Catherine first met. A romance developed between them which resulted in their marriage on the 26th of May, 1857. This took place in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City. To William and Catherine Gibby were born ten children.

Their fourth child, Ada, my mother, was born February 8, 1864. Although William trained as an apprentice in the cabinet making business in Wales, this was more of an avocation to him after his arrival in Utah because he became a very successful farmer. His farm was located between State Street and West Temple and north of what is now 21st South. It is there he raised his family. The original farm house was on West Temple Street about a block north of what is now 21st South Street. A new home was built later on Main Street. This house still stands at 2022 South Main. William and Catherine were living there when he died on August 19, 1910. I was eight years old at that time and I recall the events related to his death and funeral. It should be noted that Grandpa Gibby raised the highest yield of wheat per acre in the United States. For this he was awarded a cash prize of $500.00 in gold. The yield per acre was just under 90 bushels. This would have been in the late 1870's or early 1880's.

My mother, Ada Gibby Andrew, enjoyed farm life and often spoke about it to us children. She helped with the chores, including milking cows, feeding chickens and other animals and gathering eggs. She also helped in harvesting crops. She often spoke with great affection about her brother, Richard, the child next younger than she, as they worked as a pair in chore assignments. The farm just south of the Gibby farm was the Robert Taylor Burton farm and this whole area was included in what was known as the Farmers Ward of the Church. The chapel was located Just south of 17th South on

State Street. Through the years many other Wards were carved out of the Farmers Ward and eventually the name "Farmers Ward" lost its identity when the remaining boundaries of that ward were made into three separate wards of the Church. These were McKinley, (which continued to use the Farmers Ward Chapel), Jefferson and Whittier. The name "Farmers Ward" was dropped completely. This was in the year 1923.

As indicated, Farmers Ward encompassed the Gibby and Burton farms. Robert T. Burton was an important figure in the early days of the Valley and held many important positions in public life and in the Church. For years he served as a counselor in the Presiding Bishopric of the Church. He and his wife, Sarah, were the parents of twelve children, nine of whom were boys. This many sons was a great asset on the farm in those days and permitted Robert to devote adequate time in pursuit of his church and civic duties, which among others, included the office of Sheriff of Salt Lake County and U.S. Marshall and Deputy Tax Collector for the U.S. Government. It is interesting to note that one of his sons, Henry, married the second oldest daughter of the Gibby family. Her name was Annie. Henry and Annie therefore were uncle and aunt to all of the Burton and Gibby grandchildren. It is also interesting to note that a school and a ward were named after Robert T. Burton. The Burton School was located on the west side of State Street midway between 17th and 21 South Streets. This is the school that all of the Andrew children attended and also the Burton children including my wife, Lillian who is the daughter of Elbert T. Burton, the son of Robert. The Burton Ward was formed from the south portion of Farmers Ward around the year 1916. As I recall, it was the last new ward formed from part of the Farmers Ward prior to the creation of McKinley, Jefferson and Whittier Wards. Uncle Henry Burton served as Bishop of the Farmers Ward for about twenty-seven years.

Willam and Ada:

With the money that William saved while working on the railroad in Colorado, he built a new home for his bride. This was located at 823 South State Street on the east side of State Street between Eighth and Ninth South in Salt Lake City. This was next door to the home where William's mother lived as a widow following the death of Frederick Chadwick Andrew. In this house was born Ada, William, Ora and Eva. Richard was born in a house next to the blacksmith shop on the north side of Fourth South between Main Street and West Temple Street where the U.S. Post Office now stands. The family had moved to this house in 1897. The remaining four children were born in the house at 1965 South West Temple. which, at this time is still standing. This is in the area where the original Gibby farm was located. The family had moved from Fourth South Street to the West Temple Street address in 1899. Due to some unfortunate and ill-advised business decisions, overtook the family in the early years of father's and mother's marriage. Because of this they lost their home on State Street and necessitated their removal to the old house of Frederick Chadwick next to the blacksmith shop on Fourth South Street. This was a sorrowful experience for mother who loved her new home. Father had started a livery service in connection with his blacksmithing operation which included also the buying and selling of breeding horses. It was this that brought trouble and as a result of an adverse lawsuit, the house on State Street had to be sold to satisfy judgments brought against father. Other properties which father owned also had to be sold for the same reason. These consisted of 40 acres located in the Cottonwood area and a similar sized piece of land in West Jordan.

This was a bitter pill to swallow and father was never able to recoup the loss of these properties. The economic status of the family was changed almost overnight from one of financial independence to one of making a living on a day to day basis. This had a lasting effect upon the lives of every member of the family. It necessitated the older members of the family to go to work following graduation from school, rather than permit a secondary and university education.

Father always had a large garden on the property running from the back of our yard to Richards Street, which, for many years we called Center Street. The garden provided plenty of fresh vegetables for the family and was a distinct asset in the feeding of a large family. In addition to the garden, we had several cows and a horse as well as pigs and chickens. It was always an exciting event for the younger members of the family when Charlie Coleman or Dan Corbett came to our place to butcher one of our hogs. This was always in the winter time or in cool weather. After butchering, the pig would be hung up on a single tree suspended from the top bar of a swing to cool off. Usually a white sheet was wrapped around the carcass to keep it clean. At night this always appeared as a rather spooky ghost to the younger fry of the family. I will tell of more boyhood memories and family incidents later on.

Neighbors:

I would like now to mention some other families in our neighborhood who for one reason or another, made an impression on me and who for the most part, contributed to the cultural life of the community.

The Joseph Anderson family lived directly across the street from our house. There were nine children in this family, several of whom played musical instruments. Joseph organized a family orchestra and he himself played the cornet. He was president of Anderson-Taylor Co., a wholesale grocer. Clyde and I played a good deal with Wendell Anderson. It was always a pleasure to go out in their orchard when fruit was ripe and pick Early June, Red Astrakan and Baldwin apples, Flemish Beauty and Winter Nellis pears and plums. Mr. Anderson was in the Bishopric of our ward and later became a counselor to Frank Y. Taylor in the Stake Presidency of the Granite Stake in which we lived.

Three doors to the south of us lived the John Howells family. Howells had served as Sheriff of Salt Lake County and was later employed by the Oregon Shoreline Railroad (Union Pacific). At one time, Mr. Howells acquired a "Catalo" which was a cross between a buffalo and a domestic cow. This created great curiosity and interest in the neighborhood and as youngsters we were really frightened at this wild animal. The Howells children were athletically oriented and Edward, the oldest boy and John Jr. (Jack) were outstanding football players for the University of Utah. They attained national recognition. The house the Howell family originally lived in was the farm house built by my grandfather William Gibby and where he raised his family. The Howells were of Welch and English stock.

Across the street from our house was the William Smith home. Mrs. (Ann) Smith was a very friendly neighbor and well liked in the neighborhood. She was a sister of John Howells. A flowing arterial well on the Smith property supplied fresh drinking water for the neighborhood. The Smiths had no children. William Smith was a farmer and also he was a road supervisor for the County.

On the corner of 21st South and Richards Street was the Rudolph Gygi family. The parents emigrated from Switzerland and were faithful and dedicated members of the Church. Mr. Gygi was a tailor by trade. This family was a real asset to the community and some of the children later became successful business men.

Across the street east from my grandfather Gibby's home on Main Street was the estate of Professor Evan Stephens. His property ran from Main Street to State Street and consisted of several acres of land, including a large orchard, fish ponds and lovely grounds. His large home was in the center of the estate. He was a noted musician and composer and served as conductor of the Tabernacle Choir for many years. Many of his compositions are contained in the current hymnals of the Church. Evan Stephens was a convert to the Church from Wales. As a young deacon I used to go with a senior companion to his home as a Ward Home Teacher where we were always warmly received.

The Elbert T. Burton family lived at what is now 1876 South Main Street. Elbert was the son of Robert T. Burton and was a plumbing contractor. His wife, Ida Larsen, was the daughter of Neil S. (or Nels) Larsen, another important family in the Farmers Ward. Elbert built the home in which they lived, which is directly west of what was then known as the Burton school. The name of the school was later changed to the McKinley School. To Elbert and Ida were born six children. Hail, Lillian, Raymond, Wallace, Roy and Roma (twins). Elbert was a member of the Tabernacle Choir and had an excellent base voice. Neil was gifted with a fine tenor voice and sang in the L.D.S. High School Glee Club, in quartets and also as a soloist. Lillian was gifted in literature and dramatics and gave readings in high school and in many Wards of the Church. Due to health of Ida, the Burton family moved to California in 1922. Lillian remained in Salt Lake to finish High School which pleased me very much. However, she Joined her family in Santa Monica California in 1923.

Family Life:

As already mentioned, my parents, William and Ada Andrew were married in the Logan Temple. This was always considered a very important event in their lives and they taught their children the importance of Temple marriage. All followed the example although Richard was initially, civilly married, but later he and his wife, Florence Garvey were sealed together in the Salt Lake Temple and had their children sealed to them.

I will now recount some of the interesting, or at least informative events affecting the lives of the members of the William Andrew family. Some of these are only of passing interest while others had a direct bearing on the future activities and accomplishments of family members. Some of these events are recorded from the memory of the writer while others are recounted by other members of the family.

One of the things for which mother was noted was her excellent cooking. She used to enjoy making surprises for lunch when the children would come home from school. These might consist of cookies, buns, doughnuts, tarts or pies and cakes. Sometimes, I recall, before I started school, she would have me go out doors to watch for the children returning home at noon so I could run in the house to tell her before they came in. This would give her an opportunity to hide the goodies for a surprise. We had some trees in the backyard and I remember climbing one of these to watch for the children. When I saw them running down Main Street I would quickly climb down from the tree and give the alarm to Mother. It was always a lot of fun to look for these surprises. They could be found anywhere from the shelf in the pantry, to under one of the beds or on a high window sill or in the "warming oven" of the coal cooking stove.

Since we kept cows, chickens and pigs we always had plenty to eat.

Mother made cottage cheese (we called it Dutch cheese) and churned butter so we all learned to like buttermilk and cottage cheese. Mother also made excellent head cheese whenever a pig was butchered. She also made very good sausage which we enjoyed very much. I remember well the vegetable gardens we had. Father always raised choice peas, beans, carrots, parsnips and potatoes and corn. Mother liked to get up early in the morning to pick the peas. She often would tie her apron into sort of a hammock to put the peas in.

She was very fast and it seemed to me she would have an apron full of peas before I could have a quart bucket full. We tried to have new potatoes ready by July 4th so we could have them with fresh green peas -- one of our favorite dinners. One of the enemies of our garden was the gopher. Gophers used to delight in eating the tender roots of some of the growing vegetables, sometimes taking a whole row out. It was always a delight therefore, when we found a gopher hole to turn the irrigation water into the hole and either drown the culprit or force him to the surface where he received proper attention.

To prepare for winter mother canned extensively. At times, as recall, she would input upon as much as 600 quarts of fruit in a season, consisting of pears, peaches, apricots, plums and tomatoes. She also canned pickles of various kinds -- dill, mustard and sweet, and different kinds of relishes. We also put carrots, potatoes, beets, etc in a root cellar. I also remember the delicious Jams and jellies mother made. She delighted in having her Jellies clear and free of cloudiness and of the proper consistency and flavor. I remember seeing the drip, drip, drip of the fruit juices as they left the bag in which they were placed after having been cooked. She would then process the juice into beautiful Jellies. We also dried apples and apricots. I remember taking the peeled and sliced apples on the roof of the house to dry. Mosquito netting was placed over the fruit to keep it free of flies and insects during the drying process.

I remember well when the Utah Light and Traction Company laid the track to extend street car service on West Temple Street to 21st South. This was about 1912. This was a real boon to the neighborhood. The first stop north of 21st South was in front of our house so it was very convenient transportation into town. Electric street car service had been in operation on State Street for a few years before that. As youngsters we would trade freshly picked pears and apples and other fruits to the street car men for a ride on the car for a few blocks. That was a lot of fun.

As children we had great fun with other neighborhood children playing such games as Run Sheep Run "Slips", Kick the Can", "Hide and Seek", "Tippy", as well as baseball and football. Sometimes our footballs would consist of tightly wrapped and bound burlap sacks which were a fairly good substitute for a real ball.

Al1 the children attended the Burton School of the Granite School District. This was located on the west side of State Street between 17th and 21st South Streets. The name of the school was later changed to McKinley. The main building still stands but is no longer used as a school. It has been converted into an office building. The school was known for its high quality teaching staff. C. Ray Bradford and Albert J. Hagen were two of its best known principals.

The children of William and Ada Andrew had the advantage of a home where the principles of the Gospel were taught and lived. There was mutual respect and love in the family. All were taught to be honest, truthful and kind. Example was the best teacher in this home. In spite of hardships at tines, there was always plenty to it and mother was a master in making a good meal out of very simple beginnings. She was a devoted mother, a hard worker and made most of the children's clothing. She always saw that the children were dressed in clean clothes and had well polished shoes to go to Church. She not only took them to Sunday School and Sacrament Service, but to the Salt Lake Tabernacle at Conference time in April and October. Great sacrifices were made by our parents for us children and we will always owe a debt of gratitude to them. They gave us the proper foundation on which to build successful and happy lives. Father died December 16, 1929 as a result of injuries received when his vehicle was struck by a car driven by a man who was drunk. Mother died two weeks later (January 2, 1930) from pneumonia as a result of exposure in a severe storm at the cemetery when father was buried. They left a great heritage to their children -- honor, respect, love and a sense of gratitude and appreciation of their blessings. To our parents we owe a great debt for their example, teachings, dedication to their children and for their faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They left us a solid foundation on which to build our own lives. Unfortunately only their older grandchildren remember seeing them. Those in infancy and those born after father and mother died were denied the privilege of knowing the relationship of grandparents and grandchildren. Written by a son, Reed D. Andrew.

SOURCE: The Ancestors and Descendants of Frederick Chadwick Andrew." Pages 209-213.

DEATH:

Utah Death Index, 1905-1951

Name: William Robert Andrew Death Date: 16 December, 1929 State file number: 1929005120 Gender: Male Age: 74 County of Death: Salt Lake

DEATH:

Utah Department of Health, death certificate 2159 (1929), entry for William Robert Andrew; digital image, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Utah Death Cirtificates (www.familysearch.labs.org); Name : William Robert Andrew; Titles :; Death date : 16 Dec 1929; Death place : Salt Lake, Salt Lake, Utah; Birth date :; Estimated birth year : 1855; Birth place :; Age at death : 74 years 11 days; Gender : Male; Marital status : Married; Race or color :; Spouse name : Ada Gebby Andrew; Father name : Fredrick C. Andrew; Father titles :; Mother name : Mary Ann Fisher; Mother titles :; GSU film number : 2259764; Digital GS number : 4121483; Image number : 206; Certificate number : 2159.