James (two) Andrews

Notes:

The surname is spelled Andrew in most records, but also Andrews, particularly in America.

In the 1841 England census, the family is living on Church St. in Ashton under Lyne, Salford, Lancashire, England: John Andrew 35 occupation cotton dresser (? hard to read), Catherine 35, Ann 15 weaver, William 8, Mary 6, Eliza 2, and Betty 2 mo. John and all the children were born in Lancashire, but Catherine was not.

In the microfilm of naturalization records at the National Archives and Records Administration, I found a naturalization record dated Dec. 1853 from the Court of Common Pleas, Providence, for a John Andrew. This is our ancestor. His address is given as Smithfield, RI, and date of birth as 27 April 1803, birthplace "Ashton on the line" in Lancashire County, England. He arrived in New York City on 9 Sept 1847 and said since then he has continued to live in Blackstone, MA, and Smithfield, RI. Witnesses in Court were John Miller and John Scott of Smithfield.

His baptismal record at Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, England, has his birth date as 27 Apr 1803, which agrees with the naturalization record; parents Samuel and Ann.

In the 1850 Federal Census, John is married to Sarah and living in Blacklstone, MA: John Andrew a Dresser Tender age 48 England, Sarah G. Andrew 37, William 17 a Weaver (my 2x-gr-grandfather), Mary 15, Eliza 12, Elizabeth 10, Alice 6.

In the 1860 Federal Census, is he the John Andrews, age 54 b England, a Dresser Tender, living at Warwick, RI, in the household of Samuel Mathews? There is a woman or wife there -- (Unknown) Andrews -- age 42 or 49, birthplace unknown. I don't know if this is our John Andrews, but it looks like he could be.

According to the 1900 Federal Census, John's daughter Mary immigrated in 1847. This seems to confirm the above date.

According to writings by my Great-grandma Chafee, her grandfather "was a slacher tender by trade in a factory. There was a time when he had a factory store -- and trusted the factory workers for their groceries -- when payday came."

He is undoubtedly the John Andrew buried at Oak Grove Cemetery in Pawtucket. The date of death is the same as she wrote. The death record at Attleboro says he died 2 Nov 1868 at age 65, which agrees with the birth year of 1803. The death record does not name his parents.

According to Aunt Ann (Andrews) Abbey, John was a hard and cruel man. From my great-grandmother's notes: "My grandfather married twice after his wife Catherine died; the first wife wouldn't live with him because he wouldn't pay her sister's passage to America so she left him -- then he married a woman named Caroline -- she came to America with the family. After my grandfather died -- I was quite small -- this Caroline would come and visit my father. I remember her -- seeing a feather bed all tied up in a sheet, she somehow brought it everywhere she went. I never saw who it was brought it, but I remember seeing her. I have her earrings now, and a cameo pin Cousin Ida gave me -- belonged to her; and the earrings Aunt Mary gave them to Mrs. Hartford, but Mrs. Hartford thought I should have them (so I still have)."

I am not sure if the Sarah in 1850 is Caroline?

John married Catherine SMITH 25 Aug 1822, Manchester, Lancashire, England. Catherine (daughter of Joseph SMITH and Juliana Unknown) was born 12 Feb1804, Woolwich, Kent, England; died 8 Jul 1846, Lancashire, England; was buried 13 Jul 1846, Parish Of Ashton Under Lyne, Lancashire, England. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Her parents may have been Joseph and Juliana. See the following notes:

This is the birth date for Catherine given in my Great-grandma Chafee's writings. She said she got the info from her Aunt Ann. According to records online, that date of birth, 12 Feb 1804, is for a Catherine Smith, daughter of Joseph and Juliana Smith in Woolwich, Kent, England; christened 26 Feb 1804; denomination Scots church.

"Catherine, daughter of Joseph Smith, Sergeant Major in (?) Horse Brigade of the Royal Regiment of Artillery in the Parish of Woolwich and County of Kent, and of Juliana his wife was borne February 12th 1804 and Baptized February 26th 1804 by me John Blythe." (England & Wales, Non-Conformist and Non-Parochial Registers, 1567-1970)

Her death record notes residence Charlestown. I believe this is a district of Manchester.

Notes:

Married:
I think this is the correct date and location for my ancestors' marriage. The names, general location, and time frame seem correct.

Samuel — Ann UNKNOWN. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

He was a surgeon in the English army. He was in India with the army and contracted yellow fever and died.

He was Catherine's first husband, and the father of Catherine Smith, who married John Andrews and became the mother of William Andrews, who married Eliza Jane Edwards.

Dr. Smith's wife, Catherine, went on to marry again -- a man named Finnegan (first name not known). There were some children by that marriage. When Catherine married this Finnegan, she had 17 silk dresses -- but she didn't have them long, for Finnegan was an awful drinker.

Joseph — Juliana Unknown. [Group Sheet]