Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1923-01-25
INTERESTING SKETCH
Of ANDREWS FAMILY
(By Silas Thorla)

Some time after receiving the
word that Mary (Andrews) Smetts
of Akron, o., had passed away, and
recognizing the fact that this fam
lily of Andrews originated in Nor
gan county, and distinguished them
selves as teachers, it occurred to us
that a brief reminiscence might not
be out of order.
Furthermore, there is shown in
this little sketch something of the
strength of that cite that binds, -
that holds in sacred reverence, the
place of birth and early associations.
which, in the lives of some men, re-
main unbroken.
Mary Camilla Andrews. who was
the inspiration of this sketch, was a
daughter of Seth Andrews and was
born in Bristol township, and at an
early age began her career as a. dis
trict school teacher. She taught in
Morgan, Noble and Washington
counties. Having qualified herself
she accepted better position at
Amesville which she held for sew
eral years. She then took a still
higher position at Akron. Being
somewhat delicate in health she was
prostrated by disease, and her
younger sister Hattie went and car
a long period of sickness which
came near ending her life. Upon
her recovery she resumed her teach
ing and in time was married to
William Smetts of that city, and
there were three children born,
when death claimed her husband
She bore her affliction bravely and
cared for and educated her children
until they became self-supporting.
She was an untiring worker in the
school room. When she was getting
well up in years she told the writer
that, knowing as she did how to in
vest money to the very best ad-
vantage, yet it seemed that she had
to be continually handicapped A
few years afterward, as her proper
ty lay adjacent to one of those large
rubber factories and the business
expanded nightly, they paid her
handsome price for her property
and thus her dream was realized,
Her death occurred in that city
Nov. %, and she would soon have
been 70 years of age. There were
six children in the Andrews family
and they were all born in Morgan
county. Laura, the oldest daugh-
ter, married Mr.. Deaver and they
lived at Deavertown and later went
west, and she died there many
years ago.
Martin r., whom many of the
readers knew, was the oldest of the
family. He enlisted in the Civil
war, served in the Signal Corps,
became teacher of more than ordi-
nary ability, and for time engag-
ed himself in teaching what was
then called "select schools He
studied the German language and
in order to perfect himself he made
a trip to Germany. He was mar
ried to Miss Amanda Laughlin of
McConnelsville; moved to Steuben-
vile and superintended the schools
there for several years; lost all his
children but one; moved to Mariet-
ia, was principal of the Academy
many years; lost his wife, and was
again-to Miss Hook of
that city, continuing his work, and
died there in 1913 He was bur-
led there, but a few years later his
remains were taken up and moved |
TO McConneisville and placed beside |
his first wife. During all his life /
and especially the later period of It. I
he would come up to Noble county
by rail and make pilgrimage
across the country on foot tO visit
relatives and to visit the scenes of +
his boyhood days in the valley Of
Meigs creek in Bristol township I
The families of Shook and McFar- /
land in that community were in
some way connected From there
be would go by the way OF McCon- 4