Photos and Stories from the Past

	My father, William Cowles Andrews, was born in Barlow, Wilkes County, North Carolina in 1886. This photo of him was taken around 1912 when he was 25 or 26 years old. He was of Scots-Irish and English descent. Both of his grandfather's and several great uncles were proud southerners who served and some died in the Civil War. Cowles was 2nd born son to a farming family in North Carolina. His formal education was only thru the 2nd grade because, as with many young men and women born in his day, his help was needed to work the family farm. I was told that he also carried the mail by horseback as a young man. He served in the US Army in the early 1900's and during his lifetime he worked at bartending, was employed in the lumber industry, was a farmer and seed millworker.
Five of the eight Andrews siblings are pictured here. Thomas, Mary, Claudius, Bertha, and James. Cowles and George (moved west in 1912) had already left home at the time this picture was taken.
This is a picture of Cowles Andrews in 1912. He was serving in the US Army out of Ft. Vancouver, Washington. Photo was taken in Portland, Oregon during a parade with President Taft. Cowles is on the horse just to the left of the white horse behind the president. To view a closeup picture, please click on the photo.
My father was more of a Grandfathers age to me as I was born in his 58th year. I have little knowledge of his younger life. This picture shows him in his younger years as a bartender. I believe it was taken in Vancouver, Washington or Portland, Oregon, after his years of service in the Army so probably in the mid teens of the 1900's.
	James Horton Andrews and his wife Cornelia Elizabeth Walker were my father's parents. James, a farmer, was the 3rd of 6 children born in North Carolina in November of 1863, the son of Thomas Horton Andrews and Margaret H. Walker. Thomas along with several of his brothers served in the civil war. In August 1862 he volunteered for the CSA North Carolina Infantry and was assigned to Company D of the 18th Regiment. (The Robeson Rifle Guard or Robeson Light Infantry) He may have entered the war in time to participate in the second battle of Manassas, August 28-30. He fought against the Union forces at Fredericksbug in November and December. After the battle, Company D was transferred to winter quarters near Moss Neck. Thomas was discharged before the engagment of the new year, by reason of an "organic disease of the heart", he was mustered out on April 16, 1863. Thomas was also a farmer. He died in 1905 and Margaret in 1908, both are buried in North Carolina.
My father's mother, Cornelia Elizabeth Walker was the first of seven children born to George Washington Walker and Eliza Jane Ferguson. George Washington Walker, born 1837 in North Carolina was also a confederate soldier having volunteered for service in Wake County, N.C. on Sept 14, 1862. He served with North Carolina 1st Artillery Regiment, Company E, known as the "Wilmington Light Artillery". He participated in battles at Sandy Ridge, NC April 20, 1863, Petersburg Siege June 1864-April 1865, and Appomattox Court House April 9, 1865. George passed away on July 28,1881 at 43. Eliza Jane passed away December 30, 1919 at age 83. Both are buried in North Carolina.

Dated Jan 7, 2002. Page and Graphic designs by Meg ©2001/2009 WiredMarys'.
Civil war service information from
"The Descendants of James Andrews and Jane Foster of Wilkes County, North Carolina"
by Charles R. Andrews, Jr. ©1988
"Letters of George Washington Walker to His Wife, Eliza Jane 1862-1865"
complied by Joanne Johnson Libera July, 1993