Seymour ANDREWS is dead. While this announcement has been expected for many months, yet no one was looking for it to come so suddenly. He passed away at midnight last night, at his home in Centralia, and this ends one of the pioneer careers in this section of Southern Illinois.

Seymour ANDREWS was born in Jefferson County, IL, January 17, 1825. His parents were Nelson and Jane ANDREWS and his mother was Jane GASTON, one of the pioneer GASTONs in this part of the middle west. His parents settled in Jefferson County in 1819, and settled near Rome, now called Dix. The early life and boyhood days were spent in this vicinity, which was then nothing more than a wilderness with scattered cabins in the timer lines by the settlers.

On August 15, 1844, he was married to Martha HENDRIXON who survives him.

Besides his aged lifemate, he leaves a number of children yet living: Truman B. ANDREWS, Mrs. Gus GOETCH and Mrs. George MATCHLER, all of Centralia; Mrs. BALTZELL of California, Sidney ANDREWS of Walnut Ridge, Ark.

Seymour ANDREWS was one of those pioneer young men of vigor and determination and has assisted in developing this part of Egypt into what it is today. He was a resident and hunter in this section when deer and wild game were plentiful where Mt. Vernon now stands and when there was not a railroad in the state of Illinois.

In the spring of 1850, he and 3 other young men formed a party, secured a four-yoke team of oxen and stated overland for California where the gold discoveries had startled the whole world. They were four months making the trip and endured many hardships but got through safely and after remaining there about a year all returned to Illinois to live long and useful lives for many years thereafter. Mr. ANDREWs is the last one of that memorable party. The others were James and John PARKINSON and Preston McCULLOUGH.

Source: Mt. Vernon Register News
Date: October 9, 1912
Submitted by: Mary Zinzilieta