My Genealogy Hound

ANDREW B. CHEW, who follows farming on section 21, Ora Township, Jackson County, was born in Jefferson County, Ill., April 20, 1830. His father, James Chew, was a native of Lebanon, Ohio, and there resided until he had attained to man’s estate, when he removed to St. Clair County, Ill. Soon afterwards he married Nancy Million, daughter of Bennett and Nancy Million, who came from Kentucky to this state in an early day. Mr. Chew was a tailor by trade, but followed school teaching through the greater part of his life. He removed to St. Louis and thence went to Jefferson County, Ill. Later he resided for a time in Ohio, after which he returned to St. Clair County, and finally located in Washington County, Ill. While on his way to Ohio, where he intended visiting, he was taken sick, at Logansport, Ind., and died. He was then only thirty-five years of age. He held membership with the Masonic fraternity, and belonged to the Baptist Church, frequently occupying the pulpit. His wife long survived him and passed away in Bradley Township, Jackson County, in 1892, at the age of seventy-nine. In their family were three children, Andrew B; Mary A., wife of David McCoy; and Nancy J., widow of John Smith, who died in 1893.

Mr. Chew of this sketch aided in the labors of the home farm until eighteen years of age, when he went to Belleville, Ill., and learned the carpenter’s trade with his uncle, John Million. He has since carried on business along that line. He was married in Carbondale, March 23, 1864, to Mahala J. Deason. Her father, Shepherd Deason, emigrated from South Carolina to Illinois, and in this state married Elizabeth Troop. He followed farming near Carbondale, and was a well-known citizen of that locality. The members of his family were, McCager, who died in Missouri; Edwin, who died in Texas; Delilah, wife of Jesse Temple; Amos, who is living in Stoddard County, Mo., and Shepherd Allen, who died in childhood.

For three years after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Chew made their home in Murphysboro, and removed to their present residence on the 5th of May, 1869. The following children were born to them: William, who was born April 22, 1866, died October 1, 1887; Jesse, born October 13, 1867, died in infancy; Frank, born September 5, 1869, is now engaged in merchandising; Julia, born July 25, 1872, died in infancy; Phoebe, twin sister of Julia, was married May 5, 1892, to B. McBride, and with their daughter, Martha J., they reside on a farm south of Ava; Delia was born February 23, 1874; Oliver was born July 15, 1877; Elizabeth and Nancy, twins, were born July 24, 1880.

Mr. Chew was found among the defenders of the country during the late war. He enlisted August 26, 1861, as a member of Company H, Twenty-seventh Illinois Infantry, under Capt. Mike H. Brooks and Col. N. B. Buford. He participated in the battles of Belmont, Island No. 10, Corinth, Farmington, Luverne, Stone River, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge and Knoxville. At Blaine’s Cross Roads he re-enlisted as a veteran of Company G, Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry, under Captain Martin and Colonel Hughes, and served under General Sherman in the Atlanta campaign, participating in the battles of Franklin and Nashville. After the fall of Richmond, in the spring of 1865, he went to Washington, D. C., and after participating in the Grand Review, was mustered out at Louisville, Ky. He was never wounded, but for six weeks was confined to the hospital with rheumatism. He also contracted granulation of the eyelids, and he still frequently suffers from that disease.

Since his return from the war, Mr. Chew has continuously engaged in carpentering near his home. He is a prominent member of the Free Will Baptist Church, in which he serves as Trustee and Deacon, and is a member of the Grand Army post of Ava. In politics, he is a Republican, and has served as Township Assessor for two terms, and for one term was Justice of the Peace. His official duties and those of private life are discharged with the same fidelity that characterized his career when he went to the defense of his country and followed the Stars and Stripes to victory.