Charles Andrus's biography, Watertown Township, Clinton County, Michigan Copyright © 1999 by Jan Sedore. This copy contributed for use in the MIGenWeb Archives. ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ PAST AND PRESENT OF CLINTON COUNTY, 1906 CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN Page 160-162 CHARLES T. ANDRUS Charles t. Andrus, a pioneer settler of Clinton County and an honored veteran of the Civil war, was born in Cazenovia, Madison County, New York, July 16, 1837. His parents were John H. and Delocia (Webber) Andrus, the former a native of Connecticut and the latter of Pennsylvania. They came to Michigan in the year 1839, locating on section 7, Watertown Township, Clinton County, in the midst of an almost unbroken wilderness. There were no roads, the land was unclaimed and the forests uncut. The father took an active and helpful part in local affairs up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1860, when he was in the sixty-sixth year of his age. His wife had passed away two years before. They were the parents of eight children: John W., now living in Kent county, Michigan; Corneal, the wife of George Saunders, of the same county; Georgia, the wife of Austin Cowan, of Kent County; Caroline, the wife of John Bissell, of Grand Ledge, Michigan; Gerard, of Watertown township; Dennis, who died in 1860; and Frances, who became the wife of John Hughes and died in Kent County in 1867. Charles T. Andrus, the oldest member of the family, received but limited educational privileges but mastered the elementary branches of learning in a log schoolhouse and through experience, reading and observation in later years has greatly broadened his knowledge. He remained upon the old home farm until the death of his parents when his brother John took charge of the home place, and Charles started out in life on his own account. On the 4th of August 1861, he responded to his country's call for aid, enlisting in Company A, Twenty-third Michigan Infantry under Captain Spaulding. He was mustered in at East Saginaw, Michigan, September 12, 1862, and was honorably discharged July 20, 1865. He entered the army with the rank of corporal and was promoted to sergeant in 1863. He participated in various important engagements, twenty-seven in all, including the battle of Franklin, Tennessee, the siege of Knoxville, the battle of Resaca, the Atlanta campaign and the Morgan raid. He was under General Sherman from 1863, marching with him as far as Rome, Georgia, in October, 1864, and then rejoined his command at Goldsboro, Georgia, on the 21st of march, 1865. On the 30th of November, 1964, he was engaged in the battle with Hood's forces at Franklin, Tennessee, where the rebels charged thirteen times and afterward fell back to Nashville on the 1st of December, remaining there until the 15th and 16th of the same month, when they again attacked Hood, driving him back to Franklin over the same ground where the battle had previously occurred. They paroled twenty-seven hundred prisoners and the opposition lost more generals in that engagement than in any other battle of the Civil war. Mr. Andrus with his regiment afterward fell back to Columbia and on the 1st of January 1865, marched from that place to Clifton on the Tennessee River. On the 16th of January the troops took boat there and went up the Ohio river to Cincinnati and afterward to Washington by rail, remaining at Camp Stoneman until the 13th of February. They then crossed the Potomac river to Alexandria and afterward took boat for Fort Fisher at the mouth of Cape Fear river. Subsequently they marched up the river to Wilmington, Delaware, and on the 22d of February captured that city, remaining there until the 6th of March. The next move of the army was to Kingston and afterward to Goldsboro, forming the junction with Sherman's army and proceeding then to the coast. Later Mr. Andrus was on picket duty and was at Raleigh, North Carolina, at the time of General Lee's surrender. The regiment remained at Raleigh for a time but afterward went to Greensboro and then on to Salsbury, North Carolina, continuing there until June 28, 1865, when the members of the regiment were mustered out and returned to Michigan. After his return home Mr. Andrus engaged in farming and subsequently operated a gristmill at Dewitt for two years. He was married in 1867 and then rented a farm in Eagle Township, He was afterward superintendent of the Deitz farm in Watertown Township. He was identified with milling and farming interests for a number of years but is now living retired, enjoying a well-earned rest. Mr. Andrus was married in 1867 to Miss Alice Higbee, a daughter of Elisha and Emline (Wright) Higbee. Their children are: Albert H., who is a salesman for Josiah Anstice, a hardware firm of Rochester, New York; Annette, the wife of Lucius Streeter, of Syracuse, New York; and Frank C., who died in infancy. Mrs Andrus belonged to one of the early pioneer families of Clinton County, her people having located on section 11, Eagle Township, in 1837. She has two brothers, J. W. and George C. Higbee, the former living in Teko, Washington, and the latter in Marquette, Michigan. Her father died at Winchester, Virginia, in December 1864, while serving under General Sheridan in the Civil war. Mr. Andrus has served as constable for many years and now holds that office and was also deputy sheriff of Clinton County under Sheriffs Swiggart and Leland for eight years. In politics he is a stalwart republican and he belongs to Joseph Mason post, No. 248, G. A. R., at Wacousta. He is the oldest citizen in his locality in point of continuous connection with the county and has a remarkable memory for events, which formed the early history of this part of the state. His genial manner, kindly disposition and genuine worth have made him a respected and valued citizen of Clinton County, and as a citizen and soldier he has made an excellent record.