Ellen Louise Foss was born Sept. 7, 1839 in Elmore, Lamoille, VT., the 7th of eleven children born to Luther Foss, a farmer and his wife, Minea Atwood (Andrews) Foss.
A young woman in the 1860s, she looked the epitome of a pioneer woman as she gazed off into the distance; the Civil War years barely behind her.
Strong, stoic, practical.
Ellen Foss was well acquainted with loss.
In Feb. 1844, when she was 4 ½ years old, her younger sister Martha Ann died at age 2 ½ yrs.
A few years later Ellen lost another sibling, an older brother, Luther Hale, age 19, died July 21, 1848.
When Ellen was 19 she married her 1st cousin Christopher Atwood Adams Andrews Jr. 22, of Scituate, Massachusetts. They were married on July 31, 1859 in Elmore, Lamoille, VT. (Christopher’s father C. A. A. Andrews Sr. and Ellen’s mother, Minea Atwood Andrews were brother and sister, the eldest son and daughter of William Andrews and Thankful Atwood).
For several years following their marriage Ellen and Christopher made their home in Massachusetts. Their first child, William Luther Andrews was born June 28, 1861 in Charlestown, MA, shortly after the start of the Civil War.
Christopher’s Civil War years remain a mystery. I haven’t been able to find any record of him having served in the war, even though I was able to find three of his younger brothers, all serving in Co. A, 35th Reg’t, Massachusetts Infantry.
- James Theodore Johnson Andrews, born June 14, 1843 in Massachusetts. He enlisted Aug. 9, 1862 as a private in Capt. S. H. Andrews, Co. A, 35th Reg’t,Massachusetts Infantry and died in camp from an overdose of chloroform, 6 months later on Feb. 4, 1863 near Falmouth VA., age 19 years.
- William Baker Damon Andrews was born on April 10, 1842 in Newton, Massachusetts. He enlisted in Co. A., 35th Reg't of Massachusetts Volunteers as a private July 23, 1862; was promoted to Sergeant and killed in action. He died of a gunshot wound to the neck September 30, 1864 near Petersburg, VA., age 22 years.
- Reuben Snow Hayden Andrews, born Jan. 15, 1839 in Boston, MA.; enlisted August 2, 1862, in Co. A, 35th Reg't, Massachusetts Volunteers, later known as 35th Massachusetts Infantry and was discharged near Alexandria VA. June 9, 1865.
I wanted to know if Capt. S. H. Andrews, Co. A., 35th Massachusetts Infantry and Reuben S. H. Andrews, Co. A., 35th Massachusetts Infantry were the same person.
When I purchased Ellen’s tintype, there was a cdv up for auction signed "Capt. S. H. Andrews, 35th Mass." and he was identified in the description of Ellen, as her brother.
This is not the same photograph that was auctioned. It is a photograph of Capt. S. H. Andrews that is held by the Wilson Creek National Battlefield and is used with their permission.
(Capt. S.H. Andrews WICR 31860) in the collection of Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield.
Image courtesy of the National Park Service.
Image courtesy of the National Park Service.
Were they the same man?
They were not, but Reuben Snow Hayden Andrews and Stephen H. Andrews, son of Stephen Snow Andrews were related.
Pvt. Rueben S. H. Andrews and Capt. S. H. Andrews, were cousins. How distant is for someone with more patience than me to unravel … their grandfather’s were brothers.
Capt. Stephen H. Andrews was born in Massachusetts, Nov., 1835. His father, Stephen Snow Andrews, died when he was young and in 1845 his mother Rebecca married Moses Dill. In 1850, Stephen, 14 and his sister Rudencia, 12 were living in the combined household of their step-father Moses Dill, a trader, and their mother Rebecca, but by age 16, Stephen was living on his own and supporting himself working as a store clerk.
In March 1857 Stephen, age 21, arrived in Leavenworth, KS, bought a team and wagon and settled on Smoky Hill, 7 miles above Ft. Riley where he cleared the timber, built a cabin, and began improvements to the land.
"But his sympathies were strong on the side of the Union" and at the start of the Civil War, in May 1861 he enlisted as first sergeant in Co B, 2nd Kansas Infantry. His first experience of an important battle was at Wilson’s Creek, Aug. 10, 1861. He mustered out Oct. 31, 1861 and was honorably discharged.
In Dec. 1861 he returned to Massachusetts, where he was authorized by the governor to raise a company and became captain of Co. A, 35th Massachusetts Infantry, his commission dating from Aug. 1, 1862.
This would be about the time his cousins; Reuben, William and James enlisted.
Capt. S. H. Andrews and his men took part with the Army of the Potomac, in the battles of South Mountain, Antietam and Fredericksburg. During the Battle of Antietam Andrews was wounded and never fully recovered. In the spring of 1863 he took part in the siege of Vicksburg. He resigned his commission April 24th, 1863, owing to the impairment of his health by the hardships of army life, and returned to Kansas.
Reuben, the only one of the three Andrews brothers in the 35th Reg't to survive the war, was discharged near Alexandria, Virginia and returned to his parents home in Massachusetts.
In the 1865 census Christopher and Ellen are living in Charlestown, MA. with their 4 yr. old son William. Christopher’s occupation is shown as house painter. On August 22, 1865 Ellen gave birth to their second son, Theodore Foss Andrews.
A few days after her son's birth, on August 27, 1865, Ellen’s brother, Benjamin Perry Foss, a 29 yr. old farmer in Hyde Park died of typhoid fever.
November, 1866 was a month for marriages.
On Nov. 15, 1866 Christopher’s brother Reuben married Lucy Hayden in Scituate, Massachusetts.
And on Nov. 23, 1866 Ellen’s youngest sister Cordelia A. Foss married John Foss, who had served in Co. M, Vermont 11th Heavy Artillery.
The following year, in 1867 Ellen and Christopher moved with their 2 young sons from Charlestown, Massachusetts to Wolcott, Vermont.
I think Ellen’s photograph and the previous one of Cordelia were taken around this time; after Ellen and Christopher moved to Vermont in 1867 and before the death of Ellen’s 18 year old sister Cordelia Foss on February 26, 1868.
In 1869 Ellen and her family moved again, this time to North Hyde Park, Vermont where three more children were born.
Charles Christopher Andrews b. Mar. 5, 1870 Hyde Park, Lamoille, VT
Bertha Louise Andrews b. Mar. 25, 1873 Hyde Park, Lamoille, VT
Orton Grant Andrews b. Jan. 27, 1879 Hyde Park, Lamoille, VT
Christopher and Ellen lived in North Hyde Park, Vermont until 1886.
From 1886 - 1907 they lived in Hyde Park, Massachusetts.
In 1893 their son Charles Christopher (23) married Mary Elizabeth Irving and in 1895 son Theodore Foss Andrews (29) married Mabel Spencer but for the most part Christopher and Ellen’s children don’t appear to have been eager to leave the nest.
The 1900 census shows son William 38, daughter Bertha 27 and son Orton 21, all still living at home. William’s occupation, like his father’s is painter / paper hanger. Orton is a clerk.
Christopher A. A. Andrews died January 13, 1904 at the age of 67 yrs. 1 mo. 26 days in Hyde Park, Massachusetts. His cause of death was cardiac dilatation, a condition, his doctor noted, he’d had for several years.
Ellen Louise (Foss) Andrews
Born: September 7, 1839 Elmore, Lamoille, VT
Died: December 1, 1907 19 Winslow St., Hyde Park, MA
Age: 68 yrs. 2 mos. 24 days
Cause of Death: Primary: Atherosclerosis / Contributory: Acute Indigestion
Burial: Fairview Cemetery Boston
Sources:
Massachusettes Soldiers, Sailors & Marines in the Civil War
familysearch.org
Trans-Mississippi Theater Photo Archive
Portrait and Biographical Record of Leavenworth, Douglas and Franklin Counties, Kansas
