Slumbering Souls: Samuel F. Andrews, Jr. and Mary Elizabeth Peacock

Philo Miles and his wife Abilena Hopkins had a total of fifteen children, one of whom was Lucy, their fifth child. Lucy married Samuel Foster Andrews, Sr., and they lived in Homer Gulf in a rather small house, about twelve by sixteen feet. Lucy was adept at weaving, as was her mother, and her large loom was about six feet square. A bed occupied one side of the house, the loom the other, and all other household activities, like cooking and eating, took place in the space between. Lucy wove cloth and rugs that were sought after in the neighborhood, and the fact that her loom assumed so much space in that tiny dwelling gives you an idea of how much her talent was valued by her family, too.

Lucy and Samuel had seven children to raise in that small home, and they even boarded the schoolteacher when it was their turn! Their youngest son, Samuel Foster Andrews, Jr. was their sixth child and was a tremendous help to his mother. He not only helped with household tasks, but he also learned a great deal about spinning and the manufacture of linen, tow, homespun, and linsey-woolsey which are all byproducts of flax. Our ancestors were enterprising folks, and the steps involved in processing flax from plant to fiber is exhausting to even contemplate.

The families in far flung communities were close knit and Homer Gulf was no exception. Samuel, Jr. would find his bride in Miss Mary Elizabeth Peacock, a daughter of one of their neighbors in the little hamlet. Mary’s parents both hailed from England, coming to America at the ages of twenty-one for her father John, and nine for her mother Lavina.

Samuel Andrews, Jr. was born in 1862, and Mary Peacock was born in 1870, and they began their married life on December 27, 1888, after which they moved to Homer. City directories place the newlyweds at 37 Grove Street until 1906, and after that, they lived at 52 Clinton Street. Prior to marriage, Samuel worked briefly as a teacher at Lake Como, and there was a stint in the grocery business with a store called Andrews & McMaster, but it seems that his calling was to work with his hands. For most of his life, Samuel worked as a carpenter. There is a list of some of the barns built by Samuel in the Andrews family file, though there are probably far more than the dozen or so on the list. CCHS has some of the tools used by Andrews in his business. It brings an immediate connection to Samuel to hold the level that he used day in and day out in the construction of buildings in this area. A level is such a commonplace tool, but one of utmost importance to a carpenter. Samuel’s level is different than any other in our collection, or any in your toolbox, because it is imprinted with the very essence of his life. This is one of the reasons we hold onto the things that tell the stories of the past when there is no longer anyone living who can. It is a magical experience to hold something so dear to another soul and to briefly feel a spark of life when we put ourselves in their place.

Three children were born to Samuel and Mary: Bessie, Chester, and Carl. These three great grandchildren of Philo and Abilena Miles each led different lives. Bessie and Chester both experienced some heartache, each losing their first spouse. Bessie first married Roland E. Button, and he drowned in Lake Como while trying to save her life. She moved back home and later married Ralph A. Butler. She and Ralph were both active members of the Cortland County Historical Society. She had no children. Her brother Chester married Hazel Moore, but she died about a week after the birth of their daughter Dorothy. Chester’s career was in chemistry, and he worked for big companies like Eastman Kodak and Rohm Haas which required him to travel. His busy life left him in no way able to care for a newborn, so Dorothy went to live with her grandparents, Samuel and Mary. They doted on their granddaughter, and when Chester remarried and had another little girl, Dorothy remained with her grandparents because she was so firmly attached to them. Carl Andrews remained local and worked with his father. He married Arlowene Stafford, and they had one child.

When Dorothy was thirteen, Mary passed away after years of declining health. Her obituary exalted her as a woman of “sterling qualities” who was quiet and happy to be at home with family. Her death left a hole in the family, and Samuel was left to raise Dorothy with the help of his daughter Bessie. After Bessie remarried, he managed the household by hiring a housekeeper. Dorothy attended Syracuse University, and when she came home for school breaks, Samuel took over the housekeeping tasks and did the cooking for Dorothy himself.

Samuel was an active member of the community. He was a member and chaplain of the Homer Masonic Lodge, a deacon at the Homer Congregational Church, a member of the Grange, and a past president of the village of Homer. In 1934, he took a transcontinental trip to California. He enjoyed good health until about a year before his death from pneumonia in 1943. Samuel and Mary were reunited in death at Atwater Cemetery, where so many of their relatives from Homer Gulf are also at rest.

~Tabitha Scoville, CCHS Director