MYRON H. ANDREWS
Death Notice & Obituary
North Vernon Plain Dealer - March 9, 1882
DIED
ANDREWS: at his residence in this city; on Saturday evening at 7:30 o'clock, March 5th, 1882, Myron H. Andrews.
The deceased was suddenly taken by the dreaded disease, pneumonia, being sick but eight days.
The funeral took place on Tuesday. Business was entirely suspended. The public schools were closed while a vast
crowd attended the closing ceremonies. In our next issue a lengthy obituary will appear. Our city has been in a state of gloom since Saturday
evening. Every man, woman and child consider this a personal loss.
North Vernon Plain Dealer - March 23, 1882
IN MEMORIAM
On the 4th day of March, 1882, was finished a life that rose by its inherent qualities, "not into any articular virtue,
but into the region of all the virtues." A life so well adjusted in its relations to all, so true in its love, its charity and integrity, so
noble in all the commonplace every-day affairs that the end is mourned by the community as only a personal loss could be mourned. Dr. Myron H.
Andrews, the 4th child in a family of 3 sons and 3 daughters, was born September 4, 1835, in the old Andrews homestead that still stands near
the creek, about one mile east of town. Though never robust himself, he came of hardy New England stock, his father and grand-father both living
through a green old age, and his death is the first break in this circle of brothers and sisters.
In 1837 his parents moved to Vernon where he lived until he was 22 years of age. While living there he completed the course
afforded by the local schools, and also attended Hanover College two terms. He taught two terms of school in Kentucky, and one in Jefferson county,
Indiana, after which he devoted two years to the study of medicine, when, though well qualified to have graduated he gave up thoughts of entering that
profession, returned to his old home, which had now grown to quite a village, and with his step-brother, Samuel McKeehan, began the publication of the
Jennings Independent, the first paper published in North Vernon.
Not meeting with encouraging success in journalism, in 1859 he and his older brother, J. H., opened the first drug store of the
town, in which business he continued until the time of his death-nearly a quarter of a century. A retrospect of this period carries us back to the
infancy of our town, and in its development from that day to this there had been no movement of progress with which Dr. Andrews was not identified.
In politics, actuated as in all things by principle and honest belief, he was a true Republican, yet always accorded to others as much as he claimed
for himself-the right of his convictions.
Physically slender and delicate, unfitted as he was for the hardships of war, he was one of the first to respond to the call for
troops in 61', and only the arguments and entreaties of his older brother, who had himself just enlisted, prevented him from joining Co. "B" of the old 6th.
In the year of 1863 he married Miss Catharine P. Ferris, of Lawrenceburg, and to them were born 6 children, 4 of whom are now living.
To one who had opportunities of knowing the pure atmosphere of love that surrounded his home life, it seems too sacred to more than
refer to it.
To one who had opportunities of knowing the pure atmosphere of love that surrounded his home life, it seems too sacred to more than
refer to it.
The story of his life from the time of his return to North Vernon runs side by side with the history of our town. He has contributed
freely to its public institutions, and the ledgers of his business are so many volumes testifying to his private charity, a charity that would not be restrained
by his good judgement and a clear knowledge of human nature.
He was one of the rare men with whom not even self interest could prevail against principle, and no man living or dead could ever say
that Dr. Andrews had wronged him or hated him. It is doubtful if he ever spoke an unkind word. He was singularly blessed with those graces of the soul that
best fits a man to die even as they best fit him to live. Clinging to no creed, making no Pharisaical professions, living on a plan so far above dogmas as to
make them appear insignificant, he was sustained and soothed by the higher and nobler assurance consequent upon an upright life, and peacefully, hopefully
indeed could he return to God as a loving child to a loving father. Most appropriate were the words over the pale cold form that "From his life and death we
may all learn a lesson," for here ended a life that left the world better than it found it.
That every church bell tolled, that all business was suspended, that the schools were closed and court adjourned to join in the last
sad rites are tokens of love and sorrow such as never before were given to one of our citizens, and such as would be accorded only to one who was universally
loved and who had sincerely loved his fellowmen.
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