Erastus Lafayette ("Rat") Andruss

Erastus was born April 17, 1824 in Hawkins Co. TN. At age 16 he was deeded personal property of livestock, tinner and blacksmith tools, furniture, etc. by his father. He married January 1, 1855, in St. Clear [sic], Hawkins Co. TN to Sarah Jane Rayl, daughter of farmer George Rayl. They lived in Jefferson Co. TN.

Erastus' brother, Alpheus, died in 1857 and left Erastus his interest in a store and guardianship of his children--both Erastus and Alpheus were tinners.

One Andruss descendant says that Erastus served the Confederacy in the Civil War in Texas with two of his brothers, but I can find no identifiable record. He is back in Tennessee after the War.

After the War Erastus and his father sold their land in Tennessee and moved to MO close to where brothers Orville, George and sister Dianna lived. Erastus settled in Cass Co. where he bought and sold land and farmed. After his parents died he moved his family to the Sherman-Denison area where brothers Charles and Dop lived. Brother George also moved down from Kansas. Erastus had ten children born variously in Tennessee, Missouri and Texas.

Erastus was killed when a tornado hit Savoy TX May 28, 1880. His youngest baby, Katie, was killed, too. Jane and some of the girls were lifted on a bed and deposited in the pigpen unhurt. One daughter, Minnie, got a skull injury that later killed her. 3-year-old Myrtle was found safe in a mudhole. Erastus and Katie are buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Savoy TX.

Jane went back to Denison and lived until Minnie died, then she broke up housekeeping and stayed with sick people or children to make her way. She died in 1906 and is buried in Denison's Oakwood Cemetery.

A lot of Erastus' descendants still live in the Sherman/Denison area of TX.

-Merriam Morrison Kokojan, 1985 Andruss Family History


HOME  | SURNAMES  | EMAIL |

Copyright © 1999 by Matthew A. Andruss. No reproduction except for personal use.