Written by his son, Alexander Burto Andrus
Bishop James Andrus of St. George, Washington Co, Utah, was born 14 June 1835, in Florence, Huron Co., Ohio, the son of Milo Andrus and Abigail Jane Daley. He was the oldest son of his father, who had 57 children. He was blessed as a child under the hands of Sidney Rigdon, his parents being already members of the Church.
When about seven years of age, (May 1852) he was baptized, and soon afterwards ordained to the office of deacon. In the spring of 1846, he left Nauvoo, Ill., together with his parents, for the far west, in route for the mountains. His family stayed in the area above Winter Quarters until in the spring of 1848. When James was about thirteen years old, he started across the plains with his mother, one sister older than himself, two younger sisters and a younger brother, having two yoke of oxen and a yoke of cows at their disposal.
His father, Milo Andrus, left his family on the prairie, having been called to go to England on a mission. James wrote, "We had all of our possessions for the family of six in one small wagon, and I took my part, although but a child, in all the guards of both camp and cattle."
The family reached the Valley of the Great Salt Lake in the fall of 1848, with the Heber C. Kimball Company. In the history of his mother, Abigail Jane Daley, it records that James, his brother, John, sister, Mary Jane and his mother walked every step of the way, and barefoot too. James' sister, Mary Jane, in her life history tells of stopping time and again to pick the burrs from their feet. And, at one time, they came to a place where the Indians had been in battle. They picked out some of the hides to cover their feet, as they were sore and bleeding. They often went hungry and sometimes they were cold. James was a boy chum of Joseph F. Smith, who later became President of the Church.
When James was 21 years of age, he bought his time from his father, Milo. The winter of 1855-56 he spent in Washington Territory, (Montana) as a trader among the Flat Head Indians. This is where he got his start of fine horses.
In March 1857, he married Laura Altha Gibson, who thereafter bore him nine children. Shortly after his marriage, he left for England to serve as a missionary for the church, crossing the plains from Salt Lake City to the Missouri River with a handcart, as was the custom of the time. To say that it tries a young man's faith to leave a band of some of Utah's best and finest horses and proceed on foot with a hand cart across the plains to the Missouri River, is putting it mild. He was released and called home the same year owing to the unsettled condition of affairs incident to the coming of Johnson's army to Utah.
In the fall of 1861, James was called, together with many others, to settle Southern Utah, where he passed through all the trials and privations incident to pioneer life in a barren desert country. But he was eminently successful in his labors of developing the wilderness and turning it into a fruitful garden spot. His family resided in Grafton, Utah.
In 1862, he filled a short mission to the Moquis Indians. He was called by President Brigham Young to serve in a company of cavalry to protect the mail routes between Fort Bridger and North Platte from Indian attacks. He served under Captain Lot Smith.
James married his second wife, Manomas Lovina Gibson, a sister to his first wife Laura, on 20 Sept 1862, in the Salt Lake Endowment House. James and Manomas had eleven children. Both wives of James were the daughters of George Washington Gibson and Mary Ann Sparks. They were southern people who joined the church in their native state, South Carolina, and crossed the plains with their large family. They came to Utah in Captain Brown's Company.
In 1863, when volunteers were called from Utah's Sunny Dixie for drivers of teams to bring several emigrants across the plains, James went as an assistant to Capt Daniel D. McArthur and successfully brought a large company to Utah. The following year he made a similar trip east after merchandise, traveling with a mule team.
James and his wives were settled in Grafton, Utah, in the Dixie area, where James was running his cattle and horses. Here they lived for one year, but the Indians were giving the settlers trouble, so the people of these small settlements were asked to move closer together. So the two wives moved to Rockville.
At this time, 1866, James had been called to be a Captain in the Militia in the Black Hawk War. These men were called to protect the settlers from the marauding Indians, and in doing so he was away from home much of the time. James spent 15 years in military service. The nature of one of his expeditions follows:
James received a message to hurriedly mobilize a small force and take up and follow the trail of some Indian marauders. This message came from Captain Copeland to James, who was at the time in Virgin, Utah. He was to meet and join forces with a Captain Freeman from Washington, Utah. Together the militia numbered about eighty men. This force moved rapidly forward, hoping to cut off the retreat of the Navajos toward their own country. By a forced march, nightfall found them camped on the Cedar Ridge, about eight miles west of Pipe Springs. About 4 am the man on guard saw, away off across the plains, a light which he thought was a fire. He woke Captain Andrus. The later unhesitatingly declared that the light was reflected from a fire, and that there were Indians there. He could smell them.
Orders were immediately issued, and the men were soon mounted and moving noiselessly toward the light which shone in the darkness several miles away. A convenient wash or gully, made it possible for the Militia to approach to within one hundred and fifty yeards of the unsuspecting Navajo, who were busily occupied with their breakfast of broiled beef.
Dismounting his men, Captain James Andrus, to whom the direct command had been entreated , left a detail to hold the horses. With the remainder of his forces he attacked the camp. At the first fire the Navajo's scattered. But at the command of their Chief, they ran out, came together, and faced their assailants, notwithstanding the great odds arrayed against them. Slowly they retreated to the top of a neighboring ridge, where they made a stand, returning shot for shot.
Captain Andrus now ordered his men to remount, and take the position which the Indians were holding, by assault. Charging straight up the bluff, the Captain rode, leading his men. As he rushed up the slope ;toward the rocks, Ammon Tenney, who was at a different angle, saw an Indian on the crest of the ridge, one knee on the ground, his bow bent to the arrowhead, waiting for the Captain to appear. Frantically Tenney shouted, "Look out, Captain, that Indian will kill you." Instantly Captain Andrus reigned his horse, a high-spirited animal named "Black Hawk," which threw up its head and received in its forehead the arrow intended for its rider. The arrow was so deeply imbedded in the skull of the horse that it could not be removed until the settlements were reached, when it was extracted with a pair of blacksmith's shoeing pincers.
The battle was soon over. The Indians were either killed or scattered; and when Captain Andrus called his men together, none was missing, notwithstanding the stubborn resistance of the enemy and many hair-breadth escapes.
James Andrus was elected Lieutenant Colonel of the 1st Regiment of Cavalry, on the February 22, 1868, and was commissioned by acting Governor Edwin Higgins, on April 15, 1868. In November of 1871, Jacob Hamblin met the Navajo Indians, principally Chief Defiance, and concluded a Treaty of Peace with him. Chief Walker visited Captain Andrus at his home after the Treaty of Peace and they became good friends. He told Captain Andrus they had tried more than any one thing to kill him, realizing he was the most successful one in defeating their purpose.
In 1867, James moved his family from Grafton to St. George, where he was to remain until his death.
When the pioneers came to Dixie they brought their livestock with them, such as milk cows, work horses, and what other animals they possessed. From the vast amount of public domain, it was easy to see that the livestock business could be made to be a great benefit to the people in this part of the state.
As the livestock increased, it was necessary to extend their grazing borders. They finally went out on top of Hurricane Fault, on the Antelope, and what was then know as the Canaan Ranch. It was later thought best to form a corporation, which was done by each one turning in his stock and receiving credit in the company. This company, the "Canaan Cooperative Livestock Company," proved to be a great benefit to the people.
In 1871, James Andrus became the General Manager of the Canaan Cooperative Livestock Company, and he was a very good and capable man for the position. The business increased under his management. He was in charge of this company for twenty-five years.
From 1871 until the time of his death, he could be found each year in the saddle. No finer specimen of manhood ever sat upon a horse. Six feet one inch in height, and weighing in his prime 230 pounds, he was always riding on the finest horses that money and breeding could produce. Cow horses are not raised, but are "born", just like cowboys. Many men worked at the cow business all their lives and never became efficient cowhands. A good cowpuncher can ride a hackamore colt into a herd of cattle, and he will know at once whether the animal is a good cow horse. Such horses, owned and raised by James Andrus were named, Bishop, Bollie and a score of others.
James was a trustworthy cowboy, a successful cattleman, merchant, and banker. He was a wise statesman and a true soldier. This man did his full part in the colonization of the west, and keeping pace with its development. He was at home at the old-time roundups, or at the new roundups.
After James resigned from running the Canaan Cooperative Livestock Association, he engaged in the cattle business for himself and became the leading stockraiser in this section.
Later he became identified with the Wooley, Lund and Judd Mercantile Co. He succeeded in buying this firm out, which he was still managing at the time of his death, but it was known as James Andrus & Sons, St. George, Utah.
In political affairs he was active and interested. After the division of party lines when Utah joined the Union, he was elected State Representative to the first Legislature, November 5, 1895. He was a Democrat from Washington County. He served as County Commissioner for several terms, and he was chosen as the Presidential elector from Utah on the Democratic Ticket in the election of 1912.
In 1896, he was ordained a Bishop by Franklin D. Richards and set apart to preside over the St. George Ward. He discharged his duties faithfully in that office until he was honorably released. He was a member of the High Council at the time of death.
James was especially interested in the farming, stockraising, and mercantile business enterprises that were started in the area. He was also interested in nearly every irrigation project or business enterprise which was started. His judgment was good, and he was respected by his business associates.
He was liberal with his means for public purposes, especially in the erection of school buildings. He was the father of the Woodwork department of Dixie College. He was Vice President of the Bank of St. George, from its organization until the time of his death. He was also President of the Telephone Company for many years.
James died at his home in St. George, Utah, December 8, 1914, after leading a very successful life. His widow, Manomas G. Andrus, and fourteen children survived him. He had at this time forty-five grandchildren who survived him. He was the father of twenty-one children.