John Day Andrews

John Day Andrews (August 30, 1795 – August 30, 1882) was a tavern keeper, carpenter, merchant, planter, and politician. He worked in Virginia as a plantation overseer and owned a tavern. He relocated to Houston around 1838, where he worked as a carpenter, a dry goods merchant, and a planter. He served as an Alderman and a mayor of Houston.

Early life and business career John Day Andrews was the son of John and Elizabeth Lipscomb Andrews, and was born in Spotsylvania County, Virginia on August 30, 1795.

Andrews arrived in Houston with his family as early as 1837.

Public life Andrews started public life in Houston in 1838, when he co-founded Christ Church in Houston. He served as the founding president of the Houston Board of Health. He served two one-year terms as mayor of Houston in 1841 and 1842, establishing the first city hall in is second year.

Andrews was a senior warden of Christ Church, Houston from 1853 through 1858.

Personal life Andrews sired Sarah Goodwin, who was born in 1814, but he did not admit this to his family. He married Eugenia Price Thilman on November 25, 1830. Thilman was a widow and Andrews adopted both of her daughters. They also had at least two daughters from their own marriage.

Later, the Andrews family resided on a large suburban tract, on land that was later used as the baseball park for a Houston minor league baseball team, at the corner of Andrews and Heiner streets.

Death Andrews died in Houston on his birthday, August 30, 1882. He is buried at Glenwood Cemetery.