Robert E. Lee Andrews (abt. 1921 - abt. 1929)

Born about 1921 in Arkansas

Ancestors

Died about 1929 at about age 8 in Arkansas

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Joyce Henley [send private message]

Biography

Robert was the firstborn son of Robert Sterling and Mary Lee Andrews. He died around age 8 from meningitis. My grandmother, Robert's mother, would sometimes talk about him to me (and possibly her other grandchildren) whenever she spent the night and I was snuggled up to her in bed after lights out.

Some family in recent years thought his middle name was Sterling, after his father. Even my father thought this in his last year of life and was unconvinced by me when I tried to correct him, but he was in the midst of Alzheimer's and had lost that memory by then. I well remember MawMaw telling me his name was "Robert E. Lee" (her middle name was Lee) and I've seen it written on the back of his photo. Updated: 24 December 2016: The photo of Robert with his name written on the back was in my sister's possession since our father passed away. I've posted the photo's back to show his name. I had always thought it was in MawMaw's handwriting, but discovered that it was written by Grandpa after I compared it to Grandpa's signatures on several documents. Nice surprise!

My father once told me that Robert died at home in his mother's arms. He is buried in an unmarked grave in Union Cemetery at Rye, Cleveland Co. AR, on the west side. Daddy once showed me where he remembered his grave to be. His parents are on the east side of the cemetery, but Robert is near where other Andrews ancestors are buried, including his paternal grandfather. There is an Arkansas death record for a "Robert E Andrews" on February 07, 1929, in Union Co. AR, that possibly could be Robert, as they did live in El Dorado, AR when he was a child. Recently I came across his 2nd sister's (Sallie) obituary which stated she was born in El Dorado in 1925, so that bolsters my belief. That said, it's too little information for a definitive identification - it didn't have a birth date, for instance. He was not listed in their Pennington Township, Bradley Co. AR household in the 1930 Census, so he died before then. - jah

Sources

• Family information passed down from my grandmother and father, Robert's mother and brother - Joyce Henley

• 1930 Census; Arkansas Death Index AFN: 19241933

• Family photos of Robert