Polk Co. IAGenWeb

ANDREWS, L. F. -Secretary of the State Board of Health. Was born at Athol, Worcester county, Massachusetts, March 8th, 1829, and when two years of age accompanied his parents to Brandon, Vermont. Ten ,years later he returned to Massachusetts, and at the age of sixteen years entered the office of the Barre (Mass.) Patriot, serving an apprenticeship .of three years. He then removed to Michigan, and in 1850 established the Western Union Newspaper, which with presses and type went up in a cloud of fire as a victim of a fourth of July pyrotechnic display. He then removed to Wisconsin, and for a time was city editor of the Oskosh Northwestern; thence to Lafayette, Indiana, where he was for two years assistant editor of the Daily Courier. In December, 1864, he came to Des Moines, and at once entered journalism. Has been the special correspondent of the Chicago Journal since '64, and at presents represents that paper, together with the Chicago Tribune, St. Paul Pioneer Press, St. Louis Globe-Democrat, and New York Tribune. He has probably been the longest in continuous practice as a journalist of any person in the city. While employed ten hours a day at his regular business he found time to read law; entered the first class of the Iowa Law School, now the law department of the State University. Graduated with the class of 1866, and was admitted to the bar of the federal and State courts. Was appointed United States Commissioner for the district of Iowa by Judge Dillon in 1856. He was night editor of the Daily State Register under the administration of Mills & Co., and city editor of the Daily Republican and Daily State Journal, with brief intervals during their existence. May 5,1880, he was elected to his present position. He is faithful to every duty which he undertakes, and is well known beyond the borders of the State as a most reliable correspondent. His acquaintance with prominent men of the State is extensive, and he has made many friends by his straightforward manners and unostentatious course in the performance of his work. He was married at Kalamazoo, Michigan, August 11, 1861, to Sophia M. Crittenden, a native of Palmyra, New York, born April 27; 1829. They have two children living: Lillian A. and Frank M.