Brockenbrough Beverly Andrews (1838-1909)

Portrait courtesy of Find-a-Grave.

  Russellville, Kentucky resident Brockenbrough Beverly Andrews possesses one of the more lengthy first names to be featured here on the site and hiding behind that odd name lies the story of a man who, in addition to being a Confederate veteran and pharmacist in Russellville, served as mayor of that city for over a decade. In addition to achievement in local politics, Andrews was a distinguished club man in his state, being Grand Chancellor of the Knights of Pythias for Kentucky. 

  A native of Tennessee, Brockenbrough Beverly "B.B." Andrews was born in the town of Franklin on July 4, 1838, the son of Mark Lyell (1796-1878) and Eliza (Dean) Andrews. A student in schools local to Tennessee, Andrews decided upon a medical career at an early age and would enroll at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. After graduating from that school's medical department in 1859 Andrews established his practice in Franklin. He would marry that same year to his first wife, Louisa Elizabeth Lockridge, about whom little is known. 

  At the dawn of the Civil War, Andrews cast his lot with the Confederacy, and after enlisting in the Fourth Tennessee Cavalry, served under the command of Col. James Wellborn Starnes and Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest. He served through the duration of the war and surrendered in May of 1865. Following his leaving the Confederate Army Andrews remarried in February 1868 to Martha Easley Wilson (1842-1911), to who he was wed until his death. The couple would have two sons, Phillip Cook (1870-1931) and Clarence Wilson. Of these children, Phillip Cook Andrews followed his father into medicine and politics, serving three terms as mayor of Russellville between 1911 and 1921. 

    Residing in Franklin, Tennessee until 1882, B.B. Russell relocated with his family to Russellville, Kentucky that year and would continue in the druggist trade in that city, later being joined by his two sons. Andrews also attained high rank in the Knights of Pythias in that state, serving as a Grand Inner Guard in 1889 and in the early 1890s was named as  Grand Chancellor for Kentucky.  Sources also denote Andrews as treasurer of the Logan County chapter of the American Bible Society's auxiliary, serving from 1900-01.

  Andrews began his political career in 1891 when he took office as mayor of Russellville and would continue in that post for at least fourteen years, his last term concluding in 1905. Andrews died four years later on March 10, 1909, of "acute gastritis" and was survived by his wife Martha. Following her death two years after her husband, Martha Wilson Andrews was interred alongside him at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Russellville. 

From the Louisville Courier-Journal, March 18, 1909.