Corporal Obie Andrews
United States Army, World War I
Motor Truck Company #494
July 23, 2025 - Obie “Andy” Andrews was born on Friday, December 11, during the Christmas season of 1891 to Ana Pittman and James Richard Andrews. His birthplace was the small farming community of Newton, Dale County, Alabama which had once been the county seat. It is believed that he had six brothers: Joseph, Jay, Elijah, Willie, Irvin, and John along with a sister, Annie Naomi. Before he was eight years old, the family had moved to Shelby County, Texas where his father had purchased a farm on Tenaha Road. Obie’s level of education is unknown although he did attend school and could read and write by the time he was seventeen.
On June 5, 1917, two months following the United States’ entry into the World War, the first of three military draft registrations was held for all men ages 21 to 30. Obie registered on the required date at the county seat of Center in Shelby County. It was a simple form (Form 1) and documented that his address was Center, he was a natural-born citizen, had employment as a farmer, was single and of the Caucasian race, with no exemption to the draft claimed. Physically he was described as short and stout, with brown eyes and black hair. His draft # was 834.
On June 19, 1918, Obie took the oath of enlistment in Center and became US Army Private Andrews, serial # 1034242. Instead of being sent straight to basic training at Camp Tavis, he and six others left Center for A & M College where they would take special mechanical training for military service that included the operation and repair of motor vehicles. Upon graduation in August, Obie was assigned to Motor Truck Company 494, 9 Squadron, that departed the port of Hoboken, New Jersey, on September 15, 1918 aboard the United States Navy Transport, USS Martha Washington. He listed his father James as the next of kin in the event of an emergency.
The normal voyage to France at that time was approximately eleven days and the final destination of Obie’s unit is unclear but is believed to have been at Toul, a town in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department, in northeastern France. The war ended on November 11, 1918, shortly after the arrival of the 494. Obie received two promotions while in France, Private First Class on January 21, 1919, and Corporal on February 10, 1919. Boarding the USS Aeolus at St. Nazaire on June 17, 1919, the 494 arrived back at Hoboken, New Jersey on June 28 with 3,354 soldiers. They were then transported to nearby Camp Merritt for discharge processing.
On July 12, 1919, Obie Andrews was once again a civilian after serving his country for twelve months. He settled in Beaumont, Jefferson County, Texas where he found work in the steel and iron industry as a boilermaker. As the “Great Depression” arrived, the 1930 census documented that he was living with his parents at 256 Tenaha Street in Center where he was the owner/operator of a gasoline station.
Obie again answered the call to duty when the United States declared war on Japan, December 7, 1941. He enlisted at an unknown date but at the age of 51, he in all probability didn’t serve long and was honorably discharged in November 1943. Upon discharge, he registered for the selective service in Center with a mailing address of 2245 Liberty Street, Beaumont, Texas. He continued to live in Beaumont and Galveston, working as a mechanic.
Obie died at the age of 78 at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Houston of heart disease on November 21, 1970. At the time of his death, he was retired and living in Chester, Tyler County, Texas. Funeral services were held two days later at the Mangum Funeral Home Chapel, Center, Texas with Dr. James T. Neff officiating. Burial followed in Oaklawn Memorial Park, Center where his parents also rest. Day is done, God is nigh.
Sources:
(1): Year: 1900; Census Place: Center, Shelby, Texas; Roll: 1669; Page: 8; Enumeration District: 0085
(2): Year: 1910; Census Place: Justice Precinct 1, Shelby, Texas; Roll: T624_1588; Page: 4b; Enumeration District: 0144; FHL microfilm: 1375601
(3): Registration State: Texas; Registration County: Shelby County
(4): "Texas, World War I Records, 1917-1920." Database with images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 18 July 2022. Texas Military Forces Museum, Austin.
(5): The National Archives at College Park; College Park, Maryland; Record Group Title: Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 1774-1985; Record Group Number: 92; Roll or Box Number: 491
(6): Year: 1920; Census Place: Beaumont Ward 1, Jefferson, Texas; Roll: T625_1823; Page: 6A; Enumeration District: 82
(7): Ancestry.com. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
(8): Year: 1930; Census Place: Precinct 1, Shelby, Texas; Page: 12A; Enumeration District: 0004; FHL microfilm: 2342124
(9): Year: 1940; Census Place: Shelby, Texas; Roll: m-t0627-04136; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 210-5
(10): The National Archives At St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; World War Ii Draft Cards (4th Registration) For the State of Texas; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System; Record Group Number: 147
(11): Ancestry.com. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
(12): United States of America, Bureau of the Census; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790-2007; Record Group Number: 29; Residence Date: 1950; Home in 1950: Galveston, Texas; Roll: 4665; Sheet Number: 57; Enumeration District: 84-48
(13): Texas Department of State Health Services; Austin Texas, USA; Texas Death Certificates, 1903–1982
