Andrew Francis McCray came into this world on July 1, 1843. Born in Missouri, he was the son of William McCray and Nancy Carroll. Both of his parents were born in Kentucky. Each moved separately to Missouri and were married in Callaway Co., Missouri in 1842.
Andrew was the oldest of ten children. He had six brothers and three sisters. According to the 1850 Census, the family, consisting of William, Nancy, Andrew, James and Dowen, was living in District 11 in Caldwell Co., Missouri. William was a blacksmith.
On March 11, 1862, Andrew enlisted in Company E, 5th Battalion Missouri State Militia at Cameron, Missouri to serve for three years. This organization subsequently became Company E, 6th Missouri State Militia Cavalry. He was five feet ten inches tall, with blue eyes, light hair and a fair complexion. He listed himself as a farmer and he provided his own horse. On August 16, 1862 he was in the Battle of Lone Jack and was severely wounded in the left leg. The wound required the amputation of the leg above the knee and Andrew was discharged on a Surgeons Certificate of Disability on November 30, 1862. On March 28, 1863, he filed for an Invalid Pension and began to receive a payment of $8 per month for his disability.
On the 1870 Census, Andrew was living with his parents and five siblings in Lincoln Township, in Caldwell County. He listed himself as a farmer with a Real Estate Value of $3,500 and a Personal Estate of $650. On May 9, 1871, Andrew married Hortincia Jane Rhodes. She was born on May 1, 1847 in Oil City, Cambria Co., Pennsylvania, the daughter of Samuel Rhoads and Margaret Cannon. Incidentally, her names have several spellings: Hortincia, Hortensia, Hortencia, Hortentsia, Hortense, and Rhoades, Rhodes, Rhoads.
Their first child, Harry Bernard was born on July 29, 1872. The next year, Andrew’s mother died on January 26, 1873. About a year later, their second child, a daughter, Merle M., was born on February 17, 1874 with a second daughter, Alice F., born on June 27, 1876 (although her grave stone shows a date of birth of June 27, 1882). Another child, “Willis”, was born about 1877, also known as William, he seems to have pretty much disappeared from the records, though one record indicated he was still alive in 1910. Finally, their fifth child, Franklin Charles “Frank”, was born February 12, 1879. So, by June 9, 1880, the date the 1880 Census was taken, all seven of this family were living in Lincoln Township, Caldwell County, and Andrew still listed himself as a farmer. In 1883, Andrew was receiving $24 for his war wound.
On January 10, 1890, Andrew was appointed Postmaster for Cowgill, Missouri. In 1897 this position paid $559.72 for the job and in 1899 the income grew to $598.65. That income appears to be higher than for many others in a like position. According to the 1900 Census, Andrew, Hortencia, Merle M., Alice F. and Charles F. were all living on the farm that Andrew owned but which was mortgaged, and they also had a 41 year old servant from Germany living with them. All of them could read, write, and speak English. In 1901 Andrew took a little pay cut and was making $585.30. However, in 1903 he was making $683.17 for the job of Postmaster, and receiving $46 as a disabled veteran. In 1905 he got another increase to $767.70 for being the Postmaster.
Andrew’s father passed away on July 20, 1909. According to the 1910 Census, Andrew, Hortencia, and Mary M. still lived together in a home he owned, free and clear, on Fourth Avenue, in Cowgill Village, Lincoln Township, Caldwell Co., Missouri. He was the Postmaster for the community and Mary was the Assistant Postmaster. By 1920, little had changed except he was a grain dealer and the family lived on Main Street. He was receiving $65 from his Invalid Pension.
Based on the 1930 Census, Andrew’s home was worth $7,000 and he was an insurance agent. Hortencia and Merle were still living with him. Apparently, in 1935, Andrew and Hortencia went to visit their daughter, Alice, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Hortencia passed away on February 10, 1935 in Tulsa and about four months later Andrew died on June 15, 1935 in Oklahoma. Both of them are buried in the Cowgill Cemetery in Cowgill, Missouri.