Unlike most family histories, this Andrews lineage comes to an abrupt end in 1740 with the birth of Jonathan
Andrews - and before that date,nothing!!! One story that has been handed down through the Andrews family in England to the present day was that a Andrew McGregor came from Rannock Moor, just south east of Glencoe in the highlands of Scotland. He was accused of sheep stealing and was pursued by irate farmers into the south of England, possibly on horseback where he managed to evade his pursuers, finally disappearing some where near Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire. Later Andrew changed his name to Jonathan Andrews and on the 30 March 1771 married Jane
Rook of the Parish of Downton, in the Parish Church of St. Laurence, Downton, Wiltshire. Jonathan is shown on his marriage certificate as coming from the parish of Broad Chalke, Wiltshire. We can only document 3 children to this marriage; Peter, Betty and William. Peter Andrews, the eldest son of Jonathan and Jane was a carrier and farmer. He married Susanna
Munday/Mundy at the Parish Church at Downton Wiltshire on the 4 March 1793 and both signed the register with a cross. Peter is shown as coming from Homington Parish,Wiltshire. Peter and Susanna had ten children all of whom were baptised at St. John the Baptist Church,Bishopstone. There were 7 boys and 3 girls.
Abraham the 7th born child was a farm servant at Bishopstone and on the 20 October 1829, he married Sarah
Gibbs in St. John the Baptist Church. Sarah was a daughter of James and Jane (nee
Hart). They had three children whilst living in Bishopstone. Because of the poor working conditions Abraham & Sarah decided to migrate to New South Wales,and with a total of 57 people left Bishopstone on the 1 May 1838 and travelled by waggon to Southampton and steamer to Cowes, Isle of Wight where they boarded the ship
" WOODBRIDGE" for the voyage to Sydney Cove. They arrived in Sydney Cove on the 15 September 1838. Abrahan and Sarah had a family of 11 and the surnames of
Sutton, Shearer O'Brien,
Smith, Cann, Puxty, Williams and
Ross were added to the family.
