Joseph Andrews

As a young man, Salem native Joseph Andrews worked in Boston banks, but he would later become known for his distinguished military service. Andrews served at various times as the commander of the Salem Light Infantry and, during the Civil War, as the Brigadier General of the Massachusetts Militia and commander of Fort Warren in Boston Harbor.

Andrews' organizational and leadership skills made him qualified to run a city, but his route to the mayoral office was unusual. In 1854-55, the secretive, anti-foreigner, anti-Catholic Know-Nothing party swept elections on local, state, and federal levels. In the Salem mayoral race held in 1853, that party’s candidate, George Newcomb, crushed incumbent Asahel Huntington. Newcomb followed through on his threat not to serve if elected, and so a special runoff election had to be held. Joseph Andrews defeated Gen. William Sutton and was elected to a second term the following year. 

Issues facing Mayor Andrews included redefining the city’s relationship with Essex County government, negotiating rates for the city's new gas-lighting service, and establishing both Plummer Farm and a chronic disease hospital on Salem Neck.

Joseph Andrews later moved to Boston, where he died in 1869.

He is buried on Grove Avenue, Lot #139.