Miss Belle S. Andrews

January 18, 1853 - June 28, 1882

was the daughter of A.T. and Catherine Andrews. The Andrews family moved to Fort Worth in 1858 when much of the city was still “wilderness,” making the family one of the early pioneers of Tarrant County. Their family was quite large, with several sons and daughters.[1]

Hard times would find the family in 1867, when Belle’s father passed away. Belle was only 15 years old at the time of his death.

As she grew to be a young woman, Belle was known to be a local socialite and even mentioned she was “one of Fort Worth’s favorite daughters.”[2]  She would attend a variety of social parties and events throughout Fort Worth and her name would regularly be mentioned in local newspapers. Her personality was described as being “bright and winsome” along with being “vivacious and joyous.” On June 28, 1882, after a short illness, Belle would die of “consumption” at the age of 29.[3]  Today, we would call this tuberculosis.

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[1]  “An Old Resident Dead.” Fort Worth Daily Gazette. Fort Worth, TX, Vol. 13, No. 118, Ed. 1, Monday, October 29, 1888 Page: 8 of 8. Retrieved 12 Aug 2023; https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth89688/m1/8/.
[2]  “Weatherford.” Fort Worth Daily Democrat and Advance. Fort Worth, TX, Vol. 5, No. 310, Ed. 1 Wednesday, December 14, 1881 Page: 1 of 4. Retrieved 18 Aug 2023. https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1047780/m1/1.
[3] “Miss Belle Andrews Dead.” Fort Worth Daily Democrat-Advance. Fort Worth, TX, Vol. 6, No. 166, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 29, 1882 Page: 4 of 4. Retrieved 12 Aug 2023; https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1047717/m1/4.