After being called and set apart to replace ailing Christopher Layton as St. Joseph Stake president, Andrew went in January 1898 with Elders John Henry Smith and John W. Taylor to the next stake conference. The members of the stake expected a change in stake leadership, and they gathered, 1,500 strong, in Robinson Hall, a rented facility, to see what their new leader would be like.
In the conference Andrew, then just thirty-nine years old, was nominated for the position “after which nominations came from the body of the hall and in course of a few moments all the more efficient men of the stake were named.” After this show of respect for local men, the congregation raised their hands to sustain Andrew. In speaking to the congregation he said, “In the last twenty years that I have been to work in the ministry, I have thought that at some future time I would be called to preside over some stake, and have worked to that end.”288
Of his new position, Andrew said, “I do not realize that the office of Presidency gives me a right to use any tyranny over you, but I should become servant to the people. I expect to get down and scratch with my brethren, and when I pull up and come down here, I shall pull all up and come for the purpose of making this my home.”289
In the stake conference, “John W. Taylor prophesied that one of the most beautiful Temples that was ever built among the saints in the rocky mountains will be built in this valley.” As unlikely as that seemed in 1898, Church leaders in 2008 announced that a temple would be erected in the Gila Valley.290
Andrew pledged himself to work for the physical and spiritual welfare of the people and set about immediately to reorganize the stake and the wards. Because things had lagged somewhat during President Layton’s extended illness, the work had piled up. Andrew kept the same counselors, William D. Johnson and Charles M. Layton, and together they undertook a rigorous review of the Church organizations.
While the apostles remained in the valley they sealed twenty-three married couples who had, for reason of the great distance, not been able to go to a temple for sealing.291 In 1900, Andrew’s suggestion that an apostle visit at least once a year to perform sealings was approved.292 In December 1904, or soon thereafter, it was determined that there would be no more sealings outside the temples.293
In a whirlwind effort Andrew reorganized nine of the ten wards of the stake with the help of his counselors and the two apostles who accompanied him. For instance, one day they rode 7 miles, held Sunday School at 9, ward conference at 10:30, met with ward leaders to get recommendations at 12, presented new ward officers at 1:30, held fast meeting at 2:30, ate dinner at 5, held night meeting at 7:30, administered to many sick after 9:30, and went to bed exhausted.294
In Curtis Ward the bishop and many others used tobacco and otherwise violated the Word of Wisdom. The fence around the dirty meetinghouse had fallen down, “everything out of joint.”295 They divided the Matthews Ward, creating a dependent branch out of part of the ward. Some folks voted against the new bishop because of factional rivalry.296
Payment of tithing and observance of the Word of Wisdom lagged in the stake and Andrew urged that leaders be called from among the observant.297 At this time the stake had about three thousand members.298
Knowing that Andrew came with empty pockets, members of the stake presented him with ten acres as a building site and farm299 and six hundred pounds of fencing. He immediately began to improve the property by planting cottonwood starts300 and a garden of potatoes, watermelons, musk melons, cucumbers, beans, peas, lettuce, radishes, and corn.301 He arranged to husband on shares fruit trees and grapevines belonging to President Layton and planted a dozen kinds of fruit trees.302
One morning a crew of men from Central Ward began clearing the ten acres of brush and mesquite. The next day forty-five men from Thatcher finished the job of grubbing 420 stumps and leveling the ground for plowing.303 Andrew had bought an ax and shovel and worked along with the men. At the end of the day a dance and party entertained those who had helped. Andrew later bought another ten acres, a mile and a half from home, on which to grow alfalfa. They always called it “The Ten Acres.” Extension in 1901 of the Montezuma Canal brought the additional property under irrigation.
