Andrew P. Sullivan was born in Danville, Vermilion Co IL on 19 Feb 1825, the son of Adam and Eleanor Sullivan.

    He was educated in Illinois to a greater degree than most were at the time, and was considered all his life to being a very intelligent person.  When he was 16 years old when his family moved to Texas.  They first lived in Red River County and in 1844 Andrew accompanied his father into the wilds south of the Sabine River to stake out their new homesteads.  By 1845 they were living on that land, which is now a portion of Kaufman County.

    By 1847 several families were settled around the Sullivans and on 28 Feb 1848 in Henderson County, Andrew married one of those neighbors - Miss Zella G. Fuller.  That same year he was elected to be Kaufman County's first County Clerk.

Zellie and Andrew Sullivan
Broken Ambrotype - submitted by Jack Shepherd, descendant

    In 1849 Andrew's first child was born - a daughter he and Zellie named Mary.  His new family was enumerated on the 1850 Kaufman Co TX Census.

1850 Kaufman Co TX Census

  By the year 1860 Andrew and Zellie had 7 children born to them:
1851 - William Henry
1853 - Webster Clinton
1855 - Twins, Medora and Anna
1857 - Martha
1859 - Nancy

1860 Van Zandt Co TX Census HH # 419 / 436

  When the Civil War erupted Andrew watched his brothers enlist, but by 1863 the Confederate conscription laws forced him to enlist, as well.  He first joined 27 Jan 1863 at Velasco in Van Zandt Co with the 1st Reg. Of Texas State Troops.  On 9 May 1864 he joined Co F of Duff's 33rd TX Cavalry.  He remained in the service for the duration.

  In 1862 the last of Andrew's children was born - a son named John Wesley.   While Andrew was away in the army, his daughter Martha died from Measles in September 1864.  In 1865 Mary, the eldest daughter, married Jeremiah Murff.  They were divorced.  She remarried in 1869 and late in 1870 Andrew's son William married.

1870 Van Zandt Co TX Census HH # 234 / 253

In April 1871 Andrew & Zellie's son, Clinton, died, probably during a typhoid fever epidemic.  The 1870's brought grandchildren to Andrew and Zellie and the years 1876 and 1877 saw daughters Dora, Anna and Nancy all marry.

1880 Van Zandt Co TX Census

In the late 1870's and 1880's many of Andrew's children moved from the area to other parts of Texas.  1883 brought to Andrew and Zellie the deaths of daughter Mary in February and to son John in September.

Zellie died on 12 Feb 1892.

Andrew died 30 Jan 1901, and in his death the residents of two counties saw the passing of one of their greatest pioneers.

Kaufman Sun - 31 Jan 1901
A. P. Sullivan died at his home near Cedar Grove January 30, 1901.  He was the first county clerk of Kaufman and lived at Cedar Grove or nearly 57 years.  His wife died a few years ago.  He leaves five or six children.

Terrell Transcript - 1 Feb 1901
A. P. Sullivan, who died at his home near Cedar Grove January 30th, was the first clerk of Kaufman County.  He had lived at Cedar Grove for over a half a century.

Van Zandter - Sunday - 3 Feb 1901

A. P. Sullivan Dead
Pioneer of Van Zandt gone to his last reward.

A. P. Sullivan, known everywhere by the familiar name of "Uncle Andy" died at this home, Longwood Ranch in the Cedar Grove Community, last Wednesday night, January 30, 1901, after a lingering illness.  The remains were interred Friday morning at 10 o'clock, Cedar Grove Cemetery, Rev. B. R. Goodwin, his life long friend conducting the services.  He was a good man, an upright citizen and possessed of one of the most wonderful memories for a man of his age we ever knew.  He broke the first dirt in what is now Van Zandt County, then Nocogdoches District, was the first County Clerk of Kaufman County, and has always been a honorable, honest and honored citizen.  What more could be said of a man, when after passing his three score and ten mark, he comes to life's end and enter the long sleep of death?

A. P. Sullivan was born at Danville, Illinois, February 19, 1825.  December 24, 1839, he moved with his Father's family to Red River County, Texas.  In 1843 he and his Father came to this county and picked out a location, moving to where he lived at the time of his death in 1844, which would make a residence here of nearly 57 years.  His wife, who was a sister to Uncle Henry Fuller, died five or six years ago.  Five children survive him, and three are dead.  He leaves two brothers E. Sullivan, living near him and one in south-west Texas.

One can hardly contemplate the wonderful changes that have taken place in this country since he first saw it in its rough wild and untamed days, to the present time.  A wilderness has been transformed to a flower garden; he has seen a country prosperous and cultivated as can be, grow where once the buffalo and the bear had full sway.  Mr. Sullivan's contributions to the Van Zanteer last year were interesting bits of our history and gave a good idea of this country as he first saw it.

A good man has gone.  Peace to his ashes and long live his memory.

Compiled for this website by Kathey Hunt, from information provided by Mary Achterhof, K K Hunt, Linda F Harwell, Justin Sanders, J D Sullivan & other unspecified donors to the Kaufman County Library Genealogical Archives, and the archives of the Van Zandt County Genealogical Library.