{{Short description|American historian}} '''Faith Elizabeth Young Andrews''' (September 9, 1896 – July 6, 1990) was an American scholar of the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, best known as the Shakers.
== Biography == === Early life and education === Faith Elizabeth Young was born in 1896, in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=1990-07-10 |title=Faith E. Andrews dies; was authority on Shakers |work=The Berkshire Eagle}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Collector Bio {{!}} Edward Deming and Faith Andrews |url=https://jkrantiques.com/bio-andrews/ |access-date=2024-08-07 |website=John Keith Russell |language=en-US}}</ref> She was an only child, and her parents divorced when she was less than a year old, an unusual practice for the period; she later recalled having "quite a severe childhood".<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=1982 |title=Oral history interview with Faith Andrews |url=https://www.si.edu/object/archives/sova-aaa-andrew82 |access-date=2024-08-07 |website=Smithsonian Institution |language=en}}</ref> She was raised Episcopalian.<ref name=":2" />
Her family did not support her attaining higher education, but they agreed to allow her to attend secretarial school at Berkshire Business College, which she pursued despite her interest in more advanced studies.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />
In 1921, Faith married Edward Deming Andrews, with whom she would also build an extensive professional collaboration.<ref name=":1" />
=== Career === In 1923, Faith Young Andrews and her husband visited the nearby Shaker community of Hancock, Massachusetts, to purchase some bread. That initial visit prompted a lifelong research interest in the monastic sect.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite news |date=1990-07-18 |title=Faith E. Andrews; Shaker Scholar, 93 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/07/18/obituaries/faith-e-andrews-shaker-scholar-93.html |access-date=2024-08-07 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/edwarddemingandr00henr/ |title=The Edward Deming Andrews Memorial Shaker Collection |date=1987 |publisher=Garland Pub |isbn=978-0-8240-9430-0 |editor-last=Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum |series=Garland reference library of social science |location=New York |editor-last2=McKinstry |editor-first2=E. Richard}}</ref> She became considered an authority on Shaker arts and culture.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />
In collaboration with her husband, Faith wrote many articles about the Shakers as well as several books, beginning with ''The Community Industries of the Shakers'' (1932).<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" /> The Andrews became close with many members of the sect, enabling their efforts to record and preserve Shaker culture.<ref name=":1" />
She also, with her husband, was an extensive collector of Shaker furniture and other objects, from artwork to tools.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" /> Their collection of Shaker furniture at one point became the largest of its kind.<ref name=":0" /> The first major exhibition of their collection was held in 1932 at the Berkshire Museum.<ref name=":1" /> From there, she and Edward curated the ''Shaker Handicrafts'' show at the Whitney Museum three years later.<ref name=":1" /> Her work helped establish Shakerism as an important movement within American culture.<ref name=":1" />
In addition to her efforts as a researcher, Andrews worked in school administration, as an actuary, and for the Women's City Club of New York.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
Faith was predeceased by her husband in 1964.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" /> After his death, she published several books — ''Religion in Wood'' (1966), ''Visions of the Heavenly Sphere'' (1969), and the memoir ''Fruits of the Shaker Tree of Life'' (1975) — all of which she co-credited to Edward posthumously.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
=== Death and legacy === Faith Andrews died in 1990, in Pittsfield, at age 93.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" /> Her collection resides with various institutions, including Yale University, in New Haven, Connecticut, and the Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, in Winterthur, Delaware.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" /> The Andrews' final book, ''Masterpieces of Shaker Furniture'', was published posthumously in 1999.<ref name=":1" />
== References == {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Andrews, Faith}} Category:1896 births Category:1990 deaths Category:People from Pittsfield, Massachusetts Category:Berkshire Community College alumni Category:20th-century American women writers Category:20th-century American non-fiction writers Category:Shaker scholars Category:American historic preservationists Category:American collectors Category:20th-century American historians Category:American women historians Category:People associated with Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library Category:American women curators