James Andrews, Sr., was typical of the small planters who made up the rank and file of the Regulator Movement.

Andrews, an early settler in the region, lived on Morrison's (or Morris) Creek in the Little River-Cedar Creek hotbed of Regulators. A part of 150 acres was surveyed for him on the Little River in 1752, and another 300 acres was laid out for him near Morrison's Creek in 1765. Except for his participation in the Regulation, Andrews' life seems to have been almost without public incident. His name appears from time to time in minor actions in Fairfield County court records after the Revolutionary War. In 1790 he was enumerated in the federal census. At his death in 1798 Andrews was essentially the same modest though solid and respectable property holder that he had been in the Regulation era.

He lived on a plantation of 300 acres that had passed from Isaac Porcher to Joseph Kirkland (an ex-Regulator) to Andrews. He owned no slaves but possessed four horses, fifteen head of cattle, fifty hogs, household and kitchen furniture, farm implements, and three featherbeds. Andrews was survived by his wife, Priscilla, and ten children, to each of whom (except his executors, Mathew and Edward) he bequeathed 1" sterling in cash.

Small planter James Andrews, Sr. was deeply involved in the Regulator movement. Two of his sons (Enoch and James Jr.) joined him in it, and one of his daughters (Mary) married into the McGraw family of Regulators.

James Andrews was pardoned from his involvement with the Regulators on October 31, 1771 by King George the Third Great Britain, France & Ireland, King Defender of the faith and so forth.