Andrew Cichey, 1864-1936

Headstone GPS Coordinates: 

Birth: 17 November 1864, Prussia, Germany

Death: 29 February 1936, Seabeck, Kitsap County, Washington

Relatives in Seabeck Cemetery: None

American Revolutionary War Patriots*: None

Andrew Cichey was born on November 17, 1864, in Prussia. He immigrated to the United States sometime between 1890 and 1892 and became a naturalized citizen in 1896. A passenger record exists for an Andreas Cichy who arrived in New York City on April 20, 1892, and who was reportedly born around 1861. While this individual may be the same man later known as Andrew Cichey of Seabeck, the discrepancy in birth year means the identification remains uncertain.

Newspaper accounts from Kitsap County later mention Andrew traveling to California to visit relatives, though the identities of these relatives are not currently known. Further research may help clarify his family connections.

By 1900, Andrew was living in Cokedale, Skagit County, Washington, where he worked as a coal miner. Around 1906 he settled in the Crosby–Seabeck area. The 1910 census records him living in Seabeck and working as a farmer. Andrew never married and had no known children. He was closely associated with the Zuber family, for whom he frequently worked, and he appears to have been well regarded within the local community.

Andrew is mentioned repeatedly in the Kitsap County Herald, providing insight into his daily life and relationships. In October 1929, he was reported to be helping Eddie Zuber haul sand for use on the Zuber chicken farm. In August 1930, he was hospitalized in Bremerton after sustaining serious injuries to his hand and arm while working for Mr. Johnson and Mr. Victor Davies. By August 1932, he was again noted in the paper assisting Ed Zuber with haying and returning from a trip to California with Matt Zoffel. In January 1935, Andrew was reported to be staying at the county hospital due to an affliction in his leg, with friends continuing to assist him during his illness.

Andrew’s life came to a violent and tragic end in early 1936. On the morning of February 27, he was assaulted and robbed in his Crosby cabin by a group described in contemporary newspapers as “gypsies.” According to reports, the group—consisting of a man, two or three women, and a child—had gone door-to-door asking for “the bachelor” and specifically identified Andrew by name. They beat him, threatened his life, and stole approximately $70, money he had been saving for a planned trip to California to visit relatives.

Although Andrew was initially described as “not seriously hurt,” he suffered internal injuries. He died two days later, on February 29, 1936. Doctors concluded that his death resulted from internal injuries, likely sustained during the beating and when he fell or was struck as the attackers fled in their car.

The crime received widespread coverage. Multiple suspects were detained in Portland, Oregon, and authorities attempted to identify members of the group responsible, but no definitive identification was made. As late as 1938, newspapers reported that a suspect believed to be involved in Andrew’s death remained at large.

Andrew was buried in Seabeck Cemetery near the Zuber family plot. For many years, his grave was unmarked. A headstone was later placed to mark his burial site; however, the inscription states that Andrew was a “Spanish-American War veteran.” Available records do not support this claim. Both the 1920 and 1930 census explicitly record that Andrew was not a veteran, and no military service records have been found under any variation of his name in Fold3 or National Archives databases. His death certificate also makes no mention of military service. It is possible that the veteran designation was based on secondhand information provided years later, but in the absence of documentary evidence, it is highly unlikely that Andrew Cichey served in the U.S. military.