His middle name is listed variously as both Thompson and Talbot.
Similar to Andrew’s brother Isaac, perhaps Andrew Thompson was given the middle name Talbot after his parents died, and then went back to Thompson later. Which would be why Earl Rogers knew him as Andrew Thompson Moats, and his daughter Nettie listed his name as Andrew Thompson Moats in her delayed birth record in 1943.
There was a William Talbot in the Brethren Church, who has a seminary named for him out east, and who was very well known at the time.
After his parents deaths at young ages, he was taken care of by his uncle James Carmichael. Sometime before 1860 James moved to Bureau Co, IL to work in the coal mines. Stories collected by Earl Rodgers from older relatives indicated that James Carmichael treated young Andrew very abusedly, which resulted in his running away from home at the age of 10.
In 1870 he is listed as Andrew Meats in Mason, IL, a blacksmith (19, OH), living with the Jacob Godard family.
He is next found working in Washburn, Woodford Co, IL where he and Eva were married. Between 1880 and 1890 they lived in Pleasantville, Marion Co, IA, and around 1890 he moved to Ottumwa, IA where he started a business manufacturing bicycles, and where son Charles became a champion bicycle rider. The family is listed there in the 1895 Iowa state census.
By 1900 he is listed on N. Michigan St in Chicago as an engineer, newly married to Cora (40. NY) with children Eugene and Cleo from his previous marriage. (mis-indexed as Motts)
In the 1910 census when he is living in Chicago, he indicates that he had been married three times.
In 1920 he is listed as an engineer, with wife Cora, just a couple doors down from the family of Earl Rodgers.