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BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
1798
History of Geauga and Lake Counties, Ohio
with Illustrations
and Biographical Sketches of its Pioneers Most Prominent Men
Philadelphia - Williams Brothers
1878
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JEREMIAH EVANS.
Among the men of local note who, at an early day, resided in the
west part of Newbury, one of the most conspicuous was the man named
above. He was the son of Daniel Evans, who had
twelve children beside; was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania,
May 22, 1798, and with his father's family emigrated to Parkman in
1806, where he grew to manhood, a tall, strong, brawny, florid
faced, curly-haired, sun-browned young man, of gay spirit,
light-hearted, a noted hunter of bears and deer; much given, also,
to courting the forest maidens of that early day in the rude cabins
in the woods. He was withal a fine singer, with a tenor voice,
and a knack of composing his own songs, and a skill at telling
stories, some of which he heard from others. Not greatly
addicted to the spelling-book, nor proficient in Daboll, though of
quick natural parts, good sense, and of practical intelligence.
In 1818, as stated elsewhere, Marsena Munn
removed from Massachusetts to Ohio, bringing with him his wife and
children, of whom the oldest daughter was Laura, born in
Munson, Massachusetts, Nov. 12, 1797. Mr. Munn
also brought with him a young Robinson, and a year or two
later removed his father’s family to Newbury. Of this family
of Robinsons, the oldest daughter, Orinda, was in due
time married to Benjamin Hosmore, a young man of
Parkman, friend of Jerry Evans, who came on with him
as “best man.” Here he met Laura Munn, whom he
courted with such warmth that they were married Feb. 24, 1822,
taking her from a rival as was said.
In 1825 he built a log cabin on a part of his wife’s
land, not remote from the homestead of her family, in the west part
of Newbury, where with great industry be cleared up and improved a
fine farm, built good buildings, and was a popular and influential
man. His lack of school culture was a little in his way.
He was, however, called to fill many township posts; among them for
many years he was a justice of the peace, usually represented his
township in the Whig county conventions, was several times talked of
as representative in the legislature, was a great friend of the
Utleys and Haydens, a devoted friend of the Riddles,
was the first to bring forward for public position one of the
younger sons, to whom he steadily adhered through all his fortunes.
His marriage was happy and fortunate. Of the nine
children born of it, four survive, all daughters. One died in
infancy; four - two beautiful daughters and two tall, manly sons -
died one after another, just as they were flowering into manhood and
womanhood. These bereavements, the first occurring in 1845,
followed each other in 1846, 1847, 1848, all dying of typhus fever.
Their united power quite broke the strong, brave heart, and bowed
the spirit and form of the unfortunate father; and, though years of
prosperity and serenity were his, I doubt whether he ever quite
recovered the old buoyant tone of spirit. The farm he had made, the
home he had built, were a desolation. He sold them and removed to
Chagrin Falls, and engaged in other pursuits. Here he resided
thirteen years; was appointed postmaster by President
Lincoln, and held the office till he removed to Willoughby in
1866. Here he purchased a small, beautiful farm, some three
miles from the village, where he continued to reside at his case,
honored and respected, until his death, Feb. 26, 1872. His
remains were carried and laid by his lost ones in the now populous
cemetery in the “west part," leaving his wife, now eighty-one years
of age, the eldest daughter, Mrs. Palmer, and her son,
Marsena, in the Willoughby home. It is seen that this
happy union lasted two days over the golden fifty years.
Mr. Evans was a very useful man in his day and
circle. Frank, warm-hearted, and sturdy, with an
attractive person, very pleasing, including polished manners and
good address, he had many endowments of mind, which, with better
culture, would have carried him to wider and higher fields of
usefulness. A remarkable conversationalist, he was an ardent
Unitarian, a master of their popular views, and during many years of
middle life was a noted controversialist, assailing not merely the
rank and file, but the leading orthodox clergy, wherever they could
be Though of the strictest probity and purest life, this
belligerency, though conducted in the most gentlemanly way, while it
detracted nothing from his usefulness, somewhat impaired his
personal popularity. His acquaintance with prominent men was
extensive. His influence was much courted, but no man was less
flattered by such attentions. His judgment of men was
singularly accurate, andhis action independent and disinterested. He
was quite intimate with the Parkmans, Converses,
Phelpses, Fords, Hitchcocks, Ludlows, and
many of the other men sketched in this volume; and it may be said
that his life was, on the whole, quite as well rounded and complete
as any set forth in these pages.
Source: History of Geauga and Lake
Counties, Ohio, Publ. Philadelphia by Williams Brothers - 1878 -
Page 257 |
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