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Willoughby Twp. -
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 he 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 ease, honored and respected, until
his death, Feb. 26, 1872. He remains were carried and laid by his
lost ones on the know 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 came at. 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 man was extensive. His influence was
much courted, but no man was less flattered by such attentions.
His judgment of men was singularly accurate, and his 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: 1798 -
History of Geauga and Lake Counties, Ohio - Publ. Philadelphia:
Williams Brothers - 1878 - Page 257 |
