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ROBERT M. EVANS.
Robert M. Evans is a representative of one of the
oldest families of Miami county, the name Evans being
interwoven with the history of this locality through almost
the entire nineteenth century. His grandfather and
father took an active part in the work of reducing the wild
land to purposes of civilization, and gave their support to
many measures which promoted the material progress and
substantial upbuilding of this section of the state.
The grandfather, Joseph Evans, resided near
Milledgeville. Georgia, and in 1801 started with his family
for the Northwest Territory. The journey was made by
team and the party passed the site of the present city of
Dayton en route for La Porte, Indiana. That was the
year before Ohio was admitted to the Union. In 1804 the
family returned to the Buckeye state and established a home
in Montgomery county, upon the farm adjoining the boundary
line of Miami county. This property is now occupied by
John Johnson and the little cabin home of the
Evans family stood on the site where Mr.
Johnson's large brick residence is now located.
Their nearest neighbor at the time was a Mr.
Pierson, who lived six miles away. Joseph
Evans secured a tract of government land, which was
covered with heavy timber, and erected a one-story double
log house, in which he spent his remaining days, his death
occurring when he had attained an advanced age. He was
a member of the Society of Friends or Quakers. In his
family were three children, who came to Ohio, namely:
Robert, Joseph and Sarah. The
daughter became the wife of John Furnas.
Robert Evans, the father of our subject, was
born near Milledgeville, Georgia, Feb. 7, 1789, accompanied
his parents to Indiana, and when fourteen years of age came
with the family to Ohio. He grew to manhood in
Montgomery county and remained upon the home farm until
about
twenty-three years of age. He was married, about 1812,
to Esther Jenkins, and they became the parents
of ten children, namely: Thomas J., who was born Apr.
4, 1813, and died in Tippecanoe City Feb. 6, 1854; Joseph,
who was born Apr. 12, 1815, and died Aug. 5, 1845;
Eleanor, who was born Feb. 4, 1817, became the wife of
James Coppock, and died Jan. 20, 1847;
Julia M., who was born Aug. 18, 1819, and died Feb. 19,
1823; Esther, who was born Aug. 31, 1 82 1, and died
in infancy; William, who was born Mar. 9, 1824, and
is living in Shelby county, Ohio; Moses, who was born
June 17, 1826, and resides in Montgomery county, Ohio;
Eli H., who was born July 26, 1832, and died in Peru,
Indiana; Maris, who was born Nov. 20, 1828, and is
the widow of Jonathan Jay, of Kokomo, Indiana;
Esther Ann. who was born Nov. 27, 1834, and died
in 1835. After the death of his first wife Mr.
Evans was married, about 1834, to Mary
Jenkins, and their children were: Mary L., who
was born Aug. 29, 1836, became the wife of Thomas
Hollingsworth, and died Nov. 10, 1861; Aaron, who
was born Feb. 5, 1839, and died Jan. 27, 1842; Jesse J.,
who was born Aug. 1, 1841, and died June 8, 1900, in
Kentucky; Keren H., who was born July 24, 1843,
is the wife of Davis Jester, a resident of Montgomery
county, Ohio; Robert M., of this review; and
Elizabeth, who was born May 25, 1848, is the wife of
William Macy, a resident of Miami county.
After his marriage the father removed to the Martin Eide
Miller farm and later purchased the south half of the
land upon which Tippecanoe now stands. There he
lived for a few years, but about 1836 traded that farm to
John Clark for one-half of the northwest quarter of
section 28, Monroe township. He then removed to this
eighty-acre tract and there spent his remaining days, his
death occurring on the 25th of June, 1863. He was a
very successful business man and accumulated considerable
property. For many years he belonged to the Quaker
church, but prior to his death joined the New Light church.
Robert M. Evans was born on the old homestead
farm on section 28, Monroe township, Mar. 18, 1845, and
there spent his boyhood days, obtaining his education in the
district schools. He remained on the home until after
his father's death, and on the 17th of July, 1863, in
company with his brothers, Jesse and Moses, he
enlisted in Company G, Twenty-fifth Ohio National Guards,
which responded to President Lincoln's last
call in March, 1864, going to Washington to defend that
city, which the Confederate officers had planned to attack.
When the war was over he returned to the old homestead,
where he remained until 1879, when he embarked in the
grocery and drygoods business in Ginghamsburg, Ohio,
carrying on merchandising at that place until Aug. 2, 1894,
when he sold out to A. C. Gleason. For fifteen
years he remained in the store and conducted a successful
business, which brought to him good financial returns.
In 1890 he purchased his present farm and in 1896 erected
thereon the large, tasteful residence in which he now lives.
On the 2d of March, 1867, Mr. Evans was
united in marriage to Miss Jane Keller
and to them have been born ten children: Maris A.,
who was born Oct. 20, 1868, died Apr. 16, 1870; Lillie H.,
who was born Aug. 4, 1870. is the wife of Adam Underwood,
of Monroe township; Sarah A., who was born Sept. 22,
1872, is the wife of Harry Barnhardt, of
Monroe township; Korah W., who was born Oct. 11,
1874, is now the proprietor of the Troy Novelty Works;
Zenitia, who was born Oct. 26, 1876, died June 5, 1895;
Laura A., born Sept. 10, 1878: Annie P., who
was born Jan. 9, 1881, is the wife of William Kendall,
of Piqua; Howard V., who was born Feb. 27, 1884, died
Apr. 23, 1885; Ellen H., who was born Oct. 28, 1886,
died November 19 of the same year; and Rhoda M., who
was born Oct. 25, 1889, completes the family.
On the 6th of November, 1876, Mr. Evans was
elected to the office of justice of the peace and has filled
that position continuously since, discharging his duties in
a most creditable manner, his rulings being strictly fair
and impartial. His political support is given the
Republican party. He belongs to D. M. Rouzer
Post, G. A. R., of Tippecanoe City, and the United Brethren
church of Ginghamsburg, in which he has served as Sunday
school superintendent and as class leader for fifteen years.
The farm upon which he now resides comprises eighty acres of
land and in addition to this he also owns forty acres of the
old homestead. He is one of the substantial and highly
respected agriculturists of the community and belongs to the
progressive class of citizens who believe that time should
bring improvement and that the enterprise of to-day should
advance beyond that of former years. During his active
career he has been found true to the duties of citizenship
and to those of public and private life in every particular,
and well does he deserve representation in the history of
the county wherein his entire life has been spent.
Source: Genealogical & Biographical Record
of Miami Co., Ohio - Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company - 1900 - Page
778 |
