Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Muskingum County, Ohio

Chicago, Goodspeed Pub. Co., 1892

       Capt. John A. Evans, mill owner, Frazeysburg, is one of the representative citizens of Muskingum county, Ohio, and inherits many admirable qualities from his sturdy Welsh ancestors. His grandfather, Daniel Evans, came from South Wales to America in 1839, and brought his wife, Margaret, and six children with him. The latter were named as follows: Daniel, Nathaniel, John, Thomas, Jane and Margaret. His son, Daniel Jr., was a married man at that time and his wife, Ann, accompanied him with their three children: Jenkin, David and Richard. The daughter, Jane, was also married, and her husband, David Jones, came also with their three sons: David, Evan and Daniel. Daniel Evans Sr. was born in South Wales in the latter part of the last century, and was reared to farm life and educated in the common schools.
        He was well read, was thoroughly posted on all Biblical questions, and was a strict Calvanistic minister, bringing up his children to the same faith. After coming to America he settled on a farm in Jackson township, Muskingum county, Ohio, and cleared up his land which was covered with heavy timber. There was a large Welsh settlement there and Mr. Evans assisted in establishing a church of his denomination. His strong constitution enabled him to perform the vast amount of hard labor incident to pioneer life, and he lived to be over ninety years of age. He was noted for his strength of purpose and his steadfast adherence, all his life, to his religious principles. His wife lived to be ninety-six years of age, thus showing the great vitality of the sterling Welsh stock.
        After coming to America Mr. Evans' children settled in different parts of the country. Jane, with her family settled in Pittsburg: Nathaniel settled in Jackson county, Madison township, Ohio; John settled in Cheshire, Gallia county, Ohio; Thomas settled in Ironton, Ohio, and Margaret, who married Thomas Davis, also settled in Ironton, Ohio. Jane's son, David, settled in Topeka, Kas., and is a prominent law partner of ex-Gov. Martin; another son, Evan, is a prominent contractor of Pittsburg; and Daniel, her youngest son, is a resident of Jackson county, Madison township, Ohio.
        Daniel Evans Jr., father of the subject of this sketch, was the eldest son of Daniel and Margaret Evans, and was named for his father. He was born in South Wales about 1807, and received the usual common-school education in that country. He was reared to farm life and was married in Wales to Miss Ann Evans, of the same name but no relative, and the result of this union was eight children: Jenkin, David, Richard, Morris, John A., Margaret, Frederick and Mary A., all born in the Buckeye state, except the three eldest. Daniel Evans Jr. settled in Madison township, Jackson county, Ohio, cleared a farm and there remained until 1851, when he moved to a farm in Gallia county, dying there in the fall of the same year from an acute abscess. He was of the same religious belief as his father and was a deacon for many years. He had many traits of character like his father, and was an honorable, upright citizen. His wife, who was a lady of a very religious character, died in 1877 at the age of seventy-five years.       
        Capt. John A. Evans, son of the above worthy couple, was born in Jackson county, Ohio, September 8, 1843, and learned farming in his youthful days. He was early instilled with religious views and principles and these have ever remained with him. After the death of his father, and when only twelve years of age, he was thrown on his own resources and he first began work about the iron works at Gallia, remaining there five years. On July 22, 1861, when but little over seventeen years of age, he enlisted in Company E, Ohio Volunteer infantry, as a private, and on the same date four years later, in the evening of that day, he returned home. His register is as follows: “Entered service as a private, August 1, 1861; appointed corporal and sergeant and transferred to the quartermaster department on May 1, 1864; promoted to first lieutenant and R. Q. M., January 28, 1865; captain, Company C, May 31, 1865; mustered out with regiment July 11, 1865. History of service—participated in the battle of Blackwater, Mo., December 18, 1865; New Madrid, Mo., March 13, 1862; Island No. 10, Tenn.; Corinth, Miss., October 3 and 4, 1862; Iuka; Tuscumbia, Ala., April 4, 1863; Atlanta campaign; Resaca, Ga., May 13 and 16 1864; Dallas; Kenesaw Mountain; Ruffs Mills, Ga.; Atlanta, Ga., siege of Savannah, Ga., December 10 and 21, 1864; Carolina campaign, from February to April, 1865.” His first enlistment having expired, he reënlisted at Prospect, Tenn., as a veteran for three years, and was then allowed a furlough for thirty days. Capt. Evans was the youngest soldier of his company, being but seventeen years of age when he enlisted at Keystone Furnace, Jackson county, Ohio, in answer to the president's call for 300,000 men to serve the country for three years. He was among entire strangers at the time. Upon the organization of the company he was appointed third corporal and soon after sergeant, then commissary sergeant, then quartermaster-sergeant. On January 28, 1865, he was promoted to first lieutenant and assigned to regimental quartermaster and then on May 21, 1865, he was promoted to the rank of captain, serving on Maj.-Gen. Fuller's staff.
       Thus we find him, at the age of twenty-one years, a captain in the army of the United States and engaged in actual battles. Capt. Evans, being neither sick nor wounded, lost no time from service and was present at all the battles in which his regiment was engaged, his record being that of a brave soldier and a gallant officer. He was with Sherman during the Atlanta campaign and was in the famous march to the sea. From Savannah he went through the Carolinas and was in Raleigh, N. C., when Johnston surrendered. He then went to Washington, D.C., and was present at the grand review. From there he went to Louisville, Ky., and was mustered out July 11, 1865, receiving an honorable discharge. Our young soldier witnessed some of the most stirring scenes in history and letters from prominent men, high in office, testify as to his brave and gallant conduct. He was used to adversity, for he was obliged to face the battles of life at an early age, and he possessed the natural qualities to make a good soldier.
      After the war Capt. Evans attended the Ohio university at Athens, Ohio, for six months, and subsequently engaged as a clerk at Keystone, that state, in the office of an iron furnace. He remained in this office as clerk, book-keeper and manager for eight years, and became interested in the business as a partner his natural inclination to rise showing itself in business as in military life. He was married, at Keystone, Ohio, December 1, 1867, to Miss Sarah L. Dickerson, of English descent. Her grandfather, John Dickerson, was a native of the “Old North state,” ["Old North state" refers to the state of North Carolina] and came to Ohio and settled on the line between Gallia and Jackson counties in 1803. He brought his family with him. His son, Thomas Dickerson, the father of Mrs. Evans, was but eighteen months old when he was brought to Ohio by his parents. He grew to manhood on a farm and passed all his life near where his father first settled. He was the father of thirteen children by two wives, the mother of Mrs. Evans being the second wife and the mother of nine children; Margaret, Armenia, America, Virginia, Melvina, Mary I., Sarah L., Thomas E. and Harrison. Mr. Dickerson died June 10, 1879, when seventy-five years of age and his wife died April 6, of the same year. Both were devout members of the Methodist church and Mr. Dickerson was much respected as a straightforward, enterprising citizen. Seven of his daughters married soldiers and two of Mrs. Evans’ half sisters also married soldiers. All are living to-day. Milton McMillan, the husband of Margaret, died from the effects of wounds four weeks after his discharge. In 1874 Mr. Evans moved to Frazeysburg with his family and here he has since resided. He came in the interests of the Ohio Iron company of Zanesville, was afterward engaged in merchandising, and in 1885 he engaged in the manufacture of tile, with James W. Frazier, he organizing a stock company, “The Frazeysburg Mill company.”
      Mr. Evans has been generally prosperous in business and is the owner of his mill property, a handsome residence and other property. He is a member of the G. A. R., Griffe post No. 331, and has held the office of commander for three terms. He is a republican in politics and has been a member of the council. He is interested in educational matters, and has been a school director. In his religious belief Capt. Evans is a member of the Methodist church as is also his wife, and has been trustee, steward and Sunday-school superintendent. He has contributed liberally of his means to build the Methodist Episcopal church in Frazeysburg, and was chairman of the building committee. To Captain and Mrs. Evans have been born six children: Melville, Bert, Ernest (died at the age of five years), Erfee, John B. and Ruth. Capt. Evans has a remarkable record. Beginning life when a poor boy of twelve years, with but little education, he, by his indomitable will power and many other estimable qualities, overcame every difficulty, and has made a success of life. As a soldier he was rewarded by promotion for his bravery and fearlessness, and as a citizen he won a host of warm friends by his upright, honorable conduct. He and Mrs. Evans have a very comfortable home and a liberal library bespeaks the literary taste of the family. Capt. Evans' brother, David Evans, was a man of fine physical development. He was mortally wounded at the battle of Champion's Hill, and died July 16, 1863. Another brother, Richard Evans, was also a soldier in the war.

Submitted by Karen (Strojin) Palmer

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