William H. Evans

WILLIAM H. EVANS, one of the representative citizens of Ross township, who owns a well cultivated farm of 240 acres, situated in section 22, township 32, range 23, was born in Warren County, Ohio, March 6, 1844. He is a son of Aaron and Margaret Ann (Tucker) Evans.

The father of Mr. Evans was also born in Warren County, Ohio, and the mother, in the State of New York. Mr. and Mrs. Evans resided on their farm in Warren County until 1870, and then the father accompanied his son, William H., to Cherokee County, Kansas. The mother died in Iowa while on a visit, and the father returned to Ohio, where his last years were spent. Aaron Evans was twice married, the children of his first union, with Rachel Tucker, being as follows: Josephine, deceased; Eugene, of Warren County, Ohio; and Arneen and Margaret Ann, both deceased. The subject of this sketch was the only child of the second marriage. The family is of Welsh extraction. Joseph Evans, the grandfather, having been born in Wales.

William H. Evans was reared on the home farm in Warren County, Ohio, and was a pupil in the neighborhood schools. When he was 17 years old, his father gave a tract of land to him and his sister, in Wayne County, Indiana, and they lived there for eight years, Mr. Evans gaining some practical experience in general farming. He then came to Cherokee County, Kansas, and located on section 27, township 32, range 23, in Ross township, having bought 400 acres of railroad land. Of course, at that time, it was nothing but a prairie wilderness, and presented many difficulties to the early settler. Here Mr. Evans has made every improvement, clearing his land and placing it under cultivation as rapidly as it was possible to do so, erecting substantial buildings, making fences and setting out orchards, and, in fact. accomplishing, in a comparatively short time, all those marvels which transformed the wild tract of prairie into the home of prosperity and civilization. He has found it the best policy to follow general farming, his crops being corn, oats, wheat and flax, and he also raises cattle, horses and hogs. As time passed, Mr. Evans found he had more land than he cared to cultivate, and he disposed of all but 240 acres, which still leaves him with a good farm.

In 1868 Mr. Evans married Belle Helms, of Wayne County, Indiana, who died May 12, 1896, having been the mother of 10 children, of whom the survivors are as follows: Mrs. Cassie Seyburn; Cornelius, a farmer, living near Sherwin Junction; Eugene, who lives near Center Star, Kansas; and Arthur, Irving and Irene, who are at home. Mr. Evans was reared in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Politically, Mr. Evans is in accord with the Reform party, although his father was a strong Democrat. Before all else, however, he is a good farmer and an honest, upright man, and enjoys the respect and esteem of all who know him.

History of Cherokee County Kansas and its representative citizens, ed. & comp. by Nathaniel Thompson Allison, 1904, transcribed by Carolyn Ward, instructor from USD 508, Baxter Springs Middle School, Baxter Springs, Kansas, 3/11/97.