MELVEL EVANS

EVANS, BENSCOTER, VARGA, CARTER, BRENIZER, BLACK, CAMPEN

Posted By: Nancee Seifert (email)
Date: 1/22/2010 at 17:48:38

Decatur County Journal
Leon, Iowa
Thursday, July 3, 1913

MELVEL EVANS, one of the well known and highly respected citizens of Ottawa,
Kansas, formerly from this county, passed away at his home in that city
Saturday, June 21, 1913, after a long period of ill health. His remains
were brought to Leon, to the home of the daughter, Mrs. STEPHEN VARGA, where
the funeral was held Tuesday afternoon at two o'clock, conducted by the Rev.
Guy Fansher, of the M.E. Church in charge of the Grand Army Post. The pall
bearers were: Messrs. A.P. Olson, Fred Teale, J.M. Pickering, Jesse Newlin,
Lewis Rhoades and S.A. Gates, and the remains were laid to rest in the Leon
Cemetery.

Among the relatives and friends from a distance were his wife and
granddaughter, Miss BERTHA EVANS, who made her home with them at Ottawa;
MEBBLE EVANS, of Solomon, Kansas; Mr. and Mrs. O.C. BRENIZER and daughter,
EULA, of near Davis City; Mrs. MATILDA GARDNER, Mr. and Mrs. JAMES L.
GARDNER and son, CHARLES; E.E. GARDNER, all of Indianola.

Mr. EVANS was an honorable man, and a good citizen and will be greatly
missed not only at his home but by all who knew him. The floral offerings
were many and beautiful, showing the esteem in which he was held. Short
funeral services were held at Ottawa, Kansas, before their departure for
Leon. The following obituary was read at the funeral:

MELVEL EVANS was born at Chambersburg, Pa., of Welch and German parentage
May 2, 1845. With his parents he moved to Canton, Ill., when ten years of
age. Died June 21, 1913, at Ottawa, Kansas.

When the Civil War broke out and Lincoln called for troops he enlisted in
April, 1862, in 103 Ill. Volunteers Company K, and served until he was
wounded at the siege of Vicksburg just before Sherman started on his march
to Atlanta. After the close of the war he was married to MONEMA BENSCOTER
at Mason City, Ill., December 23, 1866, and two years later with one child,
now Mrs. SALLIE VARGA, they moved to Chariton, Iowa, residing near there on
a farm thirteen years. Afterwards they moved to Lamoni, Iowa, and resided
near there for many years. At the time of his death they resided in Ottawa,
Kansas. He left a widow, Mrs. MONEMA EVANS, ten children, nine of whom are
living: Mrs. SALLIE VARGA, of Leon, Iowa; Mrs. MARY BLACK, Seattle,
Washington; GEORGE EVANS and MELVEL EVANS, residing at Solomon, Kansas; Mrs.
EVA CARTER and LOUIS EVANS, residing at Ottawa, Kansas; Mrs. STELLA CAMPEN,
Haines, Alaska; Mrs. MONEMA BRENIZER, Davis City, Iowa, and ROY EVANS, Mesa,
Colorado. Miss MARIE EVANS died in Kansas preceding the death of her father

Mr. EVANS possessed a remarkable personality; was a man of strong mind and
will power; was a great leader in the communities in which he resided, took
a great interest in church and school matters in every community in which he
resided; he was very enthusiastic in keeping up the Sunday School and the
church for most of the time he was the superintendent of the Sunday School,
and was always liberal in his contributions towards keeping up the church.
With the assistance of his widow he was instrumental in the building of two
churches.
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Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
January 22, 2010
iggy29@grm.net