EVANS, Rev. Francis Wesley

EVANS, DICKERHOFF

Posted By: Volunteer: Sherri
Date: 1/26/2017 at 16:15:03

PIONEER MINISTER OF IOWA IS DEAD
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REV. FRANCIS W. EVANS PASSES AWAY AT HIS HOME.
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DEATH DUE TO APPENDICITIS
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HAD LIVED IN HAWKEYE STATE SINCE 1839.
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Appointed at Iowa Conference in 1851 and Served as a Methodist Minister for Over 40 Years.

The Rev. Francis Wesley Evans, one of the oldest pioneer Methodist minister in the state, died at his home, 1319 (as pub.) East Ninth street, early yesterday morning, aged 79 years, following a severe attack of appendicitis.

The Rev. Mr. Evans was not only one of the oldest members of the Methodist conference but was a charter member of the Odd Fellows lodge in the state and a pioneer Mason. He joined the Odd Fellows lodge in 1854. He was born in Pittsburg, March 17, 1829, and came to Iowa in 1839 and settled in Lee county. His education for the ministry was received at Fort Madison. He was appointed to the ministry by the annual conference in 1851 and continued in the church pastorates throughout Iowa for nearly forty years. He was a member of the first Methodist conference in Iowa and when that conference was divided was appointed to the Iowa conference. Among his charges though the state have been the churches at Burlington, Washington, Mount Pleasant, Albia, Ottumwa, Oskaloosa and Knoxville. He retired from the ministry in 1890 and came to Des Moines to become a lecturer for the Odd Fellows lodge, of which he was grand chaplain, Masons, and on temperance subjects. He was married Feb. 19, 1855 to Miss Martha Dickerhoff of Bloomfield. Of the four children, born, William, the oldest child, died in infancy, and Mamie, Frank and Cora, live at home.

The Rev. Mr. Evans was chaplain for the Thirty fifth Iowa for two years during the civil war.

The funeral will be held Sunday at 3 o'clock from the home. The services will be in charge of Rev. Orien W. Fifer, assisted by the Rev. Charles P. Johnson, Dr. Emory Miller and other Methodist ministers in Des Moines.

(Transcriber note: Believe death year as typo; possible 1909)

Source: Van Buren Co. Genealogical Society Obituary Book H, Page 81, Keosauqua Public Library, Keosauqua, IA

Van Buren Obituaries maintained by Rich Lowe.
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