WILLIAM C. EVANS
Incessant
energy, indefatigable industry and close attention to details
are the elements which constitute the success of William C.
Evans, one of the prominent agriculturists of Lucas county,
where he has extensive holdings of valuable land on sections 1
and 10, Jackson township.
Born in Knoxville, Knox county, Illinois, on January
23, 1856, he is a son of Joshua Brown and Georgiana (Crawford)
Evans, the former a native of Hartford, Connecticut, where he
was born in 1824, and the latter of Scotland. His grandfather, in
company with Thomas and Joshua Evans at the beginning of the
Revolutionary war emigrated to this country from England,
enlisting in the American army.
The father passed away in Knoxville, Illinois, in 1871,
but the mother is still living on the old home farm in Knox
county, that state. In
their family were eleven children: A. S., deceased; George W., a resident
of Lucas, who was born November 14, 1848, and who for the past
twenty years has been assessor of Jackson township, Lucas
county; Mary, who makes her home with her mother in Knoxville
and who for thirty years has taught school in Illinois; Ernest
of Woodburn, Iowa; Eliza, deceased; William C., of this
review; Margaret, of Hartford, Connecticut; J. D., deceased;
Anna, of Galesburg, Illinois; Ellen, of Knoxville, Illinois;
and a daughter who died in infancy.
William C. Evans was reared on the home farm and acquired his education in the schools of the neighborhood. Very early he became acquainted with the details of agriculture and followed farming in the vicinity of his birthplace. Although his early education was very limited he has greatly improved his knowledge by continuous reading and study and is accounted one of the well informed men upon all such subjects as come up in the course of life. He came to Iowa in 1880 and, settling in Jackson township, Lucas county, has followed agricultural pursuits ever since with continued success, giving particular attention to his stock-raising interests. His success is the more remarkable and noteworthy for the reason that when he came here all his worldly possessions consisted of a horse and ten dollars and now he farms three hundred and forty acres, belonging to Mrs. Evans, all well improved and equipped, and he has one hundred and eighty acres, the farms being located on sections 1 and 10. Following scientific and progressive methods, he has increased the value of his property from year to year and his farms today betray by their appearance the prosperity of their owners.
On
January 4, 1885, Mr. Evans was united in marriage in Jackson
township, Lucas county, to Miss Margaret Ann Ginn, who was
born in Wapello county, Iowa, March 11, 1866. While yet a small
girl she removed with her parents to Clarke county, this
state, where they remained for one year, and in 1879 came to
Lucas county. Her
parents were Joseph and Eliza Jane (Elder) Ginn, both natives
of Ohio. The
father died in Lucas county, Iowa, in June, 1903, at the age
of seventy-five years, but the mother survives and still
resides in Jackson township.
Early in life the father made the overland trip to
Pikes Peak in search of the precious metal, setting out with
an ox team from Ottumwa, Iowa, but the desired success was not
to be his. Mr.
and Mrs. Ginn had six children:
John, who died at the age of two years; Mrs. Evans;
William, of Des Moines, Iowa; Albert, deceased; Samuel Tilden,
of White Breast township, this county; and Joseph Arthur,
living in Jackson township.
All of these children were born in Wapello county with
the exception of the youngest, who is a native of Lucas. Mr. and Mrs. Evans
are the parents of three children, all of whom were born in
Jackson township. Jay
Harold, the eldest, was born November 25, 1886, attended the
common schools of the neighborhood and the public schools of
Lucas and then took a commercial course at Simpson College, at
Indianola, Iowa. He
also attended college for two years and after graduating from
the liberal arts department of the state university at Iowa
City taught school for several terms but is at present
connected with the Omaha Sanitary Supply Company, of Omaha,
Nebraska. Byron,
the next in order of birth, born July 11, 1891, passed away
shortly after his first birthday, on August 28, 1892. William, who
completes the family, was born September 28, 1896, and attends
the public schools in the neighborhood of his father’s farm.
Mr. Evans is republican in his political views and gives his support to the measures and candidates of that party. Deeply interested in the cause of education, he has efficiently served as school director of his district and is fraternally connected with the Modern Woodmen of America, being a member of the Lucas lodge. Mrs. Evans is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Not only has Mr. Evans been an interested witness of the changes that have made this section one of the richest agricultural regions of the United States but he has been a helpful and cooperant factor in the transformation. A self-made man, he is highly regarded and esteemed wherever known and while he has attained commendable personal prosperity has been a serviceable factor in his community.