Clark County IL Archives Obits.....
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarch.org/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarch.org/il/ilfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Cindy McCachern mccachern@worldnet.att.net


Obituary of Nixon Evans

16 November 1904, Clark County (IL) Herald

(Note:  This obituary contains a photograph)

Rev. Nixon Evans, the county's oldest preacher and one of the
pioneers of the county, answered the final summons on Thursday
evening at his home in Melrose township.  His death removed
from the walks of men one who was a leader and teacher of men
for many years and who, for more than half century, was one of
the more prominent citizens of the southern part of the county.

Nixon Evans was born at Paoli in Orange county, Ind., Dec. 27,
1814, and was nearing the close of his 90th year.  He was the
11th child of a family of sixteen children.  His parents moved
to Illinois in 1816 and settled on a farm near York which is
now owned and occupied by John S. Bradbury.  Mr. Evans has thus
lived in one community for more than 87 years and has witnessed
the scenes that have taken place to the transformation of a
wilderness into a land of beautiful homes where peace and
plenty reign.

When Mr. Evans was a youth there were no free public schools.
Short subscription schools were taught but these he had the
opportunity to attend but little.  He taught one term of school
of three months in a cabin on the Martin Willard farm in
Melrose township.  The only subjects he taught were reading,
spelling, writing and arithmetic but he was quite successful in
this.  Along in the thirties he worked for Col. W. W. Archer.
The Col. had a good library and Mr. Evans spent his spare
moments reading and studying the good books of this library,
and the hours thus spent were among the happiest and most
profitable of his life.

Mr. Evans was first married to Miss Minerva Bartlett in 1837.
He then entered the land where he now resides in Melrose
township.  He first built a small log cabin in the woods and
then set about to clear his land.  He worked hard all the week
and preached on Sunday.  When he had no work at home, he would
hire out and many a day he worked for only 25 cents.  He
continued his industrious and frugal habits until old age came
upon him.  While he was still virorous, he had amassed
sufficient of this world's goods to enable him to pass his old
age in comfort and ease.  In addition to farming, he operated a
saw mill during the winter for 35 years, his mill being one
among the first operated in the southern part of the county.

Mr.Evan's first wife died in 1853 and he was married a second
time to Clarissa Hungerford of Darwin, who lived to care and
comfort him in his declining years.  By his first marriage he
was the father of six children of whom only two, Iradell of
Melrose and Warren B. of West York, are living.  The fuits of
this second marriage were six children of whom the floowing are
living:  Mrs. Minerva Fowler of Melrose township, Mrs. Julia
Hagar of Crawford county, Mrs. Eliza Green of Linton, Ind. and
Clarence, who resides at home.  Rev. Charles Evans, who was
well known to many of our readers, died in November of 1902.

Mr. Evans joined the M. E. Church early in life and soon after,
in 1836, he became a local preacher.  His home was used as a
place of worship before any church had been erected in the
community.  It was due, in a great measure, to his efforts that
Plymouth church was erected.  He was always a liberal
contributer to the church and Sunday School and for a half
century he devoted much of his time to preaching, delivering
during that time more than three thousand sermons.  His
services were often sought at weddings and he can recall scores
of couples he made man and wife.  He has also officiated at
many funerals.

Uncle Nixon, as he has long been affectionately called by his
many friends, stood as a typical representative of teh pioneer
preacher and citizen.  He closed a long and active life and
when his summons came, it can be truthfully siad of hime "He
has fought a good fight."  The funeral services were conducted
Saturday afternoon and were attended by one of the largest
assemblages of people ever witnessed the the county.--Democrat.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/clark/obits/e/nevans.txt

File size: 2 Kb