Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Evans, John ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Deb Haines http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00003.html#0000719 February 14, 2008, 12:36 am Author: Past & Present Will County IL 1907 JOHN EVANS. The building interests of Plainfield found in former years a worthy representative in John Evans, who as a carpenter and contractor was connected largely with the material improvement of the city, but who is now practically living retired. He is, moreover, one of the early settlers of the county, having arrived in Joliet on the 24th of April, 1849. The following day he came to Plainfield, reaching his destination with a very meager capital. There were then but a few buildings in the town and they were of a poor and unsubstantial character. Mr. Evans at once entered upon active connection with building interests here and for many years was recognized as a most prominent as well as industrious and energetic business man. He was born in Center county, Pennsylvania, May 9, 1828, and is a son of Ezekiel and Ann (Cadwallader) Evans, who always remained residents of the east. The mother died, in fact, before the removal of her son to the middle west, being at the time a young woman. Her husband, however, survived for many years. The only living daughter of the family is Mrs. Rebecca Crebbs, who is now a widow residing in Pennsylvania. One son died in childhood and a daughter, Mary Ellen, came to Will county, Illinois, where she died in 1869. John Evans was reared in the Keystone state until a short time prior to the attainment of his majority and during that period he attended the common schools. Thinking to enjoy better business oportunities in the new and growing west, however, he came to Will county, arriving in Joliet only a few days before his twenty- first birthday. As stated, he came the following day to Plainfield and here he began work as a carpenter and builder and also worked a part of the summer at Morris. He has since engaged in carpentering in Plainfield and the vicinity and after a brief time began contracting on his own account. As the years have passed he has erected many dwellings and barns in Plainfield and the surrounding district, receiving a liberal share of the public patronage and thus doing a good business. In 1852 Mr. Evans was married at Naperville, Illinois, to Miss Rebecca Goist, who was born in Center county, Pennsylvania, in 1832, a daughter of Henry and Sarah (Smith) Goist. The mother died in Pennsylvania in 1841, at the comparatively early age of forty-six years. The father made the journey westward with teams to this state, arriving at Plainfield on the 1st of June, 1847. He located on a farm a mile southeast of Plainfield, where he made his home until the death of his second wife on the 14th of December, 1871. He afterward lived with Mr. and Mrs. Evans for about a year, when he passed away October 25, 1875, when almost eighty-one years of age. He bought his land at eight dollars per acre and today it is worth one hundred and fifty dollars per acre. Mrs. Evans has one brother and two sisters living. There were fourteen children in her father's family, of whom eleven came to Will county. Those who still survive are: Frank, who now resides near Golden City, Missouri; Mrs. Maggie Taylor, of Danville, Illinois; and Mrs. Eveline Koch, of Chicago. The others who came to Will county were Jacob, Samuel, Henry, John, Leonard, Catherine and Mary, all of whom died in this city; and Eliza and Susanna, who died in Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Evans have become the parents of five children: George C., who died October 3, 1853, at the age of thirty-eight days; Howard, who died November 1, 1862, at the age of seven years and eight months; one who died in infancy in September, 1863; Frank D., who now lives in Rochelle, Illinois, where he is engaged in the grocery business and who married Antoinette Tobias, of Plainfield, by whom he has one son, Arthur; and Nettie J., a dressmaker residing at home. In his political views Mr. Evans was a whig in early life and since the organization of the republican party has been one of its stalwart advocates. He served as tax collector for one year. Socially he was a member of the Sons of Temperance in early days and both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. They have a fine home on Lockport street in Plainfield and are now comfortably situated in life. Mr. Evans has reached the seventy-ninth milestone on life's journey. He has been an active and energetic man and well deserves the rest which he is now enjoying. He has lived quietly yet his has been a useful and honorable career and the respect of all who know him is freely accorded him. Additional Comments: PAST AND PRESENT OF WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS By W. W. Stevens President of the Will County Pioneers Association; Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1907 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/will/bios/evans2640nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/ File size: 5.3 Kb