Biographical Sketch of John King EVANS, M.D. (1893); Chester County, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by John Morris . Copyright. All Rights Reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ********************************************************* Source: "Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chester County, Pennsyl- vania, comprising a historical sketch of the county," by Samuel T. Wiley and edited by Winfield Scott Garner, Gresham Publishing Company, Phila- delphia, PA, 1893, pp. 823-4. "JOHN KING EVANS, M.D., of Malvern borough, who enjoys the popular distinc- tion of being one of the most progressive and successful young physicians of the county, is a son of Thomas Beidler and Martha Jane (Cheyney) Evans, and was born in Newtown township, Delaware county, Pennsylvania, January 4, 1860. He was reared on the paternal acres, received his elementary educa- tion in the common schools and the select school of Hannah Hopwright, and at seventeen years of age entered Oakdale seminary, at Pughtown, then under charge of Prof. Isaac Guldin, which he left two years later to complete his academic course at Chester Valley academy, of Downingtown, whose principal at that time was Prof. F. Donleavy Long. "Leaving school, he read medicine for two years with his brother-in-law, Dr. C. K. Christman, and then entered Bellevue Hospital Medical college, New York city, where he was prostrated during the first session with ty- phoid fever. This sickness compelled him to return home; but he soon recovered his health and reentered Bellevue Hospital college, from which well known institution he was graduated in the class of 1884. After grad- uation he spent one year in hospitals and laboratories to thoroughly ac- quaint himself with diseases in their most complicated form, and to gain a full and satisfactory knowledge of chemistry as it relates to or is useful in connection with medicine. Thus specially qualified for his profession, he practiced for a short time in New York city, and then was a partner with Dr. C. K. Christman until 1886. In that year he came to Malvern, where he has been engaged ever since in the active practice of his chosen profession. Dr. Evans is well read, commands a good practice, and has high professional standing. He is an active member and an ex-president of the Chester County Medical society, which he has represented in several State Medical conventions, and now represents on the Dr. Rush monumental committee. He is a republican politically, and served as a member of the first school board of Malvern borough. He is active and influential in whatever he undertakes, and labors zealously in any cause calculated to benefit his borough or county. "The Evans family is one of the oldest families of Chester county, and traces its transatlantic ancestry to Wales, where the name of Evans has figured with honor for several centuries in the history of that country. The first of the family to come to Chester county was Thomas Evans, the great- great-grandfather of Dr. Evans. He was one of forty-four first cousins who were natives of Wales, and came with William Penn on his second voyage to the colony of Pennsylvania. Thomas Evans was a hatter by trade, but after coming over with Penn he settled in Uwchlan township and purchased a farm, on a part of which the present village of Lionville is built. The old Quaker church which was built on this farm did service as a hospital during the revolutionary war. "Thomas Evans married, and his son, Evan Evans, at seventeen years of age, enlisted in the Continental army, and rose from a second lieutenant to the rank of colonel. He was a federalist, served for many years in various positions of public life, and died at fifty-eight years of age. He married Jane Owens, whose ancestors came from Wales with the Evans', and their children were: Evan, Owen, Rebecca, Thomas, Ezekiel, Sarah, Hannah, Margaret, Jane and Richard. "Ezekiel Evans (grandfather) was born June 22, 1793, and passed his life in Upper Uwchlan township, where he died in May, 1874. He was success- ively a federalist, an old-line whig, and a republican in politics. He was the youngest justice of the peace in Pennsylvania at the time of his first appointment to that office, and never would accept any political position higher than what was within the gift of the voters of his town- ship. He married Eleanor Bidler, daughter of John Bidler, a German resi- dent of Philadelphia; and to their union were born ten children: Thomas B., Hannah B. (dead), John B. (deceased), Jane H. (dead), Evan, Lewis, Rebecca (dead), Anna, and Webster. "Thomas B. Evans (father) was born June 2, 1819, received his education in the common schools and Unionville academy, under Jonathan Gause, and then taught for three years. After this he was successively engaged in farming, droving, and hotel keeping at Fox Chase, Delaware county. At the commencement of the late war he was appointed by the secretary of war as a recruiting agent, and afterward ordered to the department of West Virginia, where he purchased horses for the Federal service. After the war he was engaged in cattle dealing and farming until 1884, when he re- tired from active. life. He cast his first vote for 'Tippecanoe,' and is a republican. Mr. Evans married Martha Jane Cheyney (now deceased), who was a descendant of Squire Cheyney, of revolutionary fame, and was born August 21, 1825. To their union were born nine children: Miranda dead; William Penn; Martha Ellen, wife of Dr. C. K. Christman, of Reading, Berks county; Ezekiel C., married Ida Stauffer, and is a train dispatcher on the Philadelphia & Reading railroad; Dr. John K.; Waldron, dead; Fannie C.; Mary, now dead; and Jennie C. "Thus descended from honorable and industrious ancestors, Dr. Evans has not only pursued such a course of life as to reflect credit on his family, but has achieved such enduring success as to give additional lustre to the honored name of Evans."