Taylor County, West Virginia Biography: Mrs. Charlotte M. EVANS ************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: Material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor. Submitted by Valerie Crook, , March 1999 ************************************************************************** The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 29-31 MRS. CHARLOTTE M. EVANS, a resident of the Pruntytown fommunity [sic] of Taylor County, represents three prominent camily names of the county. She is a descendant of the Windle and Fleming families, while her husband's people were among the first pioneers to conquer the wilderness of West Virginia. Her paternal grandparents were Thomas J. and Charlotte (Muse) Windle. The former, a native of Pennsylvania and of Quaker stock, came to Upshur County near Buck- hannon about 1857, and finally moved to Taylor County, he and his wife being buried at Simpson. He was a noted stock drover as well as farmer, buying stock over a large section of the state. His children were Lewis H.; Mary, who became the wife of James B. Fleming, of Taylor County; Annie, living near Webster, widow of Marshall Lake; Thomas H., who died in Braxton County; and John M., of Greenbrier County. Lewis H. Windle, father of Mrs. Evans, is now a retired farmer in the Webster community of Taylor County. He was born in Philadelphia May 1, 1843, and was fourteen years old when his parents settled in Upshur County. He finished his common school education there, and in the first year of the Civil war joined the Union Army in the First Virginia Volunteers. He was in the command of General Goff and also in Rosecrans' Corps. He was in the battle of Philippi and other campaigns in West Virginia and later in the heavy fighting in old Virginia. After the war he became a butcher, was then connected with coal mining, but the last thirty years of his active career were devoted to the practical side of farming. The first wife of Lewis H. Windle was Olive Fleming, daughter of Minor S. Fleming and member of the distinguished Fleming family whose record is given more completely on other pages of this publication. When she died she left three children: Mrs. Charlotte M. Evans; Zonia May, who died at Grafton, wife of Scott Dawson; and Gussie, who is the wife of Charles Withers and lives on the Minor Fleming farm near Simpson. For his second wife Lewis Windle married Nancy Mason, daughter of Benjamin Mason, but there were no children by this union. Charlotte M. Windle was born in the Rural Dale locality of Upshur County, but from infancy was reared near Flem- ington in Taylor County, where she acquired her public school education. At the age of nineteen she was married to John S. Evans. This branch of the Evans family was founded by Samuel Evans, who was born in Wales about 1700, and at the age of twenty came to the American colonies, accompanied by his father, Richard Evans. He settled near Hagerstown or Frederick, Maryland. By two marriages he was the father of twenty-two children, his son Richard being killed while fighting the British in the Revolutionary war. His son Edward, born about 1730, in Maryland, and died about 1820, also had a military record of great interest to his de- scendants. He was one of Washington's soldiers in the Braddock campaign of 1755. Through the influence of Washington he was granted in 1772 for his service a tract of land in Monongalia County. He was at Fort Augusta in 1765, and Suffel's history mentions him as a volunteer in the Revolution. He was among the Monongalia militia paid off at Fort Pitt. He settled in Monongalia County probably in 1779 or 1780. At that time Edward Evans was one of those who received a portion of land allotted by General Washington in pursuance of a proclamation of Governor Dunmore in December, 1772. In 1780 he made a declaration that he was a member of the "Old Virginia" regiment in 1756, this confirming his allotment. The records of old Augusta County show the allotment and give further proof of his service in the French and Indian war. His old powder-horn, carried through the war for independence, is now owned by R. E. Campbell of Georgetown, Ohio, and bears the monogram "E. E." and date September, 1775. The children of the pioneer Edward Evans were: Eleanor, who married Robert Patton; Hugh; Catherine, who became Mrs. Jeptha Wilkins; Samuel, who married Harriet Wilson; and Priscilla, who became the wife of John Wilkins. The son Hugh was born in 1769 and died in Preston County in 1873, when well past the century mark. He was at one time sheriff of Preston County. He married Sarah Thomas. Of their seven children Samuel, born in 1800 and died in 1889, married Sarah Means, and of their eight children the last survivor was Isaac Evans of Fetterman. Hugh Evans, also a son of Samuel and Sarah (Means) Evans, was born in 1830 in the Evansville community of Preston County, and became a resident of Fetterman in Taylor County. He was in the Government service as a butcher during the Civil war, but his active years were de- voted to farming. He was sheriff of Taylor County, and widely known as a citizen. He died at the age of forty-two. His first wife was Mary Am-na Shroyer, daughter of Jacob and Sarah (Miller) Shroyer, and the only child of that union was John S. Evans. By his second wife, Mary Jean Jones, he had a daughter, Mary, now Mrs. Cleophus Woodford, of Grafton. John Shroyer Evans was born at Fetterman in Taylor County January 26, 1856, and secured his early education there and at Knottsville. After his marriage to Miss Char- lotte Windle March 13, 1887, he concentrated his efforts upon the farm where Mrs. Evans now lives. Stock and dairy farming was his chief work, and he improved one of the most attractive places along the Grafton-Pruntytown Pike. He died at his home here July 21, 1910. He had served on the local Board of Education, was trustee of the Fetterman Methodist Episcopal church and was a democrat in politics. John S. Evans was thrice married. First, in 1878 to Dora, daughter of James Allen and Mary Ellen (Ford) Bartlett. She died in March, 1880, but this union was blessed with one daughter, Myrtle. On May 9, 1882, he married Susan, daughter of John and Sallie (Curry) Sinsel. Her death occurred in November, 1883. His daughter Myrtle completed her home school education and became the wife of 0. L. Scranage. Their present home is on a portion of the home farm, and Gladys, their eldest daughter, is now a student of West Virginia University. Mrs. Evans has given her life to her children and her home. Her daughters are leaving their mark and influence on West Virginia education, and her only son besides carrying on the activities left by his father has a record of service in the World war. Mary, her oldest daughter, was educated in the Broaddus Institute, West Virginia University, and is a graduate of the Fairmont State Normal, and is now prin- cipal of the West Virginia Industrial School for Boys. Lulu is a graduate of the Grafton High School and the Fairmont State Normal, attended summer sessions of West Virginia University, and is one of the teachers in the First Ward school of Grafton. Sallie Evans, after graduating from the Grafton High School and getting her A. B. degree from the State University, taught four years, and then married Frank E. Lyon, of Michigan, and is now living in Ontario, Canada. Harriet, a graduate of the Grafton High School and of Mar- shall College of Huntington, was a teacher in Grafton three years before her marriage to C. B. Shingleton of Clarksburg, West Virginia. Their present home is in Charleroi, Pennsyl- vania, and they are the proud parents of one baby daughter Charlotte Ann. Alma supplemented her high school course at Grafton with two years in the University, taught a year in rural schools and then became teacher of French and Latin in the Harrisville High School. Olive Ada, a graduate of the Grafton High School and the West Virginia Wesleyan College, had a year and a halt of teaching experience, and is now the wife of L. F. Damron, of Huntington. Annie Laurie, the youngest daughter, completed the high school course at Grafton in 1921 and is now taking nurses' training in the Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Hugh Evans, the only son, grew up at the old home farm and early took an interest in the dairy and stock. He was educated in the Pruntytown public school and had a commer- cial course at Grafton. At the beginning of May, 1918, he volunteered, was assigned to Company A of the 401st Engi- neers, was trained at Richmond, Virginia, and Fort Ogle- thorpe, Georgia, and from Long Island went overseas on the transport Leviathan, the converted liner Vaterland. After landing at Brest the 401st Engineers were sent to Charms, then to Le Mans for equipment, and were engaged in construction of pontoon bridges just behind one of the advanced lines when the armistice was signed. The regiment was under the direct command of Major General Alexander, commander of the Forty-second or Rainbow Division. Hugh Evans became a sergeant in his company. His farthest east was in Belgium, forty miles from Brussels. February 22, 1919, he sailed from St. Nazaire, France, on the U. S. S. Mongolia, arriving at New York March 7th, was at Camp Merritt where the contingent was broken up, and he was sent to Camp Meade for discharge. He left Camp Meade March 29th, and arrived at Grafton late the same day. Since the war he has been handling the responsibilities of the home farm. He is vice commander of Taylor County Post No. 78 of the American Legion.