Revolutionary War Soldiers Series: Remembering Evan Evans
Editor's note: Next year, the United States of America will celebrate its semiquincentennial, its 250th anniversary. The semiquincentennial marks the first nationwide celebration of America's birth since the bicentennial in 1976. Of course, America's independence cannot be celebrated without also honoring the efforts of the Revolutionary War soldiers that led to independence. The Waw-wil-a-way Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, along with the Southern Ohio Genealogical Society, will be presenting a series of articles featuring Revolutionary War soldiers who lived and died within the borders of Highland County.
By Betty F. Crum and Pat Young
Waw-wil-a-way Chapter Daughters
of the American Revolution, 250 Project
Evan Evans was born April 4, 1754 in Camden, N.J, and died in September 1847 in Fairfield Township, Highland County, Ohio. He was buried at Lees Creek/Antioch Cemetery in Highland County.
Evans married Sarah Middleton on June 30, 1777 in Burlington County, N.J. She was born circa 1758/1760 in Burlington County and died circa March 3, 1796 in Culpepper County, Va.
He second married Patience Antrim and she died in Highland County, circa 1830-35. Evans and his family, with seven known children, have had much information documented through Quaker records.
Below is such an abstract from Richard Haines and his descendants: "A Quaker Family of Burlington County, New Jersey since 1682," by John Wesley Haines, published in 1961.
“Evan Evans, b. 4 mo. 4, 1754; d. 2 mo. 18, 18477, aged 94 years and 10 mos. bur. Lees Creek; son of Thomas and Hannah (Roberts) Evans. He is said to have given Hospital Service in the Revolutionary War. He and his wife Sarah were received Crooked Run MM, Va., 5 mo. 30, 1789, from Evesham MM on certificate dated 2 mo. 6, 1789. He was a strong opponent of human slavery, and for this reason decided to sell his property in Virginia and to seek his fortune in Ohio. In the spring of 1800 his party went by horses and wagons to Red Bank, now Point Pleasant, West Virginia, where they secured boats and floated down the Ohio River to Portsmouth, Scioto Co., Ohio. From there they proceeded up the Scioto River as far as they could, and then took to the horses and wagons again until they reached High Bank Prairie, not far from the present site of Chillicothe, Ohio. Evan Evans soon went to the neighborhood of Leesburg, Highland Co., Ohio.” Evan was prominent in civic duties being elected Fairfield Township house appraiser and lister in 1806 and 1807. Sarah was his 1st wife, he marrying 2nd Patience Antrim, 1797, Culpeper County, Virginia and marrying 3rd Rebekah Starn, 29 October 1836, Clinton County, Ohio.”
The documentation that Evan was the son of Thomas and Hannah (Roberts) Evans is found in the will of Thomas Evans, wife Hannah, listing children including Evan as a son, proven 4 November 1758, Evesham, Burlington, New Jersey. Thomas Evans had married Hannah Roberts, 8 April 1751, Camden, New Jersey.
At least since the marriage of Thomas and Hannarh in 1751, this Evans family appears to have always made their home in the state of New Jersey, until Evan went to Virginia and then being a Quaker and against slavery, left Virginia with his family for Ohio.
The 7 children of Evan Evans and wife Sarah include: Atlantic “Alty”, b.21 February 1778, d.29 September 1860, buried Fairfield Quaker Cemetery, Leesburg, Highland Co., OH., m.James Smith; 1Mary Ann, b.24 December 1779, d.6 February 1847, m.Enos Haines 1795; Rebecca, b.4 April 1782, d.1862, m.1 Richard Sullivan, m.2 Richard Iliff 1805; 4/5Frances, b.1784, d.24 January 1871, m.Benjamin Jones; Hannah, b.12 April 1786, d.1855, buried Sparrow Creek Cemetery, Randolph County, Indiana, m.Curtis Bales/Beals 1801; 2,7Lydia, b.11 June 1789, d.1875, m.Amariah Gossett 4 Aug. 1809; John, b.17 November 1791, d.19 August 1874, buried Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Leesburg, Ohio, m.1 Eve Shrawyer 1813, m.2 Susan Heller; Three children of Evan and Patience: 3Rachel, b.circa 1800, m.Isaac Holeman; 4Mildred Parmelia, b.14 April 1801, d.24 November 1871, m.Benjamin Thomas Carr 1820. 4Esther/Hester, b.3 February 1804, d.12 February 1874, buried Hinkle Creek Cemetery, Hamilton County, Indiana, m.Jonathan Haworth 1827. The above children have been proven through various Quaker and court records included in this article.