Re: Robert Evans
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In reply to:
Re: Robert Evans
Micky Craft 2/18/04
ROBERT EVANS
Robert Evans, who moved to Perry Co. c1819 along with several of his children, was said to have been in his 104th year when he died c1830. He is buried in the "Old Evans Cemetery" outside of Marion and his grave has been marked by the DAR.
Contrary to information on file with various organizations showing Robert to have a Revolutionary War record in VA, his land records and census data for his children show him to have been in the NC/SC border area at the time of the Revolution.Also, Samuel A. Townes, in his 1840 "History of Marion, Alabama" states that Joseph Evans (one of the five original Perry Co. commissioners) was a native of SC.
Robert's first land record in this area appears to be a grant he received April 5, 1768, for 75 acres on the west side of the Catawba River in Mecklenburg Co., NC.From 1768 to 1787 both he and Jabez Evans can be found in land and court records for Mecklenburg, Tryon, Lincoln, Burke, and Rutherford, NC and 96 Dist. and Spartanburg, SC.
In March of 1787 Robert Evans purchased 400 acres of land on Shole Creek of the Pacolet River in Rutherford Co., NC, in partnership with Jabez Evans, Vardry McBee and William Young.
The families of both Jabez and Vardry were from Halifax Co., VA.A Jabez Evans lived on Mirey Creek of the Dan River as early as 1748 and sold what appears to be the last of his Halifax land in Feb. 1768 to Thomas Davenport; this deed was witnessed by James Davenport and Jacob Evans.A Robert Evans along with William Evans and James Davenport witnessed a 1764 deed for George Evans who sold land on Mirey Creek of the Dan River.Also, in Halifax on Mirey Creek, is Evan Evans who, according to the Antrim Parish records, would have been b. c1690.When Evan sells Mirey Creek land in 1770, the deed is witnessed by James Davenport.In 1772 Evan's estate was administered by William Evans.Although, there is no proof that Robert of Perry Co. was the same Robert who witnessed the deed for George Evans, the choice of the name "Evan" by Joseph Evans, for his eldest child, seems to indicate a connection to the Evans Family of Halifax Co., VA.
Robert received a grant on the Keowee River in SC in 1789, the year that Pendelton Dist. was formed.He remained in this area until 1814 when he followed Joseph to Franklin Co., TN where they lived on Bean's Creek.
No marriage record for Robert has been found and none of his land records seem to reference a wife, but at least three granddaughters are named for his widow, Hetty May (last name unknown) which seems to suggest that she might have been the mother of his children.In addition to Hetty, the following eight children are named in the settlement of Robert's estate:Joseph, Mary Clements, Margaret Clements, Ruth Reed, William, Jabez, Sarah, and Solomon.
Census records indicate the following birth order:Joseph b. 1773-4; Ruth b. 1777; William b. 1780; Jabez b. 1788; Sarah b. c1790; and Solomon b. 1791.It is reasonable to assume that Mary and Margaret were born c1784, one was married before the 1800 census and the other was shown to be 16-26 that year.
It is possible that the family also included a son older than Joseph. Joseph would have been only 16 in 1790 when the census for that year showed three males as "16+."It is hard to believe that the three included ten-year-old William.It seems more likely that William and two-year-old Jabez were the two "under 16" males, with Solomon being born after the census date.
Robert's children have been located as follows:
Joseph married Amelia Hawkins in Pendelton Dist., SC before the 1800 census.He can be found in Franklin Co., TN, Perry Co., AL, Cherokee and Leon Cos., TX.
Ruth married William Reed in Pendelton Dist., SC. After leaving SC, the Reeds also lived in TN prior to settling in Jefferson Co. AL.
William left Perry Co. in the mid 1830s and settled in the Kemper Co. area of MS.
Jabez who married Rachel McKee in Perry Co., is listed on the 1840 census in Talledega Co., AL, and then followed William to Kemper Co.
Sarah, who the family maintains was jilted by a John Humphreys, had a daughter Louisa.Louisa married her cousin John Evans, and Sarah can be found living with them in 1850 census for East Carroll Parish, LA. After John died, the family followed Joseph to Leon Co., TX.
The youngest son, Solomon, who married Delitha Manuel in Perry Co., moved first to Kemper Co., MS and then back to AL where he settled in Walker Co.
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Re: Robert Evans
Gladys C. Shannon 10/02/04