J. T. EVANS, merchant, Clay City, was born in Johnson County, Ind., Jan. 7, 1835. He is a son of Joseph and Matilda (Driscoll) Evans. The father was a native of Brown County, Ohio. Edward Evans, the grandfather, was a native of Pennsylvania, and was a soldier in the Revolution. Among the battles in that conflict in which he participated was the battle of Brandywine. His people were of Welsh decent. The father is still living in Johnson County, Ind., at the age of eighty-eight, on the same farm he entered fifty-four years ago, and he still has in his possession the letters patent for the land, bearing the signature of Andrew Jackson. The mother was born in Mason County, Ky., her father being a native of Maryland, and of Scotch descent. Our subject was the sixth of seven children, and of this number three are now living, viz.: Mrs. Julia Ann Jolliffe, of Johnson County, Ind.; J. T., subject, and J. E., in Clay City Township. The common schools of his native county furnished Mr. Evans his means of education. At the age of eighteen, he commenced teaching, but followed that profession only two years. He then commenced reading medicine with Drs. Marshall & Ream, of Williamsburg, Ind. After studying with them two years, he came to Clay City, Ill., arriving here in April, 1859, and began the practice of medicine. Not liking the profession however, he gave it up after about two years. In December, 1860, he turned his attention to merchandising, and opened a general store. In this business, he has been engaged ever since, and now carries a stock of about $8,000. He also does a great deal in the grain and commission business, having built a large warehouse, and now handles on an average about 50,000 bushels of grain a year, besides considerable flax and grass seed. In the old town of Maysville, Clay County, Mr. Evans was married, November 17, 1859, to Miss Amanda E. Bagwell, a daughter of Thomas J. and Cina E. (Whiteman) Bagwell. The father was a native of Kentucky, and came to the old town of Maysville in 1842, where he ran a hotel for many years. He died in 1877. The mother was a native of Tennessee, and is still living in Clay City, at the advanced age of seventy-two. Mrs. Evans was born in March, 1842, and is the mother of four children, three of whom are now living: Henry, born November 18, 1860; Ella, October 2, 1863, and now the wife of Charles D. Duff; and Charles, February 19, 1874. Subject is a member of the Clay City Christian Church. He has been identified with that denomination since March, 1868, and is at present one of the Elders and Sunday School Superintendent of the church at this point. Mr. Evans is a member of the Clay City Lodge, No. 488, A. F. & A. M., and Gorin Commandery, No. 14, Knights Templar. Casting his first vote for John C. Fremont, Mr. Evans has ever since been a strong Republican.
Extracted 28 Dec 2017 by Norma Hass from 1884 History of Wayne and Clay Counties, Illinois, Part IV, pages 176-177.
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