William Evans
William Evans was born in Mason County, Kentucky, January 23, 1787, the second son of Edward Evans and Jemima Applegate, his wife. His father had emigrated frolm Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, 1781, and had located near Washington, Mason County, Kentucky. There until the close of the Indian War, he had been a farmer and acted as an Indian scout. In 1800, he moved into what was then the western part of Adams County, and resided until his death in 1843. William Evans was reared on his father's farm. When the War of 1812 began he went into the service, and while there, formed a great friendship for Charles Kirkpatrick, who had been born in Virginia in 1777, and moved to Ohio in 1806. On the way returning in the summer of 1812, the company was waylaid by the Indians and Kirkpatrick was wounded. He died of his wound at Chillicothe, September 26, 1812, and his young friend, William Evans, remained with him and buried him. It was his sad duty to carry the news to Kirkpatrick's widow, which he did with so much address, that the next year, August 13, 1813, he married her. He reared her three children by Kirkpatrick, and they had ten more of their own, of whom the elder was Edward Patton Evans, herein noticed. He lived on the farm near Pilson's Mill, along Eagle Creek, which Kirkpatrick had owned at his death, and purchased it of his heirs. His wife died March 22, 1830, and he contracted a second marriage with Miss Harriet Taylor, of near Aberdeen. Of this second marriage, there were four children. He survived the second wife and died February 13, 1873, at the age of eighty-six years.
William Evans never owed anyone anything. He kept out of debt, out of jail, and out of the penitentiary. He never sought or held any public office. He took the Liberty Hall and Cincinnati Gazette from its first issue until his death. He never had a lawsuit, either as plaintiff or defendant. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church at Russellville, fifty years or more, and a ruling elder for forty years. He scarcely ever went away from home, and when he did, would always walk in preference to riding. He was a law-abiding citizen, who discharged his duties to his God and to his fellow men, and was content to live the life of a farmer all his days.
His children are as follows: Edward Patton, May 31, 1814, died April 17, 1883; Samuel Jackson, born March 15, 1816, died February 27, 1842; Martha Ann, born March 15, 1818, died; William Harvey, born January 6, 1820, now living at Thorntown, Indiana; Mary Juline, born December 12, 1821, married Scott Miller, of near Ripley, and was the mother of a large family. She died in 1876; her husband survives. James Kirkpatrick, born February 10, 1824, died unmarried March 21, 1875; Nathan Evans, born January 27, 1826; Elijah Applegate. born May 7, 1828, died unmarried in 1851 near Spring Hill, Indiana; Lucinda and Louisa, twins, born December 29. 1829; Lucinda married James Martin. He and she are both deceased. They left a large family residing near Lawrence, Kansas. Louisa married twice and is living near Stanwood, Iowa.
Of his second marriage, there were three daughters and one son: John Taylor, deceased, who was a soldier in the Civil War of 1861; Martha, who married John Pittenger, both of whom are deceased; Mrs. Jemima McGregor, who resides near Russellville, Ohio, and Mrs. Thomas Logan, who lives in Russellville, Ohio.
From History of Adams County, Ohio from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time - by Nelson W. Evans and Emmons B. Stivers - West Union, Ohio - Published by E. B. Stivers - 1900