Isaac Evans
Foremost among the substantial farmers of Spring Valley Township, may be properly mentioned Mr. Evans, who has likewise been more than ordinarily successful as a stock-raiser. Like many of his compeers, be was born in this township, nine miles south of the city of Xenia, this event occurring December 8, l835. Robert and Sarah (Coppock) Evans, were both natives of Newberry District, S. C., the father born November 9, 1797, and the mother March 13,1799. They were reared in the Quaker faith, to which religion they adhered all their lives.
Upon leaving their native State, Robert Evans and his family traveled overland with a four-horse team, and a one-horse wagon to Greene County. They began their journey September 24, 1829, and reached their destination October 24, following. They made their headquarters at the home of Samuel Speer, the stepfather of Mr. Evans, for a few days, then secured four hundred acres of land south of the present village of Spring Valley. There they settled and endured all the hardships and privations incident to pioneer life. The parents spent the remainder of their days at the farm which they built up, the father dying November 9, 1868, and the mother June 17, 1871. Mr. Evans, in addition to carrying on farming extensively, also officiated as a surveyor. In South Carolina he followed milling. In this county he ran a grist and saw mill, these being located a mile and a quarter south of the village, on the Miami River.
To the parents of our subject there was born a family of fifteen children, six of whom died in infancy. The nine who grew to mature years, were named respectively: Rebecca; Moses, who died leaving nine children; Esther, who married Lewis Hartsock, went first to Indiana then to Illinois. and finally to Kansas, where she died leaving two sons and three daughters; Lydia, the wife of William Stanfeald; Mary, Mrs. Isaac M. Barret; Sophia, Mrs. Carrol Whitney; Isaac; Nancy J., the wife of Martin Peterson; Margaret, the wife of Aaron Crites.
The father of our subject was the son of Moses and Lydia (Hasket) Evans. who were likewise natives of South Carolina. Grandfather Evans died there at about the age of forty years, leaving six children, viz: Robert, Rebecca, Thomas, Moses, Mary, and Isaac. His widow subsequently was married to Samuel Speer, and emigrated from South Carolina in April, 1826, locating on the land now occupied by Isaac, our subject, and where grandfather Speer died October 1, 1856. His partner had preceded him to the silent land, her death taking place August 19, 1852, when she was aged seventy-nine years, two months and twenty one days. Of this marriage there were born three children, and they, like their ancestors, grew up in, and adhered religiously to, the Quaker faith. They were named respectively: James, John, and Samuel. All were married and left families. The father of Moses, was Robert Evans.
Mrs. Sarah (Coppock) Evans, the mother of our subject, was the daughter of Joseph and Esther (Patterson) Coppock, both of South Carolina, who came to Miami County, this State, about 1812. Subsequently they returned to their native State, and both died there in 1819. Isaac Evans spent his boyhood and youth on the pioneer farm, and by close attention to such opportunities as were afforded him, obtained a practical education. His early studies were pursued at a subscription school which was afterward raised to the dignity of a public school. Later he became a student at Bacon's Commercial College at Cincinnati, from which he was graduated in 1857. After that he had charge of his father's books in the mills for four years. These mills were conducted under the firm name of R. Evans & Sons.
The above-mentioned partnership was dissolved in 1864, when Isaac Evans purchased the home-stead of his paternal grandmother, this comprising one hundred and seventy acres of land with good buildings. Later he added to his real estate by the purchase of one hundred and sixty acres more. The larger portion of his property has been accumulated by his own industry. He is a man highly honored in his community, and has been intrusted with many positions, serving as Township Trustee, and in 1880 was elected Township Appraiser. He cast his first Presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln in 1860, and has since given his uniform support to the Republican party.
Miss Matilda C. Stump became the wife of our subject January 31, 1860, the wedding taking place at the bride's home in Spring Valley Township. Mrs. Evans was born January 19, 1836, in Spring Valley Township, to Jonas and Prudence (Smalley) Stump, who were natives of Virginia, and are now living in this township. Six children came to bless the union of our subject and his estimable wife, these being named respectively: Frank S., who married Miss Catharine S. Eberly, of Warren County, Ohio; Minnie B., the wife of Joseph G. Gest; Louie A., Alta M., William J., and Charles R. In addition to general farming, Mr. Evans makes a specialty of fine stock, in which industry he has been very successful. He was an active Union man during the Civil War, and has always given his influence to those enterprises calculated to advance the interests of the people around him.
We take pleasure in showing a portrait of Mr. Evans in this work.
From Portrait and Biographical Album of Clark and Greene Counties, Chapman Bros., Chicago, published 1890
Isaac Evans, now living retired in the city of Xenia, where he has made his home since 1912, was born on a farm in Spring Valley township, this county, on December 8, 1835, son of Robert and Sarah (Coppock) Evans, who had come over here from South Carolina some years before, and had established their home in Spring Valley township, where they spent the remainder of their lives.
Robert Evans was born in the Newberry district of South Carolina, November 9, 1797, a son of Moses Evans and wife, Quakers. Moses Ebans died and his widow married Samuel Speer and in 1826 came with him and other members of their family to Ohio and settled in the southern part of Greene county, on the place now owned and long occupied by the subject of this sketch. Robert Evans married Sarah Coppock. who also was born in South Carolina, March 13, 1799, and several years after his mother and his stepfather had settled in Greene county he and his wife also came over here, arriving on October 24, 1829. During the succeeding winter he and his wife made their home with the Speers and in the next spring (1830) he bought a farm of four hundred acres lying along the banks of the Miami, in Spring Valley township, and there established his home, erecting a house facing the highway to Cincinnati. Robert Evans had been engaged in the milling business in South Carolina and upon coming here built a grist- and saw-mill on his place, operating the same by water power; which mills continued to be operated until about 1875, when they were abandoned. In addition to carrying on his milling industry, Robert Evans also cleared and developed his farm. He died on November 9, 1868, and his widow died on June 17, 1871. Robert Evans had been reared a Whig, but upon the creation of the Republican party aligned himself with that party. He and his wife were birthright Quakers and their children were reared in that simple faith. They had fifteen children, of whom nine grew to maturity, namely: Rebecca, who died unmarried; Moses, who died in 1868; Esther P., who married Lewis Hardsock, of this county, and later went to Kansas, where she and her husband spent the remainder of their lives; Lydia H., who married William Stansfield and also went to Kansas, where she died; Mary, who married Isaac M. Barrett, of Spring Valley, and who, as well as her husband, is now deceased; Sophia, who married Cal Whitney and went to Nebraska, where she and her husband spent their last days; Isaac, the subject of this sketch; Nancy J., who married Martin Peterson and continued to make her home in this county until her death some years ago, and Margaret E., widow of Aaron Crites, who died in 1915. She had made her home on the old Evans farm in Spring Valley township.
Reared on the old home farm in Spring Valley township, Isaac Evans received his early schooling in the schools of that neighborhood and supplemented the same by attendance at Bacon's Commercial College at Cincinnati, from which institution he was graduated in 1857. He then became a partner in his father's milling operations and continued thus engaged in the milling business until they sold the mills in 1864, after which he became the owner of the old Speer farm, which had been settled by his stepgrandfather, Samuel Speer, in 1829, and there he continued to make his home for forty-eight years, or until his retirement from the farm and removal to Xenia in 1912. Mr. Evans still owns his home farm of one hundred and seventy acres and has added to that one hundred and sixty acres adjoining, and enjoys an occasional trip to the same. He also owns property in the city. Mr. Evans is a Republican and for some years served the people of Spring Valley township as trustee. He is a member of the Friends church, as have been the members of his family for generations. He was made a Mason at Waynesville many years ago, is a charter member of the Masonic lodge at New Burlington and is also a member of Xenia Chapter No. 36, Royal Arch Masons, and of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite (32°) at Dayton.
Isaac Evans has been twice married. On January 31, i860, when twenty-four years of age, he was united in marriage to Matilda C. Stump, who also was born in this county, a daughter of Jonas and Prudence (Smalley) Stump, pioneers of Greene county, and of the children born to this union six are now living, namely: Frank S., who married Catherine Eberley and is living on a part of the old home farm; Minnie B., of Columbus, Ohio, widow of Joseph G. Gest; Lou, wife of Robert J. Lacey, of Wilmington, this state; Alta M., wife of John L. Shipp, of Columbus, Ohio; William J., who is engaged in the livery business at Xenia, and Charles R., who married Stella Lucas and is also engaged in the livery business at Xenia, in association with his brother. The mother of these children died on September 17, 1897, she then being at the age of sixty-one years, and on May 16, 1900, Mr. Evans married Frances Adams, of the neighboring county of Montgomery. She was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, the daughter of E. B. and Priscilla Adams, both of whom are deceased. In 1878 the Adams family left Pennsylvania and located in Dayton, Ohio. E. B. Adams was a miller by trade. There Mrs. Evans attended public school as a girl and grew up.
From History of Greene County Ohio, Its People, Industries and Institutions, vol. 2. M.A.Broadstone, editor. B.F.Bowen & Co., Indianapolis. 1918