MR. HUGH EVANS, AMHERST, PORTAGE COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
HUGH EVANS, a prominent citizen and substantial farmer of Stockton, Portage county, was born in the Parish of Pennal, Merionethshire, Wales, December 18th, 1838. His parents, John and Catherine (Jones) Evans, were also natives of that locality, and in 1850 Hugh and his father came to America, landing at New York. After a short time they went to New Jersey, later removing to the town of Clyman, Dodge Co., Wis. In 1852 the father returned to Wales for the purpose of bringing his wife to America, but never again left his native land, dying there in 1880 at the age of sixty-five. Mrs. Evans passed away in 1859, at the age of forty- one.Hugh Evans was fourteen years of age when his father returned to Wales. For a short time thereafter he lived with his uncle in Dodge county, and then started out in life for himself, working at various places until 1856, when he went to Stevens Point, Wisconsin, where he engaged in lumbering until August 26, 1861. On that day he enlisted in Company G, Seventh Wisconsin. V. I., at Grand Rapids, for three years' service, and in August, 1864, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant. He received an honorable discharge December 30th, 1863, in order that he might re-enlist as a veteran January 1st, 1864, in the same company and regiment. He was present at thirty of the thirty-nine engagements in which the "Iron Brigade" participated, including Beverly Ford, Gainesville, Second Battle of Bull Run and South Mountain. At the last named battle he was wounded in the knee, and was sent from the field hospital to Middletown, Md, where he was confined during the battle of Antietam. He was afterward in the engagements at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg and Mine River, and at the battle of the Wilderness received a severe wound in the face which caused him to remain in Lincoln Hospital at Washington until the 16th of August. He yet carries the Earmark of his valiant service. He rejoined his regiment in front of Petersburg, and was under fire at the battle of Vieldori Railroad, Hatcher's Run, Gravely Run, Five Forks and Appomattox.
On February 1st, 1863, he was detailed to operate with Battery B, Fourth United States Artillery, with which he continued until December. The battery accompanied his regiment, to which he returned on veteranizing. He received an honorable discharge, July 13, 1865, at Jeffersonville, Ind., and two days later was mustered out at Madison, Wisconsin.
Mr. Evans then returned to Stevens Point, this State, and was married September 10th, 1865, to Sarah E. Jones, who was born in Trenton, Oneida, N. Y., July 6th, 1839, daughter of Robert and Sophia (Evans) Jones. Her father was a native of the same locality, and was a son of William Jones, who was born in Wales, and when a young man emigrated to New York, following farming in Trenton until his death. He left six children — Moses, Ellis, Griffith, Robert, Ann and Margaret. Rpbert Jones was a farmer of New York, and there died January 12th, 1848. His wife passed from earth at the home of our subject in 1880, having reached the allotted age of three score years and ten.
The children of the family were as follows : Mary Jane married Allen Hubbard, of Weyauwega, Wisconsin, and they are now living in Avondale, Ala., with their children — Mary, Ann, Ellen, Arthur and William J.; Sophia is the wife of Gilbert Smith, of Utica, N. Y., and they have two daughters, Emma and Gertie; William E. S., a farmer of lola. Wisconsin, married Marilla Hunt, and afterward wedded Sarah M. Hopkins, by whom he has four children; John, also a farmer of lola, married Emma Fox, and their children are Laura, Robert, Fred, William, Frank, Myrtle and Albert; Cornelia is the wife of Archibald D. Moor, a hotel man of Trenton Falls, N. Y. and their children are Sherman, Frederick and Luther G. Moor. Mrs. Adams was born July 6th, 1839, and acquired her education in Trenton, N. Y.
From the time of her father's death until her sixteenth year she lived with her maternal grandfather, and then came with her mother and sister to Wisconsin, living in Weyauwega for five years. After the marriage of Mrs. Evans, the mother made her home with her daughter until her death. The wife of our subject is quite proficient with the needle, and for a number of years supported her mother and herself by dressmaking and millinery work.
Upon his marriage Mr. Evans purchased a farm in Stockton township. Portage county, and on selling, in 1869, bought his present farm of eighty acres in Section 11, of the same township. He first built a home 12x16 feet, and some time later built a larger house, which in 1893 was replaced by his present commodious and beautiful residence. The home has been blessed with the following children: Robert Noys. who was born May 4th, 1868, and graduated from the business college of Stoughton, Wisconsin, Catherine S., who was born November 6th, 1870, and is the wife of Bertram Dwinell, of Nelsonville, Wisconsin, by whom she has one child; Walter De Casiro, the youngest of the family, was born October 18th, 1876, and is employed in the machine shops of the Wisconsin Central Railroad Company at Stevens Point.
The surviving members of the family to which our subject belongs are Margaret, wife of Thomas Owens, a collier of Plymouth, Pennsylvania; William, who is living in Wales; Ellen, wife of Thomas Roberts, of Wales; and John a Calvinist Methodist minister, of Welshpool, Wales.
Like her husband. Mrs. Evans is of Welsh lineage. Her maternal grandfather, John Evans, was born in Wales, died at the age of twenty-five, in I797, he and his wife came to America, settling in Trenton, N.Y. He died at the age of eighty-nine years. Their eldest child. Mary, was born on the voyage, and died in Trenton, April 11th, 1852, at the age of ninety. Of their other children was William, who became the father of nine children; he was frozen to death on a vessel outside of New York harbor while returning from Wales, whither he had gone with his father-in-law to look after some property; just outside the harbor, the vessel being caught in a terrible storm, was unable to reach port, and all on board were frozen to death. The next two children of the family died in infancy, Sophia, mother of Mrs. Evans, was born January 6, 1805, and died August 5, 1880. John (deceased) had three sons - William, George W. and Christmas. Jane became the wife of Griffith Roberts, of Bay City, Mich., and their daughter, Louisa, is now Mrs. Edgar Watkins, of Detroit.
Hugh Evans, whose name introduces this sketch, is a popular and genial man, and enjoys the esteem of all who know him. His life has been well spent, and his honorable, upright career has gained him many friends. He is a charter member of Captain Eckels Post, G. A. R., of Amherst, and is also a member of the I. O. O. F. Lodge of that place.