David O. Evans who throughout his entire life has been connected with farming interests of this county, was born four miles north of Granville, on Burgh Street,, October 7, 1862, a son of David and Mary ( Thomas) Evans , His father having been born in Cardiganshire, South Wales, on February 22, 1820, and departed this life on the 20th of August . 1864. By his parents John J. and Sarah Evans and he, was brought to the United States in 1833 In company with his brothers, John T, and Morgan, and his sisters Hannah, Margaret, Mary, Jane and Eleanor, one brother; Thomas was born in this township. On arriving in this country his father repaired to the state of Ohio and settled three miles north of Granville, In Granville-township, This county,. Where he remained for one year applying his trade as a blacksmith his shop near the old spring, and engaged in farming and blacksmithing until their father's death. The farm originally embraced one hundred and ten acres of woodland and to this tract seventy-five were added, so that the farm in all embraced one hundred and eighty- five acres, which upon Mr Evan's death was inherited by his children.
When two years of age David O. Evans was brought by his parents to a farm in Newark township, on this property he has since resided and has given his time and energies to its development and improvement as he has cultivated the cereals best adapted to soil and climate. His farm originally contained fifty acres, but later he sold one acre to the township for the erection of the Sharon Valley school house . This farm he purchased from his mother 1890. Shortly after making the purchase he remodeled the old house and after the barn had been destroyed by fire in 1895, he built his present modern barn. In addition to engaging in general farming, producing large crops of hay and grain, he makes a specialty of stock raising and devotes his attention to that line. particularly to road and draught horses, in recongnized authority. Aside from breeding and feeding stock he buys and sells a great deal and keeps a boarding stable in which he has on hand on an average of twelve to sixteen head of horses. Mr Evans farm is not large as far as the acreage is concerned , but every inch of ground is put into use and is under cultivation and by his progressive methods of husbandry he makes his few acres yield him as much as many farms containing twice that amount.
On October 8, 1890, Mr Evans wedded Katharine Thomas who is native of Lima township, where her birth occurred August 12, 1862, and a daughter of Robert J. and Mary (Chadwick) Thomas, her father having been born in Granville township, this county on May 28, 1830. He now resides in Lima township, this county. His Grandfather was among the early settlers of the Welsh Hills, where he bought one thousand acres of Land. Most of which he had under cultivation and he carried on his back the first bushel of wheat produced in that township to the mill in Zanesville. Mr and Mrs Evans reared the following children : Mary L, who was born January 5, 1892, and departed this life three years later: Robert, Ellis, born March 6, 1895: Louis N, born August 26, 1896; and Charles Chadwick, whose birth occurred November 30, 1902. In politics Mr. Evans has always given his allegiance to the republican party because a studious examination of its principles has long since convinced him that they are fully and entirely adequate to maintain the permanent peace and financial surety of the nation. While he is not a n office seeker and may not be termed an active politician, yet during campaigns he is ambitious to note the success of his party, and uses his vote and influence to securing the election of it's candidates. Amid the pressure of his farm duties and other business affairs he never loses sight of his religious obligations, in the observance of which he is ever faithful, and with his wife and family he attends divine services in the Plymouth Congregational church of Newark. He has always appreciated the worth and nobility of an upright life and has always endeavored to so live that he might be of benefit to his fellow men and to this end and to this end he is highly respected by his fellow townsmen and is numbered among the substantial and representative citizens of the community. |
