William Henry Evans

William Henry Evans (November 3, 1842 – January 5, 1923) was an American lawyer and farmer from

Liberal Reform Party member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from Crawford County.^[1]

Although a native of Virginia, he fought as a Union Army soldier in the American Civil War.

Background

Evans was born in

Philadelphia, New Orleans, Natchez, Mississippi, and Cincinnati

, before coming to Wisconsin in 1860 and settling in Yankeetown.

Civil War and after

Evans enlisted as a

Wisconsin Circuit Court at Prairie du Chien

in May 1873.

Legislative service

In 1873, Evans was elected to the Assembly's Crawford County seat as the candidate of the Reform or Liberal Reform Party, a short-lived

standing committee on enrolled bills.^[2]

He was not a candidate for re-election in 1874, and was succeeded by Republican Zenas Beach.

Later career and personal life

Evans practiced law in the Town of Clayton, Wisconsin, until he was elected Crawford County's district attorney in 1876. In January 1877 he moved to Prairie du Chien, the better to discharge the duties of his office. Evans was re-elected to the same office repeatedly.

In Rising Sun, Wisconsin, in May 1867, Evans married Mary J. Flannagan, a native of Ireland who had come to the United States with her family while a child. As of 1884 the couple had seven living children, five sons and two daughters.^[3]

In 1912, he is described as being in Prairie du Chien "from Chicago on his annual visit to relatives and old time neighbors and friends," accompanied by his son Frank and wife.^[4]

He is reported on ancestry.com to have died January 5, 1923, in Ryan, Iowa. The entry for him asserts that he and Mary had a total of ten children.^[5]

References

^ "Members of the Wisconsin Legislature 1848–1999 State of Wisconsin Legislative Bureau. Information Bulletin 99-1, September 1999. p. 78
^ Turner, A. J., ed. The legislative manual of the state of Wisconsin: comprising the constitutions of the United States and of the state of Wisconsin, Jefferson's manual, forms and laws for the regulation of business; also, lists and tables for reference, etc. Thirteenth Annual Edition. Madison: Atwood and Culver, Printers and Stereotypers, 1874; pp. 352, 457, 425, 480
^ History of Crawford and Richland Counties, Wisconsin; Together with sketches of their towns and villages, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons and biographies of representative citizens Springfield, Illinois: Union Publishing Company, 1884; pp. 400-01
^ "Prairie du Chien" La Crosse Tribune September 30, 1912; p. 2, col. 4
^ William H. Evans listing on ancestry.com

External links

William Henry Evans at Find a Grave

[1] "Members of the Wisconsin Legislature 1848–1999 State of Wisconsin Legislative Bureau. Information Bulletin 99-1, September 1999. p. 78

[2] Turner, A. J., ed. The legislative manual of the state of Wisconsin: comprising the constitutions of the United States and of the state of Wisconsin, Jefferson's manual, forms and laws for the regulation of business; also, lists and tables for reference, etc. Thirteenth Annual Edition. Madison: Atwood and Culver, Printers and Stereotypers, 1874; pp. 352, 457, 425, 480

[3] History of Crawford and Richland Counties, Wisconsin; Together with sketches of their towns and villages, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent persons and biographies of representative citizens Springfield, Illinois: Union Publishing Company, 1884; pp. 400-01

[4] "Prairie du Chien" La Crosse Tribune September 30, 1912; p. 2, col. 4

[5] William H. Evans listing on ancestry.com

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]