Iredell Evans

Biography of Iredell Evans (1883, History of Crawford and Clark Counties,Illinois, p. 188)

Iredell Evans, farmer, p. O. Melrose, is a son of Nixon and Minerva (Bartlett) Evans. He is a native of Clark County, Ill., born May 18, 1841, and was raised in the county and educated in the common schools, and in August 1862, he became a member of Company I, Seventy-ninth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, from which he was discharged in spring of 1865, at Nashville, Tenn. Participated in the battles of Stone River and Chickamauga, where he was taken prisoner, and held at Danville and Richmond for eight months as a prisoner of ward, during which time, in the Danville Prison, he had small-pox. He was a non-commissioned officer. After returning home, he became a stduent in the Westfield College, where he remained one year, thus qualifying himself for the profession of teacher, which he folllowed for some years. Married, in Melrose Township, October 1, 1867, to Miss Alice Drake, daughter of Peter and Christina Drake. She was born in Livingston County, N. Y., on the 29th of September, 1849. Her parents were also natives of New York; the father was born November, 1817, and the mother was born in 1820. She died in the State of New York, in 1853, and the father afterward removed to this county in 1866, where he died April 27, 1877. Mr. and Mrs. Evans have a family of four children, of whom one is dead, Bartlett J. Evans, born Jun 27, 1868, and died July 24, 1870; Bruce D. Evans, born April 9, 1870; Jennie G. Evans, born February 9, 1873; Earnest E., born April 26, 1877. He owns a farm of 173 acres in Section 27 and 34 of Melrose Township. Engaged in stock-raising. He is Republican and has represented the township in the capacity of Supervisor, Assessor, and Justice of the Peace.


IREDELL EVANS OBITUARY
MARSHALL HERALD
5-APRIL-1916

Iredell Evans died last Thursday at his home in Melrose Township. Funeral services were held at Plymouth church Friday and interment in the cemetery nearby.

He was the son of Nixon and Minerva (Bartlett) Evans, born in Melrose Township May 18, 1845. He was educated in the common schools and in August, 1862, enlisted in Company I of the 79th Illinois Infantry, serving three years. He participated in the battles of Stone River and Chickamauga, where he was taken prisoner and held at Danville and later at Libby Prison in Richmond, for eight months. While in prison he had small pox and at one time was reported dead from the disease. After returning home he entered Westfield College and prepared himself for school teaching, which profession he followed for several years with great success. October 1, 1867, he married Miss Alice Drake, who survives him, with several children. Mr. Evans was a prominent and successful farmer and stock raiser and a man held in the highest esteem in his community. At the various times he had served as supervisor, assessor and justice of the peace. For a long time he had been a great sufferer from kidney trouble, which finally caused his death.