| Name | Andrew EVANS "Continental Army" "Sheriff" |
| Birth | 28 Sep 1759, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina |
| Death | 5 Dec 1840, Harrison township, Owen County, Indiana Age: 81 |
| Burial | Old Asher Cemetery, near [5 miles north] Gosport, Indiana |
| Occupation | Commissioner of Revenue, Pulaski Co., KY; Sheriff, Owen County, Indiana |
| Religion | Baptist |
| 1 | Elizabeth FAIN |
| Birth | 29 Jul 1764, Cheater County, Pennsylvania |
| Death | 4 Oct 1850, Harrison township, Owen County, Indiana Age: 86 |
| Burial | Old Asher Cemetery, Gosport, Indiana |
| Religion | Baptist |
| Father | Nicolas FAIN "Private, Continental Army" (1730-~1785) |
| Mother | Elizabeth TAYLOR (~1734->1795) |
| Marriage | 1781, Jonesboro, Washington County, Tennessee |
| Children | David (1783-<1837) |
| Nathaniel (1785-~1837) | |
| Jesse (1787-1875) | |
| John Fain (1789-1853) | |
| Elizabeth Taylor (1791-<1837) | |
| Nancy (1793-) | |
| Samuel "Limestone Sam" (1795-1875) | |
| Andrew (1796-1863) | |
| Mary (1799-) | |
| William (1801-) | |
| James (1803-1866) | |
| Rachel (1805-) |
10 October 1774 Andrew served as a private in the Lord Dunsmore's War. He served in Captain John Murray's Company of Volunteers in the Botetourt Regiment. They fought at the Battle of Point Pleasant.
Andrew fought in the American Revolutionary War. He served in the same unit as his father-in-law, Nicolas Fain.
State of Indiana & Owen Probate Court: Owen County Oct-Nov Term 1835
Sworn to and subscribed in open court November 9th 1835 T.C. Johnson,Clerk,P.G.
Andrew Evans, aged 76 years and who being first duly sworn upon his oath saith that he was well acquainted with George Moderell of said county of Owen, who is since deceased and heard said Moderell state repeatedly during a period of the last thirty years, that he was one of the militia in the battle of sassafras field in North Carolina and knew that John McCullough now of Owen county Indiana was in the militia, who were engaged in said battle and that said McCullough was in the service in said engagement and deponent saith that said Moderell was a man of truth and his statement entitled to credit and deponent saith that he is also acquainted with said John McCullough and has no hesitation in saying that he believes that he was in the revolutionary war and served as he states and further he saith not.
Andrew (his mark)Evans - [5]
The family moved to Pulaski County KY about 1797, and to Owen County IN in 1824. The family were members of the Baptist Church - [3]
Andrew Evans Sr.'s sons Jesse, Andrew and James married Newells Daughters Esther, Sussanah and Jane. A brief look at the history of Pulaski county, Ky shows the Evans family to have had a considerable input into the history of the area. Some of the boys were officers in the local militia. Some day I must research this more thoroughly. They and some of the Fains stuck together from Washington co., Tenn through Pulaski county, Ky and into Indiana. Also John McCullough and Samuel Newell must have followed the same path. - [3]
My earliest documented Evans ancestor is Andrew Evans born in 1759. There have been many theories as to his parents, but none that I can prove yet and so they are not listed. Andrew was born in Mecklenburgh county, North Carolina.He fought with Colonel Campbell's Virginia Volunteers in the Revolutionary War.Andrew also was a part of the Battle at Kings Mountain.Throughout his military career he fought in many battles and fought the Cherokees in the early settlements of Kentucky and Tennessee.It is thought that one of his sons was killed in one of these skirmishes. In about 1780 in Washington county Tennessee, Andrew married Elizabeth Fain, (daughter of Nicholas Fain). They remained in Tennessee for less then 10 years, as he is listed in 1799 as Commissioner of Revenue in Pulaski county KY. There in Kentucky, his children were raised and married. The Evans family was well acquainted and intermarried with the Newell and McCullough families,these families all seemed to arrive in Owen county about the same time.By about 1817, Andrew was in Owen county Indiana, and most of his children later followed him. Andrew first occupied land in Taylor twp and later in Harrison twp of Owen county. Andrew was appointed as the first sheriff of Owen county in 1821 I believe.From 1817-1839, there are seven different parcels of land shown as entered by Andrew Evans.He and his wife,Elizabeth are buried in the Old Asher Cemetery which lies on land that they once owned. - [1]
He fought with Col. Campbell's Virginia volunteers. He was in the battles of Cowpens and King Mountain, among others. Fought under Lt. Samuel Newall who was widely known and respected among military men for his service in the revolution and also against the Cherokees. Andrew's sons Jesse, Andrew and James married Newall's daughters Esther, Susanah and Jane. Newall is buried near Gosport on old State Road 67. Since most of the Evans children grew up in Pulaski County, Ky. they probably were married there. Andrew and some of his sons came to Owen county (Indiana) in 1818 and Andrew was the first sheriff of Owen, serving as Sherriff from 1819 to 1923. His oldest son David married a McCollough probably the daughter of John McCollough who made an affidavit concerning Andrews Revolutionary war service. John McCollough was also a revolutionary war veteran having served in the eastern campaigns early in the war and was at Kings mountain late in the war. - [2]
Andrew Evans is buried in the Allen Asher Cemetery, about 5 miles north of Gosport Indiana.Andrew owned at one time the land that Asher Cemetery now sits.Andrew's grave at one time set in the middle of the cemetery, but has now been moved to the northwest corner of the cemetery. It is said there are also 2 children buried there of his and Elizabeth, but there are no readable stones. The total cemetery has about 7 stones. Most have been vandalized. - [3]
Other information from a book "The King's Mountain Men" by K. K. White which I found in the Casper Library. It states that the Evans's were early settlers on the Holston river of Washington Co., Tenn. (at that time North Carolina). In 1779 they suffered from an Indian massacre at the place. He states that Andrew, David, Evan and Samuel Evans all took part in the battle of King's Mountain and that Evan Evans was also at Guilford. Andrew was our ancestor. The others were not his children as his kids were not born yet. He further states that Phillip Evans (1759-1849) was born in Rowan County, N.C. and was in McDowells Regiment. A fall from his horse prevented him from being present at the battle of Kings Mountain, but he was well enough to guard the prisoners of the battle. He was in the battle of Cowpens also. He died in Greenville Co., S.C. He notes the presence of John McCullough among Campbells troops at the battle of Kings Mountain. He writes considerably about the Newells. Samuel Sr. and Samuel Newell Jr. were both at Kings Mountain. In addition he states that Samuel Jr. was sent in 1776 by the Commandant at Fort Patrick Henry to bring in Raven, Chief of the Choto Indians. In 1778 he was on scout duty with Capt. Dysart in the Powell and Clinch Valleys. At Kings Mountain He was a Lt. under Campbell. In 1781 he was on expedition against the Cherokees. According to K.k. White, he settled in Sevier Co., N.C., but he was pensioned in Owen County in 1833 and is buried near Gosport. Andrew Evans Sr.'s sons Jesse, Andrew and James married Newells Daughters Esther, Sussanah and Jane. A brief look at the history of Pulaski county, Ky shows the Evans family to have had a considerable input into the history of the area. Some of the boys were officers in the local militia. They and some of the Fains stuck together from Washington co., Tenn through Pulaski county, Ky and into Indiana. Also John McCullough and Samuel Newell must have followed the same path. The following is a brief look at what I found in a moment. A Court Certification that Andrew Evans took Oath as Commissioner of Revenue for Pulaski Co for the present year dated Aug. 3, 1799. Court records on Dec. 24, 1799. John Evans on a panel to decide if some lady may erect a dam and mill on a stream. Also a court paper regarding any damages concerning the same dam and mill witnessed by Andrew Evans. Various mentions made by Samuel Newall and Henry Francis that a committee be sworn in to View a road from hither to yon. Andrew Evans is one of those to be sworn in to view a road from Bob Newall's Ferry to Pitman Creek. On February 1815, Appointment of commissioner of Revenue Tax for Pulaski Co. One Charles Jasper to be appointed for Captain Jesse Evans' Military Company. Alwo John McCullough in Captain John Evans' Company. Also more about another road signed by Andrew Evans among others. One Enock Evans also mentioned in a court appeal in 1815. A Josiah Evans is deputy Sheriff under John Chesney. Four men including Josiah and John Evans were paid 4.98 each four guarding a prisoner from the Pulaski Jail to the Penitentiary. Must have been a mean hombre. One of the Andrew's sons was the first person to take out land in Taylor Twp. He took out land in 1817 in Sec 9, T11N R3W but didn't occupy the land until 1819. It is further stated that he did quite well until later years when he became financially embarrassed and moved into Harrison Twp. where he secured land. Andrews will does not show as many children as are shown in the work by C. C. Tucker. He mentions sons Jesse, Samuel, David (deceased), Andrew, James and William, and daughters Mrs. Joel Richardson, Mrs Lewis Morgan and Elizabeth Wilson (deceased). He also assigns an equal share to James Burcham. - [3]
DESCENDANTS RESTORE GRAVE SITE OF REVOLUTIONARY WAR VETERAN
Asher Cemetery near Gosport, Indiana
Andrew Evans was soldier in the Virginia Militia. The following article by Tom Douglas EW Editor.
According to the 1884 Owen County History. "The old graveyard in (Harrison) township was laid out by Jesse Evans, on the farm owned at the present tim (1884) Allen Asher. One of the first burials in this cemetery was Dr Ross of Gosport. A man by the name of Denney, who death occurred in an early day, was buried here, as waas also Abraham La Master, who was frozen to death while making his way homeward from the Devore Distillery man years ago".
That short account in the old history book doesn't send up any immediate flag for historians, but a closer examination of the small cemetery reveals some major information regarding the early years in Northeastern Owen County.
Located at the intersection of county roads 550E and 850N, Asher Cemetery has recently been the focus of a restoration project by the descendants of Revolutionary War Soldier Andrew and his wife, Elizabeth Fain Evans. The effort to restore and improve their gravesites in now complete.
According to those doing the work, "residents of Owen County have reason to be proud">
Last week, Carolyn A Rose of Lafayette and her cousin, Stanley R Evans of Bringhurst (in Carroll County northeast of Lafayette) started and completed the restoration of the graves of their great-great-great-grandparents.."buried on the hill under a maple tree" in the cemetery located 5 miles north of Gosport.
Rose is a member of the Genral de lafayette Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and Evans is a member of the William Henry Harrison Chapter Sons of the American Revolution (SAR).
Evans explained that, with the help of Harrison Township Trustee Bob Janke and labor provided by Kris Terrell of Owen County Community Corrections, the old markers were left in place and surrounded by a four by six foot slab of concrete. Andrew Evans was born Sept 28, 1759 in North Carolina and died Dec 5, 1840,,, while his wife, Elizabeth was born in Pennsylvania on July 29, 1764 and died Oct 4, 1850. They were married in 1781 near Jonesboro, Tennessee. They moved to Kentucky in 1797 then to Owen Co, Indainaa in 1824.
It is also noted that the former Indiana Senator Birch Bayh and his son, current Senator Evan Bayh, are descendants of Lot Evans.
Stanley Evans explained that both Andrew and Elizabeth received new one by two foot granite markers imbedded in the slab with a SAR Revolutionary War American Flag holder and flag in the middle. Ivy was planted by the old stones. The marker for Andrew was supplied by the Veterans Administration and the marker for Elizabeth was purchased by Mrs Rose from Goodwin Funeral Home in Frankfort." According to the cousins, "Andrew Evans was a soldier in the Revolutionary War in the Virginia Militia under Col William Campbell and fought , as did his father in law Nicholas Fain in the Battle of Kings Mountain. He also served three months under Col Sevier in a campaign the Cherokee Indians. Andrew and Elizabeth's son, Andrew Jr was according to the Owen County 1884, sheriff of Owen County from 1819 to 1822. Andrew Jr was a veteran of War of 1812. Andrews Jr's youngest son, Alexander, raised his family at Paragon.
Carolyn and Stanley descended through Alexander's branch of the Evans family by his son, Chester Garfield. Many older residents of Spencer will remember Chester Garfield Evan's sister, Artie Mae Pectol, wife of Dr Charles Pectol, a prominent Spencer family doctor".
The Indiana SAR organization is currently in a three year project called the Revolutionary Soldier's Grave Project. The object of the SAR is to place a bronze SAR marker at the grave site of every military veteran and civilian patriot of the revolutionary war. If no tombstone exists at a grave of a revolutionary wa soldier can be suitably marked with a U. S. Goverment headstone or marker.
According to DAR & SAR records there are more than 20 Revolutionay War patriots buried in Owen County. Mr Evans has been appointed by the William Henry Harrison Chapter to find and restore five sites in Carroll County.
The cousins from the Lafayette area agreed they were very impressed with the cooperation they received on the Asher Cemetery project, especially from the township trustee and the Owen County Community Corrections program. According to Rose, they "were honored to work with the wonderful people who helped with this patriotic project in Owen County".
There are more pictures in the news article for you to see, One is of Stanley and Rose, and Stanely's father Harold Evans 91; another with Stanley, Rose and Bob Janke and two are three others. Unfortunately when I tried to scan the black and white photos they did not come out with a good enough quality that I felt to put on the site at this time.
Directions and photos for this patriot courtesy of Stanley R Evans, compatrit in the William Henry Harrison Chapter of Lafayette, Indiana. Photo was taken in 2001. - [4]
The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) publishes a Patriot Index, a list of persons whose honorable service in the cause of independence during the American Revolution renders their female descendants eligible for membership in the NSDAR. Several ancestors of Evan Bayh appear in the Patriot Index, including: Andrew Evans (number 72) [and] Nicholas Fain (number 146) - [6]
[1] - Debbie Jennings (Greatx6 Grandaughter of Andrew Evans); http://www.angelfire.com/in3/longagoandfaraway/page32.html
[2] - Kings Mountain and its Heroes, Lyman C. Draper; pub. 1881; http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~meyer465/pafg98.htm#1052
[3] -http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:hbYqcTS1nNcJ:www.rootsweb.com/~inowen2/andrew.doc+samuel+newell+esther+susanah+jane&hl=en
[4] - On July 20, 2001 in the Spencer, Indiana Newspapers Vol 75 Number 15; http://www.geocities.com/sdf1777/evanandr.html
[5] -http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:Z-lTfBcJ-54J:www.rootsweb.com/~inowen2/johnmccullough.doc+samuel+evans+margery+modrell&hl=en
[6] - http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/wreitwiesn/candidates2004/bayh.html