General Notes

Custom Field:<_FA#> SEE EVANS FOLDER FOR MORE ON THE JOSEPH EVANS FAMILY
From "History of Marion, 1818-1835 by W. L. Fagen published in the Mari
Standard in 1909. (EVANS-J FILE)
Issue of February 12, 1909 . . . At an election of February 5, 1822, fi
county commissioners were elected: Joseph Evans; Geor. Weissinger; James
Shackleford; John Welch and William Ford. Marion at that time was called
Muckle’s ridge. The 5 commissioners proceeded to select a county site.
Mr. Welsh propose to continue the site at old Perry ridge. Messers Ford
and Weissinger put in nomination for the bottom land at Burroughs
Springs, Mr. Shackleford proposed Indian Old town on Old Town creek. Mr.
Evans proposed Muckle’s ridge waging the beauty and healthfulness of th
situation. The generalship of Mr. Evans secured the citizens of Marion
their beautiful and healthful situation. On May 22, 1822, some one
suggested that the place ought to have a name. Present were Dr.
Alexander; Joseph Evans, William Weissinger & William Moore. Mr. Evans
was a South Carolinian and proud of her famous son, Francis Marion. He
proposed the name Marion . . . and the town was so named.
1860 U. S. Census - Leon Co,., Texas - # 718, page 101, Centerville
*Joseph Evans 86 M NC Farmer
Cynthia Evans 34 F AL
Jefferson Evans 18 M AL Farmer
Malinda J. Evans 13 F AL
Jas. F. Evans 12 M TX
Willis Evans 7 M TX
Note - Cemetery records lists place of birth as Perry Co,., Virginia --
probably a typographical error
According to the History of Perry County, Joseph Evans helped found
Marion, Alabama and named it Marion for the Swamp Fox.
An article in The History of Cherokee County Texas relates:
Joseph, a man in his 70's, with a young family and comfortable
circumstances, left it to ride to Texas with several of his sons. They
arrived in Leon County in the mid 1840's where they built a log cabin
with only one window and 9 inch thick wall to protect from possible
Indian raids. Joseph returned to Alabama to get his family and they
returned to Texas and settled in Cherokee County with his son, Evan Eva
and his family. Joseph made frequent trips to Leon County to visit his
sons, Edward and William and in January 1851, Joseph bought 1894 acr
land near the settlement of Robbins, west of Centerville. It was to this
location that he moved his family. Joseph Evans had three wives and
fourteen children, his last born when Joseph was about seventy-nine. His
third wife recorded that in November, 1858 he had 172 living descendants.
1768: Joseph Evans tombstone in Concord Cemetery, LeonCo, TX shows
birthdate in 1768 VA. Different sources say his birthdate was 1758,
1753 or 1778 in NC. According to researcher Joan Evans, the census shows
his birth as 1774-5 in NC which was probably reported by Joseph rather
than descendants who prepared his gravesite marker. Evans' family Bible
says his birth was 1778.
aft 1776: Joseph Evans moved with his parents family to SC after the
Revolutionary War. By 1800 he had married 16 year old Amelia Hawkins and
began a family of his own in Greenville, GreenvilleCo, SC.
bef 1805: The family moved to TN where the next seven children were born.
1809: 22 Jan Joseph was granted 200 acres in FranklinCo, TN on Bean Cre
of the Elbe River.
ca. 1820: Son William was born in Aug 1818 in TN and daughter Amelia was
born in Apr 1820 in PerryCo, AL Joseph Evans is said to also have had a
daughter who married in the county in AL in 1820. Joseph bought three
tracts of land on 19 Jan 1820 in the county. National Archives land
records in Washington indicate that Joseph bought two more tracts later
in the year and took out land patents in PerryCo in succeeding years for
a total of 43 patents.
1822: 4 Mar: Joseph Evans was one of seven commissioners to select the
site of PerryCo seat. It is said to have been his idea to name it Marion
after