My Genealogy Hound

SAMUEL EVANS, farmer and Justice of the Peace, P. O. Hiett. The gentleman, whose portrait appears in this work, was born in this township April 18, 1834, and is a son of the late Hon. Andrew Evans. At the age of thirteen years, he began learning the blacksmith trade, and served an apprenticeship of seven years. He followed the trade and milling until February 18, 1862, at which time he volunteered in Company F, Seventieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was soon after in the front; he was Assistant Engineer in the construction of Fort Pickering; when completed, he was detailed armorer of the armory at Memphis, Tenn., until November 26, 1862. On May 11, 1863, at Moscow, Tenn., he was detailed to assist in recruiting a colored regiment, which was sworn into service June 6, 1863, our subject becoming Second Lieutenant of Company B, Fifty-ninth United States Colored Infantry. October 2, of the same year, he was promoted for meritorious service to a First Lieutenancy, and assigned to Company H. This regiment did good service, and its officers and men were always cool and courageous. In the winter of 1864 and 1865, he was detailed to command one hundred men to help suppress a guerrilla warfare, in which he had many hair breadth escapes. August 23, 1865, he was detailed Provost Marshal at Jackson, Tenn., and had command of the post, and had charge of the Freedmen’s bureau, serving there until January 25, 1866, when he was mustered out of service, and was discharged January 31, 1866. His war record is one that reflects great credit on him for bravery and the dauntless courage he always exhibited in combat. He passed through a host of battles, but was never seriously injured. Upon his return to civil life, he resumed the labors he had left when he entered the service, and his labors have been crowned with success; he has been identified with many of the offices of the township; was elected Justice of the Peace in 1872; a position he has since held, with the exception of one year (1878). In settling up estates, he has had a large experience — probably more than any other man of his age in the county; he is a member of the George B. Bailey Post of the Grand Army of the Republic; also a worthy member in the lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, which he joined in 1879. On October 24, 1867, he was married to Margaret B., the daughter of William and Elizabeth (Cochran) Shelton, who has borne him five children, viz., Ulysses S. G., Mary L., Andrew W., Joseph S. and Charles H.