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| John S. Evans, dealer in musical merchandise in Big Rapids, was born in Alexander Center, Jefferson Co., N.Y., July 19, 1835. His parents, Columbus and Friendly (Fisher) Evans are still living in Jefferson County, age respectively 85 and 87 Years. Both are natives of New Hampshire of Welsh ancestry. At 15, Mr. Evans left the farm to learn the trade of his carpenter, in which line of employment he was chiefly occupied for five years. At the age of 27 he enlisted as a soldier in the civil war, enrolling at his native place, Aug 6, 1862, in Co. F, Tenth N.Y. Artillery, under Capt. J.S.Vanderberg. He entered the service as a private, and during the period of his enlistment was in 64 engagements, among them was Winchester, Petersburg, Bermuda Hundred on the James River, and at the capture of Richmond. In the last he was, throughout the action, involved in hand to hand encounters with the rebels. His regiment suffered severely in all the battles in which it participated, necessitating frequent recruiting. Mr. Evans had charge of one of these expeditions. His command was also engaged in the battles of the Shenandoah, New Market, and Cedar Creek, under Sherman, and was mustered out June 25, 1865, at Petersburg, Va., after three years of utmost unremitted warfare. After the engagement at Winchester, Mr. Evans was promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant. He returned to Jefferson County entered the employ of Butler and Co., hardware merchants, of Utica, N.Y., as traveling salesman, acting in that capacity for two years. In the fall of 1865 he settled at Big Rapids and commenced dealing in furniture. He conducted the business about four years, trafficking meanwhile in real estate to some extent. The crash of 1873 produced considerable constringency in his affairs, and shrinkage of values involved him in a loss of several thousand dollars. He sold his business in 1874, and began to read for the profession of law in the office of Frank Dumon. In 1877 he was admitted to practice, opened an office at Big Rapids, and, in connection with his legal operations, transacted the branch of professional business styled “Soldiers’ Addional Homesteads.” In 1881 he made entire transfer of his projects and interests and opened trade in pianos, organs and all varieties of musical merchandise. He deals in the pianos of Henry F. Miller, Chase, McPhail, Decker Bros., and Mathushek, and is agent for the Ithaca New Era, Western and Chicago Cottage Organs, etc. His business was small at first averaging two musical instruments monthly, and at present (1883) amounts to $30,000 annually. He has established a branch store at Muskegon, Reed City, Cadillac, Manistee, and Chase, and employs eight traveling salesmen. For variety he sometimes engages in a law case, but in sense follows the profession as a business. Mr. Evans was married March 4, 1858, to Phililinda S., the daughter of Parley and Submit Brown of Alexandria, N.Y., a native of Orleans, Jefferson Co., same State. Her father was a Baptist clergyman and an old resident of Jefferson County. George B., oldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Evans is married an engaged in real estate brokerage, and is a resident at St. Paul, Coreille P., also married, is employed in the counting room of J. Cummer & Son, of Cadillac, Mich., Nora S., is only daughter, is a popular teacher in Mecosta County. |