Isaac and Joseph Evans - Gunmakers

[Rawden Evans]

Greetings Long Rifle Enthusiasts!

My great-great grandfather Isaac Evans and his bother Joseph emigrated to the US from Ireland in the 1830's.  They were both born in or around Dublin circa 1805.  They apprenticed to gun makers in County Wexford, Enniscorthy.  In the US, they spent time in Philadelphia, New York, Richmond and in the 1840's Natchez where, I've learned from this forum (nord), they produced guns with Stephen O'Dell.  In the 1850's they went upriver to Galena, Illinois where Isaac settled and at some point Joseph moved on to Yankee Town, Wisconsin ultimately settling in Prairie Du Chien.  Isaac went into business in Galena with a John Adams producing steel ploughs.  Isaac's son John became a harness maker.  I believe Joseph continued to produce firearms.  His son William fought with the Wisconsin 31st in the Civil War and later became a lawyer in Prairie Du Chien.

I am looking for any information that might corroborate my fragmented knowledge of the brother's travels and work.  I am particularly interested in learning more about their gun making and whether any examples of their craft still exist.

Thank you for your consideration!

Rawden Evans

[oakridge]

Joseph and Isaac worked for Stephen Odell in Natchez, Miss. from June 1848 to June 1854. Joseph Evans was in Crawford Co., Wisconsin by April, 1856. Joseph and Isaac were in partnership farming and gunsmithing in Crawford Co. WI in March, 1857. Both were in the 1850 census for Natchez, MS, and in the 1860 census for Clayton, Crawford Co., WI. Joseph is in Crawford Co. in the 1870 and 1880 censuses, and died there in 1889. Isaac was in Marshall Co., Michigan by 1865 and is in the 1870 census there.

Apparently, they were in Galena, Ill for only a short while. One of the ALR members here can give you more info on their work in Illinois and the guns they made. I'm sure he'll comment when he sees this post.

You may already have Joseph's obituary which gives some good information on him, but here is a link to it:

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=83434714&ref=acom



 

[Rawden Evans]

Oakridge,

Thanks for the info - especially that regarding dates the brothers spent in Natchez.  I'm curious as to your sources!  Thanks also for the site referencing Joseph's obituary - helps me triangulate places and dates.  Looking forward to hearing from the ALR member with more knowledge of their time and activity in Illinois!  Are you aware of any collectors who night have examples of the Evans brother's work?  My father had a prairie rifle made by Isaac that I worshipped as a kid - but, was stolen in a robbery of his home many years ago.

Rawden Evans

[oakridge]

Joseph Evans gave a deposition in April, 1856 in a lawsuit involving Odell as defendant. Evans was deposed in Wisconsin, and gives the years he was working in Natchez.

Stephen Odell ordered a pair of extra silver mounted pistols from Joseph Evans in 1861. Cost was $75. The pistols were completed and shipped, and the bill remained unpaid at the time of Odell's death in March, 1862. In March, 1864, Evans appointed H. G. Newcomb, another Natchez gunsmith, as his attorney-in-fact to collect the unpaid account from Odell's estate. Newcomb did this, and Evans marked the account paid in June, 1864.

Yes, there are several examples of their work known. I'm hoping the ALR member that I mentioned will comment further on this.

[Curt J]

I think I might be that ALR member that Oakridge was referring to.  I have collected Illinois-made guns since 1968, and have written a two volume set of books, titled GUNMAKERS OF ILLINOIS, 1683 - 1900, published by Geo. Shumway, Publishing.

I have five rifles made by the Evans brothers, while in Galena, Illinois. Two are by Joseph, two are by Isaac, and one is stamped "J. & I. G. EVANS  GALENA". The Joseph Evans rifles include a side-by-side double rifle, stamped "J. EVANS"; and a rather petite and elegant walnut halfstock "lady's rifle", stamped "J. EVANS" on the barrel and "GALENA" on the lock.  The Isaac G. Evans rifles include a heavy maple halfstock, with back action lock, signed in script "Evans, Galena"; and a walnut halfstock "Plains rifle" of .50 caliber, with hand forged trigger guard & buttplate, stamped simply "I. G. EVANS" on both barrel and lock. The plains rifle has exceptionally nice architecture. The "J. & I. G. EVANS GALENA" rifle is also about .50 caliber, but with muzzle turned for a guide bullet starter, for use with a bullet rather than a round ball.  This rifle has been restocked, during the period of its use, but all parts are original except for the wood.

The Isaac Evans that was a plough maker in Galena is not the same man as your Isaac. That one was born in Delaware in 1802. Isaac G. Evans, the gunsmith moved to Clayton, Crawford County, Wisconsin, prior to 1857. He and Joseph are both listed as gunsmiths there in the 1860 census.  Isaac had moved to Marshall, Michigan by 1869, and worked as a gunsmith there through 1877. He worked in Monroe, Michigan from 1879 - 1891.

Rifles made by both brothers were engraved, but Joseph's engraving is clearly superior, and is of jewelry quality.  Isaac's engraving is attractive, but is average gunsmith engraving of that period.

I cannot tell you exactly when the Evans brothers arrived in Galena, but I think it was shortly after 1850. There were no Galena City Directories between 1848 and 1854. Isaac has an advertisement in the 1854 directory, but Joseph is not listed and might have already moved to Wisconsin at that point. Neither is listed in the subsequent directory for 1855 - 1856.

[Tim Crosby]

 Not involved but I thought this Thread a good read.  Great info sharing, one of the things that make this site so Great.

  Tim C.

[Rawden Evans]

I think I might be that ALR member that Oakridge was referring to.  I have collected Illinois-made guns since 1968, and have written a two volume set of books, titled GUNMAKERS OF ILLINOIS, 1683 - 1900, published by Geo. Shumway, Publishing.

I have five rifles made by the Evans brothers, while in Galena, Illinois. Two are by Joseph, two are by Isaac, and one is stamped "J. & I. G. EVANS  GALENA". The Joseph Evans rifles include a side-by-side double rifle, stamped "J. EVANS"; and a rather petite and elegant walnut halfstock "lady's rifle", stamped "J. EVANS" on the barrel and "GALENA" on the lock.  The Isaac G. Evans rifles include a heavy maple halfstock, with back action lock, signed in script "Evans, Galena"; and a walnut halfstock "Plains rifle" of .50 caliber, with hand forged trigger guard & buttplate, stamped simply "I. G. EVANS" on both barrel and lock. The plains rifle has exceptionally nice architecture. The "J. & I. G. EVANS GALENA" rifle is also about .50 caliber, but with muzzle turned for a guide bullet starter, for use with a bullet rather than a round ball.  This rifle has been restocked, during the period of its use, but all parts are original except for the wood.

The Isaac Evans that was a plough maker in Galena is not the same man as your Isaac. That one was born in Delaware in 1802. Isaac G. Evans, the gunsmith moved to Clayton, Crawford County, Wisconsin, prior to 1857. He and Joseph are both listed as gunsmiths there in the 1860 census.  Isaac had moved to Marshall, Michigan by 1869, and worked as a gunsmith there through 1877. He worked in Monroe, Michigan from 1879 - 1891.

Rifles made by both brothers were engraved, but Joseph's engraving is clearly superior, and is of jewelry quality.  Isaac's engraving is attractive, but is average gunsmith engraving of that period.

I cannot tell you exactly when the Evans brothers arrived in Galena, but I think it was shortly after 1850. There were no Galena City Directories between 1848 and 1854. Isaac has an advertisement in the 1854 directory, but Joseph is not listed and might have already moved to Wisconsin at that point. Neither is listed in the subsequent directory for 1855 - 1856.

Curt J,

Thank you for sharing so much useful information!  Joseph's life and timeline are well documented largely through the local prominence of his son William H. Evans, a Crawford County Civil War veteran and lawyer who lived in Prairie Du Chien, and an obituary written by his daughter Phebe.  Isaac is more enigmatic.  As you have, I found evidence of his activity in Marshall Michigan - an 1873 advertisement on the front page of the Democratic Expounder and Calhoun County Patriot - and an obituary from the Monroe Democrat 1894 corroborating his presence in the South, Galena, and Marshall, BUT his DOB is noted as 1827 - whereas family records indicate 1809 - AND, he left a son Fred and a wife Laura, neither of which I find any family record of.  The only son of Isaac I have record of was John W. Evans, born in Galena 1852, who became a harness maker, and was my great grandfather. 

Let me share with you a particularly interesting finding:  From the Daily Milwaukee News, 11 Jan 1865 - "A Man Missing. - The Prairie du Chien Courier says Mr. Isaac G. Evans, treasurer of the town of Clayton, Crawford county, has disappeared very mysteriously, and his whereabouts is unknown to his family and friends.  He left home about the 16th of November last, and came to Prairie du Chien, on his way to collect some money.  He had about $200 with him.  No boat running, he took the cars to Boscobel, intending to take the stage from there.  Nothing has been heard of him since he left the depot at Boscobel, where he was accompanied by two men, who it is feared have robbed and murdered him.  He has left at home his family and a fine property.  He was a man about forty-nine years of age, dark brown hair, whiskers and moustache, and is about six feet in height.  HE IS A GUNSMITH BY TRADE, but has been farming for several years.  Any information from him will be thankfully received by his family, at Yankeetown, Crawford county, Wis."

I can't help but wonder if the Isaac G. Evans of Marshall and Monroe Michigan is not the same man gone missing, though perhaps not murdered but rather re-invented!  I know this has little to do with gunmaking per se, but it is certainly a compelling story.  I would be most interested if you have any further thoughts regarding Isaac and his career.  I would be particularly interested in having the opportunity to visit you and see first hand the works of Joseph and Isaac.

Again, thank you for you interest,

Rawden Evans

[Curt J]

It appears that Isaac was indeed enigmatic.  The 1870 census lists him as a gunsmith in Marshall, Calhoun County, Michigan. It lists his age as 50, indicating that he was born around 1820, and his birthplace as Ireland. He owned personal estate valued at $2,000.  His wife was Laura, age 35, born in New York. His son Fred, was 5, born in Michigan.

The 1880 census lists Isaac as a gunsmith in Monroe, Monroe County, Michigan. His age is given as 54, indicating that he was born around 1826. His wife is listed as Ella A., age 42, born in New York. His son, Freddie, is 15, born in Michigan.

It seems quite possible that Isaac G. Evans simply disappeared from his life, wife and family in Wisconsin and "re-invented" himself as you say, in Michigan.  That was not all that difficult in those days.  There was a gunsmith/gunmaker named Hiram W. White, who disappeared one night from his home in Jackson, Ohio, accompanied by the family's hired girl, and was never seen again. He re-surfaced in Olney, Richland County, Illinois, where he made rifles for a number of years.

To complicate the Joseph Evans information, there was another gunsmith in Illinois named Joseph Evans, who was not related to these two.  This Joseph Evans was born in Tennessee, circa 1804. He worked in Caledonia (now Olmstead), Pulaski County, Illinois, 1849 - 1860.

I would be glad to have you come and see the Evans rifles.  My e-mail is ilgunmkr@comcast.net 

[oakridge]

As to Isaac Evans, very interesting indeed. The article in the Milwaukee newspaper of January, 1865 says that he disappeared from Crawford County, WI in November, 1864. He re-appears in Michigan shortly thereafter, as his son Fred was born there in 1865. Since he had been the treasurer of Clayton, WI, and was mentioned as carrying a sum of money, it makes me wonder if he absconded with some of the town's funds.   

[Curt J]

History is what it is.  I had a great grandfather who disappeared from his farm and home in Klemme, Iowa, in about 1905. He took a load of cattle to Chicago by train, and was never seen again. He left a wife and six children in Iowa.  Decades later it was learned that he died in Chicago during the 1930's.  If Isaac G. Evans did what he appears to have done, he was a flawed human just like all of us.

I checked the 1850 and 1860 census for Isaac, and found this:
The 1850 census for Natchez, Adams County, Mississippi, lists Stephen O'dell, gunsmith, age 29, born in New York.
The next entry (and household) was Joseph Evans, gunsmith, age 43, born in Ireland. The rest of Evans' household included-
Mary Evans, age 30, born in Ireland; Phebe Evans, age 12, born in Pennsylvania; Maria Evans, age 10, born in Virginia; Wm. Evans, age 7, born in Virginia; and Isaac Evans, gunsmith, age 27, born in Ireland.

The 1860 census lists, in Clayton Township, Crawford County, Wisconsin, PO Bell Center.
Isaac Evans, gunsmith, age 39, born in Ireland; Jane Evans, age 37, born in England; George Evans, age 11, born in Illinois; Joseph Evans, gunsmith, age 41, born in Ireland; and William Evans, a farm hand, age 17, born in Illinois.

The ages of both Evans brothers differ in every listing. Clearly, Joseph was older, but how much older varies from two to almost twenty years, in different sources.