The timeline below presents the events in the life of David Evans.
Use the links above to jump to a specific period.
Maryland
(1804 to Abt 1810)
|
| 4 Oct 1802 |
Israel Evans and Abigail Alexander, David Evans' parents, marry in Cecil County,
Maryland. |
| 3 Aug 1803 |
Eliza Evans, David's older sister, is born in Cecil County, Maryland. |
| 27 Oct 1804 |
David Evans is born in Cecil County, Maryland. |
Pennsylvania
(Abt 1810 to 1826)
|
| Abt 1810 |
Israel Evans' family moves near Spruce Creek, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. Israel
builds a one-room log structure that he operates as a tavern. |
| 29 May 1811 |
Jesse Evans, David's younger brother, is born near Spruce Creek, Huntingdon County,
Pennsylvania. |
| 26 May 1814 |
Nancy Evans, David's younger sister, is born near Spruce Creek, Huntingdon County,
Pennsylvania. |
| 1823 |
Israel Evans, David's youngest brother, is born, possibly in Centre Hall, Centre
County, Pennsylvania. |
| 25 Jul 1826 |
David Evans marries his first wife Mary Beck, daughter of Henry and Margaret Beck who
reside in Warriors Mark Township a few miles northwest of Spruce Creek in Huntingdon
County. |
Ohio (1826 to
1836)
|
| 1826 |
David and Mary Evans move 160 miles west to Hanoverton Township, Columbiana County,
Ohio. |
| 16 Apr 1827 |
Eliza Jane Evans, David's first child (first with Mary Beck), is born
in Hanoverton Township, Columbiana County, Ohio. |
| 2 Oct 1828 |
Israel Evans, David's second child, is born in Hanoverton Township,
Columbiana County, Ohio. |
| Bet 1828-1830 |
David Evans' family moves 100 miles further west to Worthington Township, Richland
County, Ohio where David purchased and farmed a tract of public land. |
| 25 Oct 1830 |
Henry Evans, David's third child, is born in Worthington Township, Richland County,
Ohio. |
| 2 Sep 1832 |
Mary Ann Evans, David's fourth child, is born in Worthington Township, Richland
County, Ohio. |
| 6 Apr 1833 |
Thomas Tripp teaches David and Mary Evans about the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints and they are baptized. |
| 11 Apr 1833 |
Thomas Tripp ordains David a Priest in the LDS Church. |
| May 1833 |
David is asked to serve a mission to the local area. He may have sold his farm to help
finance some of his missionary labors. During this time, the family may have resided in
Perry, Richland County, Ohio. |
| 21 Jul 1833 |
Thomas Tripp ordains David an Elder in the LDS Church. |
| Sep 1833 |
David completes his mission for the season. He later wrote of baptizing 74 people in
1833 and 30 in one day. |
| Feb-May 1834 |
David makes a journey back to Columbiana County, Ohio and continues his mission,
preaching in Hanoverton and "on the Sandy Plains." |
| May 1834 |
David returns to Perry, Columbiana County, Ohio and joins Zion's Camp. He travels with
the camp to Independence, Jackson County, Missouri with the intent of restoring the church
members there to their properties from which they had been forced to abandon. |
| Aug 1834 |
David returns to Perry, Columbiana County, Ohio after Zion's Camp had been disbanded. |
| Nov 1834-Jan 1835 |
David attends the School of the Prophets in Kirtland, Geauga County, Ohio where Joseph
Smith presents the Lectures on Faith, Sidney Rigdon teaches grammar and Frederick G.
Williams and William E. McLellan teach various other secular and religious items. |
| 21 Jan 1835 |
Margaret Evans, David's fifth child, is born in Richland County, Ohio, possibly near
Perry. |
| 28 Feb 1835 |
Joseph Smith ordains David a Seventy in the First Quorum of the Seventy in the LDS
Church. |
| Feb-Apr 1835 |
David preaches as a missionary in Richland County, Ohio. He mentions Perry, stating
there are 36 members there and that he is having success. |
| May-Sep 1835 |
David preaches as a missionary in Columbiana County, Ohio. He mentions Georgetown,
Hanover and Manerva as some of the locations where he has preached. |
| Sep 1835 |
A call is made by Joseph Smith for a number of men to relocate their families to
Missouri the following spring. |
| Nov 1835-Jan 1836 |
David attends the School of the Prophets in Kirtland where he is taught by Joseph
Smith and others. |
Missouri
(1836 to 1839)
|
| Apr 1836 |
David Evans' family and a number of other families around the Perry, Richland County
Ohio area move over 500 miles west to Caldwell County, Missouri with David called as their
captain. Some of the families, including David's settle near Haun's Mill on Shoal Creek in
the eastern part of the county. David built a home about a mile and a half north of the
mill. |
| 27 Aug 1836 |
Margaret Evans, David's 19-month-old daughter dies near Haun's Mill, Caldwell County,
Missouri. |
| Summer 1837 |
David preaches as a missionary in Ray County, Missouri and surrounding areas. |
| 10 Jun 1837 |
David baptizes Barbara Ann Ewell in Richmond, Ray County, Missouri. He had previously
in 1837 baptized her mother and later baptized her father and some siblings. |
| Summer 1838 |
As the presiding elder at Haun's Mill, David baptizes, ordains and blesses a number of
people in the area around Haun's Mill. |
| 21 Aug 1838 |
Araminta Evans, David's sixth child, is born near Haun's Mill, Caldwell County,
Missouri. |
| 1 Oct 1838 |
Araminta Evans, David's one-month-old baby daughter dies near Haun's Mill, Caldwell
County, Missouri. |
| 30 Oct 1838 |
A mob of 240 men approach Haun's Mill from the north, ignore the pleas of David Evans
for "Quarters" and proceed to kill 18 men and boys some of whom had taken refuge
in an unfinished blacksmith shop. |
| Nov 1838 |
Alma Smith, who had been severely wounded in the raid on the mill, recuperated at the
home of David Evans, after he had been brought there by his mother, Amanda Smith. |
Illinois
(1839 to 1846)
|
| Feb 1839 |
David Evans' family along with many others around Haun's Mill move 125 miles east to
Quincy, Adams County, Illinois. David's family possibly settles southeast of Quincy in
Payson, Adams County, Illinois. |
| 12 Jan 1840 |
Emma Evans, David's seventh child, is born in Adams County, Illinois (most likely in
Payson). At this time, the family lived in a log house and used the wagon boxes to sleep
in. |
| 12 Jan 1840 |
David Evans writes from Payson, Adams County, Illinois that he has baptized 31 people
in Payson in his missionary proselyting. |
| Nov 1840 |
David preaches near Union County, Illinois in the southern tip of Illinois and
baptizes the Abraham Hunsaker family. |
| 20 Jun 1841 |
Mary Evans, David's wife dies near Pigeon Creek (south of Payson), Adams County,
Illinois from "exposure." |
| 7 Oct 1841 |
David is called on a mission to Augusta, Des Moines County, Iowa by the Council of the
Twelve. Augusta is 15 miles north across the Mississippi River from Nauvoo. |
| 23 Nov 1841 |
David Evans marries Barbara Ann Ewell, daughter of Pleasant and Babara Ewell, in
Hancock County, Illinois. Barbara Ann is referred to in the marriage license and in some
other references as Ann. Ann and her parents were earlier converts baptized by David Evans
in Missouri. Ann's mother and two sisters had died in the prior year and Ann was caring
for her father and remaining siblings at home |
| 20 Aug 1842 |
David is called by the Nauvoo High Council as Bishop of the Nauvoo Eleventh Ward,
which included the area southeast of the city. |
| Sep 1842 |
David Evans' family moves 3 miles southeast of Nauvoo where David had purchased a
10-acre farm. |
| 20 Oct 1842 |
Martha Evans, David's eigth child and first with Ann, is born near Nauvoo, Hancock
County, Illinois. |
| 4 Dec 1842 |
Nauvoo High Council ordains David Evans as Bishop of the Nauvoo Eleventh Ward. |
| Dec 1842-1844 |
As Bishop, David presides over a Bishops court of Benjamin Hoyt and baptizes a number
of people in the area. |
| 15 Apr 1844 |
David, along with Pleasant Ewell and others are called on a mission by the Council of
the Twelve to preach in Virginia and present before the people "General Smith's Views
of the Powers and Policy of the General Government" and to seek electors who would
vote for Joseph Smith as President of the United States. |
| 21 Apr 1844 |
Amanda Evans, David's ninth child and second with Ann, is born in Nauvoo, Hancock
County, Illinois. |
| 16 Jun 1844 |
David was appointed at a public meeting in Nauvoo to go to the Rocky Run precinct with
Anson Call, William E. Horner and Nicholas Boscow to lay a true statement of the facts,
about the Nauvoo Expositor, etc., before the public. Others were appointed to do the same
in other precincts around Hancock County, Illinois. |
| 18 Jun 1844 |
David Evans, Anson Call and William E. Horner visited with a group of twenty or thirty
men in Rocky Run precinct. They communicated to the people that Joseph Smith was willing
to be tried anywhere but in Missouri and that Judge Thomas had advised Joseph to enter
into bonds to be tried before the circuit court to allay the excited feelings of the
people. The gathering rejected the idea and responded that they would gather enough men to
take Joseph and try him as they wished. |
| 19 Jun 1844 |
David Evans, Anson Call and William E. Horner swore an affidavit before Aaron Johnson
describing their activities in Rocky Run precinct. The affidavits from each precinct were
given to the Governor of Illinois, Thomas Ford, in a plea for help. Joseph Smith and Hyrum
Smith were murdered 8 days later by a mob after giving themselves up and being jailed in
Carthage, Hancock County, Illinois. |
| 7 Oct 1844 |
David Evans is sustained as Bishop of the Nauvoo Eleventh Ward at the General
Conference of the LDS Church. Brigham Young and other church leaders were also sustained
at this conference. Barbara Ann later wrote of the mantel of the prophet Joseph Smith
falling upon Brigham Young during this conference. |
| 8 Oct 1844 |
David Evans is called from the High Priests Quorum by Brigham Young with 84 other high
priests to serve a special mission to go abroad in all the congressional districts of the
United States to preside over the branches of the LDS Church. The men were told this was
not to be a short-term mission, but that they were to take their families, settle, and
build up stakes like the Nauvoo stake. |
| Jan 1845 |
Brigham Young and others discuss the propriety of settling another country. |
| 22 Mar 1845 |
David Evans presides at a conference in Franklin, Oakland County, Michigan consisting
of members from Oakland, Macomb, Livingston, Ingham, Washtenaw, Wayne and Monroe Counties,
all in southeast Michigan. |
| 11 Oct 1845 |
David Evans is appointed one of 25 captains of a hundred for companies preparing for
the exodus west which had been discussed at the just concluded general conference. |
| Nov-Dec 1845 |
Each Company of one hundred had established one or more wagon shops and all were
engaged in getting ready for the departure westward. |
| 27 Jan 1846 |
Abigail Evans, David's tenth child and third with Ann, is born in Nauvoo, Hancock,
Illinois. |
| 30 Jan 1846 |
David receives his LDS temple endowment in the Nauvoo Temple. |
| 29 Mar 1846 |
David sends horses, wagons, plows and wheat seed from Nauvoo to Brigham Young's
advance company camped on the Chariton River in Appanoose County, Iowa. This advance
company left Nauvoo in Feb 1846. |
Iowa (1846 to
1847)
|
| 20 Apr 1846 |
David Evans' company of pioneers leaves Nauvoo, due to increasing pressure from unruly
citizens, even though the company did not have enough oxen for all of the wagons. The oxen
were used to move part of the company to a camp 15 miles west near Farmington, Van Buren
County, Iowa and then were taken back to Nauvoo to move the remainder of the company to
the new camp. |
| May 1846 |
Many of the men in the company get work with the settlers in the area breaking priarie
for farms and splitting rails for fencing. The men take oxen and milk cows for payment. |
| Jul 1846 |
Some in the company proceed on to Garden Grove, Decatur County, Iowa with some of the
available oxen. It may have been here that some of the men in the David Evans' company
learned of the request for volunteers to join the Mormon Battalion. Those who volunteered
then travelled to Winter Quarters and then Council Bluffs. |
| 13 Jul 1846 |
Isreal Evans, David's second child, is enlisted at Council Bluffs in Company B of the
Mormon Battalion, along with a few other men from David Evans' company. |
| 19 Aug 1846 |
Barnet Manzer visits Brigham Young at Winter Quarters on behalf of the David Evans
Company, most of which was camped near Farmington, Van Buren County, Iowa. Brigham
counsels the company to try to reach Mount Pisgah, open farms and prepare for later
travel. |
| Late Fall 1846 |
David Evans' company begins travelling towards Council Bluffs, but because of the cold
they stopped and decided to spend the winter on the headwaters of the Nodaway River in
Adair County, Iowa 50 miles west of Mount Pisgah. Here they built log huts and put up hay
for the animals. |
| Feb 1847 |
David Evans' company is forced to abandon the Nodaway river camp because provisions
had run low. They decide to head south to the northern settlements of Missouri following a
path between the Nodaway and One-Hundred-Two Rivers. |
| Abt 24 Feb 1847 |
David Evans' company camps at "Starvation Creek" after suffering from cold
and hunger and becoming lost in the snow. To survive, they eat many of the oxen that have
become exhausted. |
Missouri
(1847 to 1850)
|
| 1 Mar 1847 |
David Evans' company arrives in the area of Maryville, Nodaway County, Missouri after
sending an advance party with the best remaining oxen to obtain provisions and oxen from
settlers in Missouri. David Evans' family takes up residence in an abandoned log house
without windows or doors. |
| 7 Apr 1847 |
Joseph Evans, David's eleventh child and fourth with Ann, is born in Nodaway County,
Missouri (probably in Maryville.) |
| 16 Jul 1847 |
Israel Evans, David's second child, is discharged from the Mormon Battalion in San
Diego, California. |
| Aug 1848 |
Eliza Jane Evans, David's first child, marries Ira Nathaniel Hinckley in Missouri
(possibly in Platte County.) |
| 28 Sep 1848 |
Israel Evans, David's second child, arrives in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah
after having worked at Sutters Fort near Sacramento, California the past summer. |
| 27 Apr 1849 |
Sarah Evans, David's twelth child and fifth with Ann, is born in Nodaway County,
Missouri (probably in Maryville.) |
| 1 Jun 1849 |
Israel Evans, David's first child, marries Matilda Thomas in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake
County, Utah. |
| 16 Jun 1849 |
Eliza Jane Hinckley, David's first grandchild, is born to Ira and Eliza Jane (Evans)
Hinckley in Estelle Mills, Platte County, Missouri. |
| Oct 1849 |
Mary Ann Evans, David's fourth child, marries John Henry Glines in Missouri. |
| 6 May 1850 |
Susannah Evans, David's thirteenth child and sixth with Ann, is born in Nodaway
County, Missouri (probably in Maryville.) |
| 15 May 1850 |
David Evans' family and a number of others from the David Evans Company leave Nodaway
County, Missouri and the surounding areas for Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie County, Iowa,
90 miles northwest, to organize themselves to travel to Utah. |
| Jun 1850 |
David Evans is appointed captain of a company of 50 wagons in Council Bluffs (later
known as Kanesville) by Orson Hyde as the Tenth Wagon Company of 1850. |
Nebraska
& Wyoming (1850)
|
| 15 Jun 1850 |
David Evans Company leaves Council Bluffs for Salt Lake City, 900 miles west. |
| 27 Jun 1850 |
Eliza Jane (Evans) Hinckley, David's first child, dies from cholera near near the
Platte River in Dodge or Colfax County, Nebraska. |
Utah (1850 to
1883)
|
| 15 Sep 1850 |
David Evans Company arrives through Parley's Canyon into Salt Lake City, Salt Lake
County, Utah. |
| Nov 1850 |
Israel Evans, David's second child, settles at Sulphur Springs, Utah County, Utah. |
| 15 Feb 1851 |
David Evans is called to preside over the saints at Dry Creek and so with some other
families from the David Evans Company settles on Dry Creek, 2 miles north of Sulphur
Springs, in what is called the Dry Creek settlement or Evansville. He takes up land west
of of the creek and north of the present rodeo grounds. |
| Apr 1851 |
David Evans is appointed and ordained Bishop of the newly organized Dry Creek Ward by
George A. Smith. |
| May 1851 |
David Evans and a crew of men begin digging a ditch from the American Fork River at
the mouth of American Fork canyon seven-miles to Evansville to provide water for their
farms. |
| Aug 1851 |
The ditch is completed along a route through Cedar Hollow and used to water the
parched crops. |
| Fall 1851 |
Evansville citizens build a log building west of Dry Creek north of where the present
railroad tracks cross the creek north of the Lehi Rodeo Arena. The building is used as a
community center and school. |
| Sep 1851 |
David Evans is elected as a member of the House of Representatives in the first
Legislative Assembly of the newly created Territory of Utah. |
| Oct 1851 |
David Evans and Shadrach Holdaway set up the first wool machinery in Utah. David first
took charge of running it and then Shadrack took over the operations. The machinery was
set up in Provo, Utah County, Utah. |
| 28 Jan 1852 |
David Evans, Jr., David's fourteenth child and seventh with Ann, is born in Lehi, Utah
County, Utah. |
| 5 Feb 1852 |
David Evans introduces to the Legislative Assembly an act to incorporate all the area
west to the Jordan River and south to Utah Lake from a point three miles north of the
southeast corner of Evansville as the City of Lehi. (Sixth incorporated city in the
territory.) |
| 18 Feb 1852 |
David Evans introduces to the Legislative Assembly an act to grant one-third of the
waters of American Fork Creek for use by the Dry Creek settlement. (The allocation is
still in force in 2001.) |
| Spring 1852 |
David Evans completes his term as representative in the Legislative Assembly. |
| 18 Oct 1852 |
David Evans is married to Sarah Thornton Coleman, widow of Prime Coleman and daughter
of William and Elizabeth Thornton, for time only at the Endowment House in Salt Lake City,
Salt Lake County, Utah. Sarah was also sealed at this time to Prime Coleman, her first
husband, for eternity with David acting as proxy. |
| 29 Jan 1853 |
David Evans is elected as an Alderman of the City of Lehi at an election held in the
log schoolhouse. Silas P. Barnes is elected Mayor. |
| Spring 1853 |
David Evans is appointed Postmaster of the City of Lehi using a small room in his home
as the post office. |
| 8 Jul 1853 |
Hyrum Evans, David's fifteenth child and eighth with Ann, is born in Lehi, Utah
County, Utah. |
| Jul-Aug 1853 |
David Evans moves his log home together with other Lehi residents into a fort centered
at the present intersection of First South and Second West in response to direction from
George A. Smith to gather in forts as a means of protection from the Indian raids. Earlier
in the year, an Indian had been killed and Chief Walkara had incited the local Indians to
violence. The log schoolhouse was moved to the northeast corner of the fort. David Evans
and Abel Evans also direct the building of a parapet north of the fort. |
| Oct 1853 |
David Evans attends a general conference in Salt Lake City where Brigham Young warns
the saints to "fort up" against the Indians. |
| 6 Mar 1854 |
David Evans is elected as the second Mayor of the City of Lehi. |
| 11 Mar 1854 |
David Evans is elected as Major of Battalion of Infantry of the Lehi Post of Utah
Military District. The Utah Military District covered Utah County north of Provo. |
| 16 Mar 1854 |
David Evans is sealed to Clymenia Shaw, daughter of Benjamin and Phebe Shaw, for time
and eternity at the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah. |
| 4 Jun 1854 |
David Evans visits with Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball, who were returning to Salt
Lake after having signed a peace treaty with Chief Walkara and stopped in Lehi due to a
heavy snow. They advise the citizens to erect a fort wall for protection. |
| 5 Jun 1854 |
David Evans surveys a sixteen-block plat using a pocket compass, line tape and
carpenter's square. Lehi citizens begin building a wall around the perimeter of the plat.
The wall surrounds the cabins that had been moved to form a fort in the fall of 1853. |
| Summer 1854 |
David Evans in partnership with Thomas Karren and Daniel Collett purchases and
operates a threshing machine. |
| Aug 1854 |
Large numbers of grasshoppers infest the fields around the Lehi City and everywhere
else in the settlements destroying crops. Most of the harvest was complete so not
everything was lost. |
| 23 Nov 1854 |
David Evans is sealed to Edna Hinchcliff Woods, widow of Edwin Woods and daughter of
Elijah and Hannah Hinchcliff at the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County,
Utah. (The descendents of Edna and her third husband William Stimpson spell the name
Hinchcliff, although the Bishop David Evans Family Association has historically spelled
the name Hinchliff.) |
| 15 Mar 1855 |
Barbara Ann Evans, David's sixteenth child and ninth with Ann, is born in Lehi, Utah
County, Utah. |
| 22 May 1855 |
David Evans leads a group of men on an exploration for a series of large fertile
valleys that could sustain a large population. Brigham young was under the impression that
this area existed in the southwestern area of the territory. The group explores the
valleys west of present day Fillmore and north and west of present day Delta. The
exploration is known as the White Mountain Mission. |
| 3 Jul 1855 |
David Evans and his White Mountain Mission group arrive back in Salt Lake City having
found only low mountain ranges and desert valleys and not the fertile valleys hoped for by
Brigham Young. |
| Sep 1855 |
David Evans reports that the tithing wheat collected was very small, due to the
grasshopper infestations of the prior seasons. |
| Fall 1855 |
David Evans proposes the building of a Ward meetinghouse. A committee is appointed and
construction begins soon after. |
| 3 Nov 1855 |
Samuel Evans, David's seventeenth child and first with Edna, is born in Lehi, Utah
County, Utah. Samuel dies the same day. |
| 1 Dec 1855 |
Phebe Jane Evans, David's eighteenth child and first with Clymenia, is born in Lehi,
Utah County, Utah. |
| 18 Dec 1855 |
Phebe Jane, David's eighteenth child, dies in Lehi, Utah County, Utah. |
| Spring 1856 |
David Evans is re-elected as Mayor of Lehi City. |
| 4 May 1856 |
Rozilla Evans, David's nineteenth child and tenth with Ann, is born in Lehi, Utah
County, Utah. |
| Fall 1856 |
David Evans is elected as a member of the House of Representatives in the Legislative
Assembly of Utah. |
| 18 Nov 1856 |
David Evans is married to Rebecca Coleman, daughter of Prime and Sarah Coleman. This
marriage was later sealed in 1861. David had been married earlier to mother Sarah Coleman
in 1852. |
| 22 Nov 1856 |
Emma, David's seventh child, marries Prime Coleman, Jr., son of Prime Coleman and
Sarah Thornton Coleman. |
| 26 Dec 1856 |
Henry, David's third child, marries Anna C. M. Bruun. |
| 30 Dec 1856 |
David Evans, in a letter from Salt Lake City, admonishes his family to live in health
and peace, stating that he will endeavor to set his family in order when he returns from
serving in the Legislative Assembly. Some of David's children may have been critical of
Edna and may have created some contention that David addressed in the letter. |
| 4 Jan 1857 |
Hannah Evans, David's twentieth child and second with Edna, is born in Lehi, Utah
County, Utah. |
| 14 Jan 1857 |
The Legislative Assembly approves an act for the organization of the Militia of the
Territory of Utah. A board of officers was then appointed to more fully organize and
strengthen the militia. |
| 15 Feb 1857 |
Hannah, David's twentieth child, dies in Lehi, Utah County, Utah. |
| 11 Apr 1857 |
David Evans is appointed by Daniel H. Wells to supervise the organization of the Lehi
Military District which was one of thirteen newly created military districts in the Utah
Territory. The district covered all of Utah County north of Provo City. |
| 24 Apr 1857 |
David and Ann Evans leave on an expidition to the Salmon River to the north with a
group led by Brigham Young. |
| 8 May 1857 |
David and Ann Evans arrive at Fort Limhi (present day central Idaho) with the group of
142 people led by Brigham Young. |
| 26 May 1857 |
David and Ann Evans return to Lehi from the expidition to the Salmon River. |
| 24 Jul 1857 |
David Evans family and 7 other families from Lehi join Brigham Young and others for a
Pioneer Day celebration at a lake at the head of Big Cottonwood Canyon. |
| 1 Aug 1857 |
A letter is sent to David Evans, and to the commanders of each military district, by
Daniel H. Wells informing them of an army from the Eastern States enroute to invade Utah.
The commanders are instructed to keep their commands ready to march on short notice and to
prepare for a winter campaign. |
| 13 Aug 1857 |
David Evans is instructed to keep one or two platoons of ten men each out in the
mountains on the approaches to the settlements as a corp of observation. He is also
instructed to keep an eye out for locations in the mountains where grain can be
"cached" and where women and children can be safe if they are forced to flee. |
| 14 Aug 1857 |
David begins to "fit-out" and prepare a company of 50 men to carry out the
instructions of Daniel H. Wells. |
| 17 Aug 1857 |
James Evans, David's twenty-first child and second with Clymenia, is born in Lehi,
Utah County, Utah. |
| 18 Aug 1857 |
The troops ordered from David Evans command are dismissed from joining Colonel
Cummings in Echo canyon with instructions to keep their "fit-out" and be
prepared to march on short notice. |
| Sep 1857 |
David Evans is promoted to Colonel in the militia of Utah. |
| 16 Sep 1857 |
David is informed in a letter from Brigham Young and Daniel H. Wells of the governor's
proclamation declaring martial law and that David Evans command would probably not be
called this fall. David was also informed of the intent to desolate the territory, conceal
their families and stock possessions in the mountains, while the men waylay the
approaching army. David is instructed to secure places in the mountains where the
approaching army could not find the people, or at least where they could not easily
attack, and to continue to cache grains and other supplies. |
| Winter 1858 |
Representatives from the Utah Expiditionary force negotiate a plan for Brigham Young
to step down as Governor and Alfred Cummings to take his place and for the army to camp
for a short time west of Lehi in Cedar Valley. |
| Apr-May 1858 |
Thousands of people abandon Salt Lake Valley and pass through Lehi with many staying
in the homes of residents including David Evans. |
| 18 May 1858 |
George Evans, David's twenty-second child and first with Rebecca, is born in Lehi,
Utah County, Utah. |
| Jun 1858 |
Peace commisioner Isaac Powell from the Utah Expiditionary force speaks in an open-air
mass meeting in front of David Evans home reading a letter from Colonel Albert S. Johnston
stating the army would be faithful to their duty of peace while in Utah. |
| 29 Jun 1858 |
The army travelled through Salt Lake Valley and sets up camp at the mouth of West
Canyon. |
| 11 Jul 1858 |
Ephraim Evans, David's twenty-third child and eleventh with Ann, is born in Lehi, Utah
County, Utah. |
| 10 Sep 1858 |
The army moves its camp ten miles south near Fairfield and establishes Camp Floyd. |
| Fall 1858 |
Some of the officers of Johnston's Army who are camped west of Lehi at Camp Floyd in
Cedar Valley, when passing through Lehi, generally without permission, turn their horses
into the enclosures and gardens of the citizens and ignored the requests of David Evans
for compensation. David Evans finally presents the accounts to General Johnston and he
reimburses the citizens for the tresprasses and states that it is not his policy to
infringe on the citizens. |
| Nov 1858 |
A number of cattle belonging to the army wandered south in blizzard. Colonel Patrick
Conner herded the cattle north around the east shore of Utah Lake and passed though Lehi
late in the evening. David Evans, after prompting from a spouse, helped Colonel Conner
corral the cattle at David's home and invited him into his home to provide a meal and bed
for the night. |
| Bef 1859 |
David Evans and Edna divorce before this time due to the unbearable friction she felt
between her and some of David's children. Edna moves to Riverdale, Utah and in May 1859
(or 1858) married William Stimpson. |
| 14 Feb 1859 |
David Evans is admitted as a member of the Deseret Agricultural and Manufacturing
Society by Edward Hunter, president of the society. |
| 14 Feb 1859 |
David Evans is re-elected to a two-year term as mayor of Lehi City. |
| Mar 1859 |
David Evans receives a subpoena to testify in the court of Judge Cradlebaugh. David,
feeling that the truth will not be acceptable to the court and that he will be coerced
through a bench warrant to lie, leaves the court and goes into hiding in the mountains,
occasionally returning to the valley for short periods when safe. |
| 29 Apr 1859 |
Amanda, David's nineth child, marries William Edwards. David misses the wedding
because his is hiding in the mountains from Judge Cradlebaugh's court. |
| 20 Oct 1859 |
Martha, David's eighth child, marries William Winn. |
| 2 Feb 1860 |
Edwin Evans, David's twenty-fourth child and third with Clymenia, is born in Lehi,
Utah County, Utah. |
| 10 May 1860 |
Prime Coleman Evans, David's twenty-fifth child and second with Rebecca, is born in
Lehi, Utah County, Utah. |
| 11 Feb 1861 |
David Evans finishes his last term as Mayor of Lehi City having served four terms from
1854-1861 after serving as Alderman from 1853-1854. |
| 24 Feb 1861 |
Eleazar Evans, David's twenty-sixth child and twelth with Ann, is born in Lehi, Utah
County, Utah. |
| Apr 1861 |
David Evans voices opposition to enlarging the city due to a lack of water. His
concerns are remedied and the City Council adds additional blocks to the original surveyed
blocks. |
| 4 May 1861 |
David Evans is sealed to Margaret Christine Holm, daughter and Jens and Margaret
Christine Holm, for time and eternity at the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake
County, Utah. |
| Jul 1861 |
Johnston's Army closes down Camp Floyd, selling material for a bargain to area
settlers before heading east to participate in the Civil War. |
| 1 Nov 1861 |
Abigail, David's tenth child, marries Ole Ellingson. |
| Spring 1862 |
David Evans and Canute Peterson build a small tannery on Dry Creek at the northwest
corner of Third North and First West and had Jonas Holdsworth operate it. |
| 11 Jun 1862 |
Harriet Coleman Evans, David's twenty-seventh child and third with Rebecca, is born in
Lehi, Utah County, Utah. |
| 29 Jul 1862 |
Hyrum, David's fifteenth child, dies at Pelican Point on the west side of Utah Lake.
He drowned while helping to wash sheep. |
| 22 Sep 1862 |
Mosiah Evans, David's twenty-eighth child and thirteenth with Ann, is born in Lehi,
Utah County, Utah. |
| 5 May 1863 |
Ephraim, David's twenty-third child, dies in Lehi, Utah County, Utah. |
| 29 Nov 1863 |
John Holm Evans, David's twenty-ninth child and first with Christine, is born in Lehi,
Utah County, Utah. |
| 17 May 1864 |
Mary Evans, David's thirtieth child and fourteenth with Ann, is born in Lehi Utah
County, Utah. |
| 22 Sep 1864 |
Sarah Coleman Evans, David's thirty-first child and fourth with Rebecca, is born in
Lehi, Utah County, Utah. |
| 3 Oct 1864 |
John, David's twenty-ninth child, dies in Lehi, Utah County, Utah. |
| 29 Aug 1865 |
Margaret Christine Holm Evans, David's thirty-second child and second with Christine,
is born in Lehi, Utah County, Utah. |
| 5 Sep 1865 |
David Evans resigns his position as commander of the Lehi Military District. His
military service in Utah covered 1852-1865. He retired as a Colonel. |
| Fall 1865 |
David Evans is elected as a member of the House of Representatives in the Legislative
Assembly of Utah. |
| Fall 1866 |
David Evans is re-elected as a member of the House of Representatives in the
Legislative Assembly of Utah. |
| 26 Apr 1867 |
Jacob Evans, David's thirty-third child and fifteenth with Ann, is born in Lehi, Utah
County, Utah. |
| 30 May 1867 |
Sarah, David's twelth child, marries David Hodge. |
| Fall 1867 |
The Deseret Telegraph installs a telegraph line into David Evans home. |
| Fall 1867 |
David Evans is re-elected as a member of the House of Representatives in the
Legislative Assembly of Utah. |
| 18 Dec 1867 |
Jane Holm Evans, David's thirty-fourth child and third with Christine, is born in
Lehi, Utah County, Utah. |
| 10 Jul 1868 |
Rebecca Susannah Coleman Evans, David's thirty-fifth child and fifth with Rebecca, is
born in Lehi, Utah County, Utah. |
| 23 Jul 1868 |
The Lehi Union Exchange begins operations with David Evans as President. |
| 27 Oct 1868 |
The Lehi Ward Relief Society is organized with Sarah Thornton Coleman Evans, David's
third wife, as president. David Evans presided at the organization with Eliza R. Snow and
Sarah Kimball in attendance. |
| Fall 1869 |
David Evans is re-elected as a member of the House of Representatives in the
Legislative Assembly of Utah. |
| 11 Dec 1869 |
Emma Jane Coleman Evans, David's thirty-sixth child and sixth with Rebecca, is born in
Lehi, Utah County, Utah. |
| 27 Dec 1869 |
Susannah, David's thirteenth child, marries Isaac Alldredge. |
| 1870 |
The tannery built by David Evans and Canute Peterson is closed. |
| 4 Feb 1870 |
Hannah Holm Evans, David's thirty-seventh child and fourth with Christine, is born in
Lehi, Utah County, Utah. |
| Fall 1870 |
David Evans is re-elected as a member of the House of Representatives in the
Legislative Assembly of Utah. |
| 17 Jul 1871 |
David writes a letter to his sister Nancy stating his enjoyment of the just completed
Fourth of July celebration held in Provo. He also talked of the visit his brother Israel
had made during that time. |
| Fall 1871 |
David Evans is re-elected as a member of the House of Representatives in the
Legislative Assembly of Utah. |
| 1872 |
The Utah Southern railroad line from Salt Lake is completed into Lehi with a station
being built on State Street. |
| 1872 |
The telegraph office in David Evans home is discontinued due to a lack of business. |
| 24 Jul 1872 |
Martha Ann Coleman Evans, David's thirty-eighth child and seventh with Rebecca, is
born in Lehi, Utah County, Utah. |
| 31 Mar 1873 |
Rozilla, David's nineteenth child, marries William Emil Racker. |
| 21 Apr 1873 |
Joseph, David's eleventh child, marries Sarah Jane Casto. |
| Fall 1873 |
David Evans is re-elected as a member of the House of Representatives in the
Legislative Assembly of Utah. |
| Spring 1874 |
David Evans retires from the Legislative Assembly after serving during the years
1851-1852, 1856-1858, 1865-1874. |
| 25 Apr 1874 |
Rachel Holm Evans, David's thirty-ninth child and fifth with Christine, is born in
Lehi, Utah County, Utah. |
| 28 Apr 1874 |
David Evans is appointed president of the Lehi United Order at a mass meeting in Lehi
by Wilford Woodruff, Abrham O. Smoot and Angus M.Cannon. |
| 11 Jun 1874 |
David writes to his sister Eliza stating his gratefulness for his current abundance
and mentions that he feels "age is beginning to crawl on him." |
| 23 May 1875 |
Ellen Coleman Evans, David's fourtieth child and eighth with Rebecca, is born in Lehi,
Utah County, Utah. |
| 9 Aug 1875 |
Barbara, David's fifteenth child, marries John Pettit Bush. |
| 21 Dec 1876 |
Clara Holm Evans, David's fourty-first and last child and sixth with Christine, is
born in Lehi, Utah County, Utah. |
| 21 Sep 1879 |
David Evans resigns as Bishop of the Lehi Ward due to his age and failing health. |
| 1880 |
Lehi Union Exchange is sold to the People's Co-op. |
| 15 Jan 1880 |
Edwin, David's twenty-fourth child, marries Catherine Lewis. |
| 1 Dec 1881 |
David, Jr., David's fourteenth child, marries Leah May Naegle. |
| 20 Apr 1882 |
James, David's twenty-first child, marries Sarah E. Wanlass. |
| 14 Dec 1882 |
Mosiah, David's twenty-eighth child, marries Catherine Esther Carter. |
| 19 Jun 1883 |
David suffers a paralyzing stoke and is confined to bed. |
| 23 Jun 1883 |
David Evans dies at his home at age 79. |
| 24 Jun 1883 |
A special train is dispatched from Salt Lake City for the funeral of David Evans.
Wilford Woodruff, Edward Hunter and several other leading men attend and speak at the
funeral. David Evans is then buried in the Lehi Cemetary. |
Biography
