It is time for another Great American Family post. My other Great American Family posts have primarily focused on families from the eastern seaboard. However, in this post I will be venturing out of New England and heading west to talk about the Evans of Colorado.
Gov John Evans (1814-1897)
It all begins with Governor John Evans. Evans was a successful man before he moved to Colorado. He was a doctor turned public servant that had made his fortune in the railroad and real estate industries. He helped found Northwestern University (and later Denver University) and Evanston, IL was named in his honor. Due to the political connections that he gained through his successful business career, Evans was appointed governor of the Colorado Territory in 1862 by President Lincoln. Evans went west to Colorado, enjoyed the gold rush era of the west, but stayed afterwards using his knowledge of railroads to help Denver become a prosperous city.
Denver banker John Evans II and wife Gladys.
Denver banker John Evans II at a Federal Reserve Board meeting.
A Neo-Spanish home of Denver banker John Evans II.
The “other” John Evans have kept their family’s legacy alive. Evans’ grandson, John Evans II was educated at MIT. He served as a captain in the U.S. Army and was the Provost Marshall of Colorado. He went on to become the president of the Evans International Company and the president of the Colorado National Bank. Evans’ great-grandson, John Evans III graduated from Princeton, served on the board of trustees at the University of Denver, and was president of the Evans Investment Company as well as an active realtor. The Evans family and their “Johns” through their business and civic contributions have helped to shape the city of Denver and the state of Colorado.
John Evans III. (C), at commencement exercises of University of Denver.
John Evans III at Denver University.
There have been other notable Evans not named John. Anne Evans was the daughter of Governor John Evans. She dedicated her life to art, philanthropy, and her family. She was vice president and director of the Evans Investment Company. One of her most famous philanthropic efforts was co-founding Central City’s summer art’s festival and restoring the Central City Opera House. The new generation of Evans such as John Alice Evans Moore, her husband Hudson Moore Jr., and brother-in-law Frank Freyer continue in the family tradition of civic and business engagement in Denver.
Opening night crowd going into the Central City opera house.
Part of the Evans family, Hudson Moore Jr. and family, at their home.
Hudson Moore Jr., at water project near Dillon, west of Denver.
What a fascinating post! One of my Father’s Day pictures on Facebook was a photo of my father with Governor Evans of Idaho. So interesting to learn about the family. Keep up the terrific work on this blog!
@Michael – Thanks, I appreciate your kind words.Sounds like a very cool photo! I always find it so interesting to learn how people and placed are interconnected in regards to history.
You are aware that John Evans ordered the greatest massacre against the American Indian in our history, aren’t you? It’s called the Sand Creek Massacre. They ordered all the indians on to a reservation. They went peacefully, were unarmed, and wrapped in American flags when 150 of them were massacred by this order. Two-thirds of the victims were women and children. John Evans was fired from his position as governor from the President of the United States for this atrocity. Perhaps your next blog honoring someone should be about Chief Black Kettle, the leader of these people.
John Evans never issued an order for the Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians to be killed at Fort Lyon. In fact, he issued several orders specifically exempting those tribes from any attacks by volunteer militias. It was under his order that they went to Fort Lyon for protection. While away in Washington working with the government on “the Indian Problem” as it was known then, Col. John Chivington came to Fort Lyon and ordered his men to attack. Some refused because they didn’t want to participate in the massacre. John Evans did identify hostile tribes as enemies of the nation – it was during the Civil War and that was the rhetoric of the day – and he did raise volunteer militias to fight hostile tribes. He was by no means a hero and he was asked to step down by Andrew Johnson in 1865, but to say he ordered the Sand Creek Massacre is patently false. By all accounts, it was the decision of Chivington, a loose cannon with a certain degree of blood lust. I recommend this website for original documents pertaining to the massacre: http://www2.coloradocollege.edu/library/specialcollections/Manuscript/SandCreek.html
I would have thought it was obvious that OCBD wasn’t honouring the man, but rather fathers in general, and families.