Butte County
Biographies
DAVID HUMPHREY EVANS
DAVID
HUMPHREY EVANS.--Among the many Welshmen who have contributed their share to
the marvelous development of California
must be prominently mentioned the efficient and popular supervisor of Gridley
district, David H. Evans, one of the leading grain and dairy men in the county.
He was born in Montgomeryshire, Northern Wales, on
May 13, 1857, and was the son of Edward and Elizabeth (Humphrey) Evans, natives
of that shire and representing one of the oldest families in North
Wales. The father was a farmer, and died at eighty-two years of
age, and the mother died at the age of seventy-nine. Of the ten children born
to this worthy couple, nine grew up, of whom David H. was the fourth in order
of birth and is the only one now residing under the Stars and Stripes. He
received his education in the public schools, and from the age of fifteen began
to work for wages on farms. Fortunate in the environment of a country where
agriculture had long been studied, Mr. Evans thoroughly learned the resources
of land and the solutions of many perplexing problems familiar to the farmer
the world over.
In 1882, when he was twenty-five
years of age, Mr. Evans came to the United States,
proceeding direct to California; and for a year he
worked at Fresno. In 1883, he
settled at Gridley, Butte County,
where he soon found employment in the building of the Stanford Levee at Durham.
Mr. Evans followed levee
construction and railroad building for seven years, and only in 1889 did he
begin to farm. Most of this time he furnished his own teams, winding up with
three teams and a full farming outfit. He rented a part of the Gridley Ranch,
some three hundred twenty acres, from Mrs. Gridley, and sowed the same to
grain. When prosperity had followed him four successive seasons he bought his
present place, consisting of three hundred twenty acres of the choicest land in
this vicinity, located four miles southwest of Gridley. This ranch was formerly
railroad land in Section 15, and at one time belonged to the Humphrey heirs. In
addition to this very desirable farm he also leases seven hundred forty acres,
upon which he raises wheat and barley on a large scale.
Mr. Evans' uncle, David Humphrey,
was a pioneer of Butte County
and was born in Wales,
in 1831. In 1851, he came to Ohio
from his native country; and the next year he crossed the plains with ox teams.
He arrived in California in due
time and took up his residence in Cherokee, where he followed teaming and
freighting to the mines for many years. He was very successful; and when he had
accumulated enough money to make a start in farming, he located near Gridley,
on the place now owned by Mr. Evans. Here he died, on February 20, 1893, after
a long and useful life.
Thoroughly posted on dairying, Mr.
Evans embarked in the dairy business and for this purpose maintained some
twenty-two cows. He is building up a fine grade of Roan Durham cattle, favoring
that breed for all-around purposes. He runs a few sheep and cattle, and raises
fine draft horses.
At Wyandotte,
on September 14, 1890, Mr. Evans married Sarah E. Grubbs, a native daughter of California,
by whom he had one son, William Edward Evans, who was assisting his father in
the care of their ranches and fast making his mark as an enterprising,
scientific agriculturist, until 1917, when he enlisted in the United States
Naval Reserves. A daughter, Elizabeth Catherine, died when a little past two
years of age. Mrs. Evans' father was William Grubbs, a native of Georgia,
from which state he removed to Arkansas, and from there enlisted and served in the Civil War. He
was married to Sarah Ann Ross, who was born in Arkansas.
In 1866, they came to Butte County
and engaged in stock-raising at Wyandotte;
both are now deceased. Mrs. Evans was reared in Butte
County and received her education
in the public schools.
A Republican in national politics,
Mr. Evans is now serving his second term as supervisor of Butte
County. His first candidacy for
office was in 1912, when he was nominated on the Republican ticket and elected by
a good majority. After the primary law came into effect he made a strong
campaign and was elected, in 1916, in the primaries. Once empowered with the
authority of office, he used his influence and experience in the cause of good
roads, and few sections of the state have highways in better condition than
those of the district in which he resides. Exceedingly patriotic and ever ready
to serve his country at all hazards, he is a member of the County Council of
Defense. Fraternally, Mr. Evans was made a Mason in North Butte Lodge, No. 230,
F. & A. M., at Gridley, and is now serving his third term as Master. He is
now being exalted in Franklin Chapter, No. 20, R. A. M., in Oroville, and is a
member of the Eastern Star. He is also an Odd Fellow, in affiliation with the
lodge at Gridley. Mrs. Evans is a member of Vernon Chapter, No. 25, O. E. S.,
at Gridley, in which she is a Past Matron. Aside from his official record, Mr.
Evans takes a keen interest in all that pertains to the upbuilding
of his county, and personally is ever ready to give of his time and means to
all worthy projects to enhance the importance of the county and the welfare of
the people. He has been a close student of problems connected with the
development of the state, and his experience has given him a marked degree of
discernment, so that his judgment is much sought after. He is thoroughly
dependable, and his friends are wont to say, "When 'Dave' Evans says a
thing is so, it's so," and "His word is as good as his bond."
Transcribed by Sande Beach.
Source: "History of
Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 449-450, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
©
2007 Sande Beach.
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