John Evans

John Evans is the son of John Evans from Wales and Elizabeth Hardcastle from England. Elizabeth's family immigrated to Utica, New York. John and Elizabeth met when John went to their farm to seek work. They were soon married. Along with other members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they joint the Ansil P. Harmon Company to journey to “Zion,” the Salt Lake Valley.

On June 27, 1862, after crossing the Missouri River, Elizabeth gave birth to their first son whom they named John, after his father. The trek west was challenging and on August 28, 2-month-old John succumbed to extreme high temperatures. He is buried in Nebraska along the trail west. Twelve days later, the Evans family suffered yet another loss when John's older sister, Clara Hannah, passed away from “swelling of the body and inflammation.”

The John Daniel Thompson McAllister journal records: “Thursday 28th at 7.o.Clock we started out & travaled 7 miles & nooned a few rods west of Crab Creek at 4.o.Clock we again Started & travaled 9 Miles a good road, a little Sand and Camped opposite the "Ancient Bluff Ruins" near the river. made 16 Miles this day. this day noon we buried John Evans, Son of John & Elizabeth, born on Steamer Omaha, 7 of June aged 2 mos. Brain fever."