Dates

• Existence: 1804 - 1883

Biographical History

David J. Evans (1804-1883) was a member of the Quorum of the Seventy and served for twenty-eight years as a bishop for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

David J. Evans was born on October 27, 1804, in Cecil, Maryland, to parents Israel Evans and Abigail Alexander. As a young boy he moved to Pennsylvannia with his parents and lived there until 1826. There he married Mary Beck on July 25, 1826. They had seven children together, five of whom lived to maturity. Evans also eventually married six other wives: Margaret Christine Holm, Rebecca Coleman, Edna Hinchcliff, Clymenia Shaw, Sarah Thornton, and Barbara Ann Ewell. After marrying, David and Abigail purchased a farm in Richland County, Ohio, and moved there to live and work. In Ohio, on April 6, 1833, Evans was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and in that same month Evans sold the farm to fund his missionary work.

In 1834, Evans joined Zion's Camp and was ordained to the First Quorum of the Seventy by Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon. On May 20, 1836, he left Ohio with a company of Church members to go to Missouri. He settled in Shoal Creek, Missouri with his family, but in December, he left Missouri because of the mob violence. After resettling in Payson, Illinois, Evan's wife Abigail, died. Evans then moved to Nauvoo where he married Barbara Ann Ewell on November 23, 1841. After emmigrating to Salt Lake Valley, Evans was called as a bishop in Lehi, Utah, on February 15, 1851. Evans was bishop for twenty-eight years until he requested to be released because of his failing health. During this time he was a member of the first Utah legislature, the Colonel of the Militia, and the Major of the Lehi Military District.

Evans died on June 23, 1883, in Lehi, Utah.

Citation:

Family Search, via WWW, April 21, 2014 (born on October 27, 1804, in Cecil, Maryland; parents Israel Evans and Abigail Alexander; young boy he moved to Pennsylvannia with his parents and lived there until 1826; married Mary Beck on July 25, 1826; had seven children together, five of whom lived to maturity; eventually married six other wives: Margaret Christine Holm, Rebecca Coleman, Edna Hinchcliff, Clymenia Shaw, Sarah Thornton, and Barbara Ann Ewell; after marrying, David and Abigail purchased a farm in Richland County, Ohio, and moved there to live and work; in Ohio, on April 6, 1833, Evans was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; sold the farm to fund his missionary work; 1834, Evans joined Zion's Camp and was ordained to the First Quorum of the Seventy by Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon; May 20, 1836, left Ohio with a company of Church members to go to Missouri; settled in Shoal Creek, Missouri with his family; in December, he left Missouri because of the mob violence; resettled in Payson, Illinois, Evan's wife Abigail, died; moved to Nauvoo; married Barbara Ann Ewell on November 23, 1841; called as a bishop in Lehi, Utah, on February 15, 185; bishop for twenty-eight years until he requested to be released because of his failing health; member of the first Utah legislature, the Colonel of the Militia, and the Major of the Lehi Military District; died on June 23, 1883, in Lehi, Utah)

Found in 2 Collections and/or Records: