THIRD GENERATION

Joshua James Evans (1783-1864) and Rebecca R. Smith (1790-1854)

Joshua James Evans was born on October 2, 1783 in Delaware, and immigrated to Georgia no later than 1803. He probably moved with his parents; the best candidate at present is Benjamin Evans, who was living in Sussex County, Delaware in 1785 and who moved before 1790 to the portion of Greene County, Georgia that became Hancock Co. After inheriting his father Benjamin's 125 acres along Fulsom's Creek, Joshua moved to newly-created Randolph (later Jasper) County, where he sold his father's land and married Rebecca R. Smith (1790-1854), daughter of Abraham Smith and Sarah Rosser, on August 9, 1810.

J.J. Evans was drafted in 1814 at Monticello, GA to serve a 6-month tour of duty as a private in Captain John Wilson's company within Ezekiel Wimberly's 3rd Regiment of detached Georgia troops. He arrived at the rendezvous at Camp Hope on November 21, and served around Darien or Tybee Island until being honorably discharged at Camp Darien on March 8, 1815. His physical description at the time of service was 5 feet, 6-8 inches tall, black hair, blue eyes, and fair complexion. See transcript of War of 1812 Bounty Land and Pension files.

Joshua served as a militia captain in Jasper Co. between 1817 and 1820, and moved to Henry Co., GA in 1823, soon after its creation. There he lived as a farmer, raising his family in the portion of Henry Co. that became Spalding Co. Joshua served as Justice of the Peace in Henry Co. several times between 1825 and 1830. Joshua's first wife Rebecca died sometime in 1854, and he remarried Harriett Beard on Feb. 8, 1855 in Spalding Co. Joshua lived with his second wife in Spalding Co. until his death on July 8, 1864, a year that also claimed his two youngest sons on the Confederate battlefront in Virginia. Joshua was buried on his own land in the Evans Family Cemetery east of Griffin in Spalding Co. See photographs of Joshua's grave in the Evans cemetery.

Children of Joshua James Evans and Rebecca R. Smith

1. Son, born c1811.
2. Mahala S. Evans, born June 2, 1812; married Larkin Patrick c1828 in Henry Co.; died February 3, 1898 in Claiborne Par., LA.
3. _____ R. Evans (dau), born August 4, 1814.
4. Isaac Elbert Evans, born November 17, 1816; married Mary Young on January 31, 1843 in Henry Co.
5. Mary Louisa Evans, born June 28, 1819.
6. Rebecca Caroline Evans, born October 25, 1821; married William James Hardaway on March 27, 1842 in Henry Co.; died in Claiborne Par., LA.
7. Joshua Milledge Evans, born December 9, 1823; married Minerva Logan on January 15, 1852 in Henry Co.; died August 29, 1901 in Claiborne Par., LA.
8. Emeline E. Evans, born May 26, 1826; married ______ Johnson.
9. Nancy Fincher Evans, born August 8, 1828.
10. Benjamin Franklin Evans, born October 9, 1830; married Sophronia A. Futral c1854 in Spalding Co.; killed October 19, 1864 in Cedar Creek, VA (Co. A, 53rd Regt., CSA).
11. Joseph Howard Evans, born July 1833; married Pheriba R.T. Futral on July 30, 1854 in Spalding Co.; died from wounds June 23, 1864 in Richmond, VA (Co. A, 53rd Regt., CSA).
12. Daughter, born c1835.

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