     John Evans

Frontier Capitalist and Humanitarian

By Thoomas Rigas, MPS

Combining a religious commitment to tion to
succeed in public life, Bro. John Evans very
early became active in the recognized by his
fellow citizens as one fields of medicine,
education, and specuIative investment.

Born on the Ohio frontier just after the War
of 1812, John Evans invested most of his
adult life in Indiana, Illinois, and the
emerging communities of the West. He was
already a wealthy man before he went West,
when President Abraham Lincoln named him
governor of the fledgling Territory of
Colorado, and where he lived his remaining
years.

Bro. John Evans lived an interesting,
productive, and varied life as a successful
physician, railroad builder, city builder,
educator, religious leader, and as a poli-
tical leader. He was the prime mover in
the founding of Northwestern Univer-
sity, and the University of Denver. In
each field, his contributions were
extraordinary.

By the time of this death in 1897, he was
recognized by his fellow citizens as one of
the leading men in Colorado.

John Evans was born near Waynesville
Ohio, in 1814, the son of David and
Rachel (Burnet) Evans. His father was a
farmer, merchant, and entrepreneur
whose various enterprises made him
wealthy. His great-grandfather was
among the early Quaker settlers in
Philadelphia.

His grandfather relocated from South
Carolina because of his anti-slavery sen-
timents, and settled with his family in the
"wilderness" of Ohio, where they man-
ufactured screw augurs and became ex-
tensive farmers.

As a restless Ohio farm boy with a
strong humanitarian bent inherited from
his parents, youngJohn Evans chose a
career in medicine. He earned his medi-
cal degree in Ohio, in 1838.

His first medical practice was among
the pioneer settlers along the Illinois
River at Hennepin, Illinois. Unfortu-
nately for the fledgling physician, the
people there were uncommonly healthy.

He then returned to Ohio, and married
Hannah Canby, whose father was the
eminent physician, Dr. Joseph Canby;
and, moved to Indiana.

In Indiana, he was converted as a
Quaker to Methodism, and with a few
colleagues and religionists began to agi-
tate for state support for an institution to
care for the insane. Public recognition of
his work in this field brought him an
appointment to the faculty of Rush Med-
ical College in Chicago, where he earned
a substantial reputation as a physician
and an educator.

Investments in Chicago real estate
soon began to pay handsome profits to
him, and by the age of forty, John Evans
was no longer dependent on his medical
practice or his college salary for a liveli-
hood. He was then free to turn his inter-
ests to other fields. At this time, he be-
came one of the principal founders of
Northwestern University, and worked
effectively in raising the standards of
public education in Chicago.

Suddenly in late 1850, his wife Hannah
felt ill and died. Her death was a crush-
ing blow to him, and for months he
struggled to find new meaning in life. He
turned to politics, and in 1852 won a seat
on the city council of Chicago. A year
later, he married Margaret Patten Gray,
an ardent Methodist whom he met in
Chicago. A lively and attractive lady, she
brought back John Evans' former opti-
mism and enthusiasm.

After holding minor political offices in
Illinois, and as a loyal supporter of Abra-
ham Lincoln, John Evans was able to
secure appointment as governor of the
Colorado Territory.

Accompanied by his brother-in-law,
William Gray, John Evans rode to Colo-
rado with the famous pioneer stage line
operator, Brother Ben Holladay. He
took office as governor in April 1862;
and, made Denver his home for the rest
of his life.

The emerging territory of Colorado
was a real challenge that John Evans
accepted with such keen business and
investment instincts, that he became one
of the wealthiest and most influential
men in Colorado. He organized and suc-
cessfully built three major railroads in
Colorado, including one that eventually
linked Colorado with the Gulf of Mexico.

John Evans was very active in Metho-
dist Church affairs, and his interest in
education eventually resulted in his help-
ing to found the University of Denver.
He was also an early leader and partici-
pant on the Denver Board of Trade, and
other civic improvement activities.

He had a great influence in the life of
communities, institutions, and individu-
als, yet historians have not always been
sympathetic to him. To his critics and
enemies--those usually on the opposite
side of the political and business fence--
he was viewed as an opportunistic and
ruthless capitalist who manipulated
church and state, men and money, to
advance his schemes for wealth. A care-
ful review of history, however, reveals a
more favorable view of his endeavors
and his many worthy accomplishments.

His Medical Accomplishments

In March 1838, John Evans graduated
from Lynn Medical College, in Cincin-
nati, Ohio, as a Doctor of Medicine, and
finally settled in the village of Attica,
Indiana .

His first conspicuous contribution to
medicine took place there, when he
turned his medical specialization to serve
the needs of the blind, deaf, and in-
sane. He successfully persuaded the state
to build and administer its first school
and home for deaf mutes. He also stres-
sed the need for a state asylum for the
insane, and was appointed superinten-
dent of the first such state asylum in
Indianapolis, from 1845 to 1848.

He was a faculty member of Rush Med-
ical College, relocating to Chicago in
1848. There Dr. Evans achieved profes-
sional eminence from his medical prac-
tice and teaching, and as editor of the
Northwcstcrn Mcdical and SurgicalJournal.

The crowning work of his medical ca-
reer came from his elaborate studies on
the disastrous plague of Asiatic cholera
in 1848. By 1866, a national quarantine
law was passed and much credit was
given to Dr. John Evans for his national
advance in protecting not only against
Asiatic cholera, but against other com-
municable diseases.

The Railroad Builder

John Evans started his railroad build-
ing career in 1852, when he and an Indi-
anapolis friend organized the Chicago &
Fort Wayne Railroad, and he became its
managing director in Chicago. In that
capacity, he shrewdly procured the rail-
road's right-of-way through Illinois to
Chicago, and very valuable lands for its
depots and extensive yards. This led to
his speculation in adjoining lands, which
reaped huge profits for him, and was the
start of Chicago becoming a leading rail-
road center.

Brother John Evnns sbout 1882, when
he took ottlce ss Dovemor ot the
Colorsdo Terrltory

In 1861, with friends, he organized the
Chicago & Evanston Railroad, and se-
cured the right-of-way and sites for its
stations and yards, between Chicago and
Evanston, Illinois. Before the project
could be completed, the road was pur-
chased by the Chicago, Milwaukee & St.
Paul Railroad Company.

After being appointed governor of the
Colorado Territory in 1862, John Evans
made his home in Denver and attempted
to secure better transportation facilities
there.

He became the hero of Denver, if not
all of Colorado, for his efforts in securing
favorable contracts of cooperation with
the Union Pacific, and Kansas railroads;
for securing generous land grants from
the federal government for right-of-way
and for bordering salable land; and, for
taking over the construction contract
and completing construction of the
Denver Pacific Railroad.

He was well rewarded financially for
his extraordinary efforts and results, and
the grateful citizens in their delight cele-
brated by naming the great mountain to
the west--Mt. Evans--in honor of their
railroading hero.

This was only the first of his many
efforts to make Denver a great railroad
center. He was the principal organizer of
the Denver Electric Railway Co., start-
ing in 1885; and, in 1887, he provided
the means to build the Denver, Texas &
Gulf Railroad--a short line to the
sea. Mainly through his own efforts, he
also completed other railroads to Denver
which helped to make that city the com-
mercial metropolis of the Rocky Moun-
tain country.

In his many years of promoting rail-
road construction, John Evans contribu-
ted greatly to the development of western
transportation. All of his railroading en-
terprlses were intended to help John
Evans, Denver, and Colorado--in about
that order. He was a hardheaded busi-
nessman, but also civic-minded.

The City Builder

John Evans made constructive contri-
butions to each of these six communities:
Attica, Indianapolis, Chicago, Evans-
ton, Oreopolis, and Denver. To each of
these, he contributed to the present and
immediate needs, or to the essentials for
future development.

His development theory was simple:

Cities could be successfully built only
by making them into communities to
which a superior type of people would be
pleased to migrate, and in which they
would desire to remain permanently.

His early city building projects in Atti-
ca and Indianapolis, Indiana became
minor training grounds for the major
tasks of city building undertaken by John
Evans during his fourteen years--
from 1848 to 1862, he lived in Chicago.
In Chicago, he initially contributed to
that city becoming a major railroad cen-
ter. Then he turned to land speculation
and to real estate development, where he
made huge profits. His Evans Block was
considered a prestigious office building,
whose tenants included the Chicago Post
Office, the editorial rooms of Thc Chicago
Tribune newspaper, and many of the
city's better professionals.

While serving as an alderman of Chi-
cago, John Evans recommended many
ordinances that improved the quality of
life in Chicago. He was instrumental in
having the level of all streets and side-
walks in the lower central parts eleva-
ted--this was the beginning of the move-
ment to provide for adequate drainage
and a firm foundation.

He took great pride in helping inaugu-
rate Chicago's park system, and his
success in beautifying the city.

He helped make Chicago a center of
health agencies and, without his pioneer-
ing efforts, Chicago could have hardly
become one of the best educational cen-
ters in America.

Next to good schools, John Evans re-
garded churches most important in
building a good city. He gave effective
support to churches, and particularly to
the Methodist Church, which made Chi-
cago an important headquarters of
Methodism.

As a city builder, he attained his
greatest success in Evanston, Illinois,
which was named in his honor. There he
induced the trustees of Northwestern
University to build their campus, and his
dedicated efforts resulted in Evanston
becoming an outstanding educational
center and a community of fine homes.

In Denver, John Evans--as a city build-
er, made more diverse types of contribu-
tions than to any other city. There he
built railroads, founded institutions of
higher learning, supported churches,
and promoted many projects for the im-
provement and develop nent of Denver.
The Educator

In 1841, John Evans heard Bishop
Mathew Simpson deliver his famous lec-
ture on education. This reportedly caus-
ed John Evans "to reconsider how to do
all the good we can. " He concluded that
he could maximize his usefulness by
helping to prepare young persons to
enter useful occupations and profes-
sions.

In 1845, when he joined the facultv of
Chicago's Rush Medical College, he first
formulated a plan for establishing a great
Christian university in, or near, Chi-
cago. In 1851, a charter was issued for
what became Northwestern Universi-
ty. John Evans was elected president of
the board of trustees of the university in
1851, and was reelected to that office
annually thereafter until 1894.

John Evans was also interested in pri-
mary and secondary education in Chica-
go. As an alderman, he introduced an
ordinance requiring the organization of
a public school system, the appointment
of a superintendent, and the creation of
a public high school.

In 1854, John Evans and others, pro-
vided funds for the support of Garrett
Biblical Institute, and a site was made
available on the campus of Northwestern
University, in Evanston.

On becoming governor of the Colorado
Territory in 1862, John Evans assumed
responsibility for the educational needs
of that territory. What resulted was the
establishment of Colorado Seminary in
1863 under Methodist sponsorship. By
1873 however, the citizens of Denver
decided they wanted a municipal univer-
sity that was not dependent upon the
Methodist Church, which resulted in the
founding of the University of
Denver. John Evans donated land for the
new university, and reportedly matched
dollar-for-dollar all donations made to
create and endow it.

He served as president of the board of
trustees of Colorado Scminary from 1864
to 1879; and, oftheUniversityofDenver
from 1879 to 1897. He was succeeded in
that office by his son, William G. Evans,
who in turn was succeeded by his son
John Evans, as chairman of the board of
trustees.

Of all his many activities, those connec-
ted with universities reportedly brought
John Evans his greatest satisfaction.
The Religious Leader

While practicing medicine in Indiana,
John Evans became impressed with the
practical idealism of Bishop Mathew
Simpson and certain other members of
the Methodist Church, in Attica. Ac-
cordingly, he converted from a Quaker
to Methodism and joined the local Meth-
odist Church, where he immediately ex-
erted a dominating influence.

His financial support of the Methodist
Church was significant. He was also an
administrative and spiritual leader in the
Methodist Church, even to a greater ex-
tent than he was a financial leader.

He was elected a lay member of the
General Conference of the Methodist
Church, and was an active participant
continuously until his declining years.

In his support of churches, in his ad-
ministration of ecclesiastical procedures,
and in his leadership in applied Christi-
anity, John Evans ranks as one of the
greatest religious leaders among laymen
of his generation.

The Political Leader

There was much confusion as to his
earlier political party affiliations, but
John Evans was definitely part of the
"anti-Nebraska Party of Illinois. "

Through gradual steps, he moved into
the Republican party and became iden-
tified as one of the influential political
leaders in the Chicago environs. After
Abraham Lincoln' s " Lost Speech" in
Bloomington, Illinois, in 1856, John
Evans became a loyal and active suppor-
ter of Lincoln.

By 1860, the anti-Nebraska people in
Illinois accepted the name Republican,
and John Evans became a delegate to the
Republican national convention, which
nominated his personal friend Abraham
Lincoln for the Presidency.

When Bishop Mathew Simpson, then
of Chicago, complained that the Metho-
dists were being passed over for political
appointments, President Lincoln ap-
pointed John Evans as governor of the
Colorado Territory, in 1862.

Obviously, the leading Methodist
spokesman had some influence on Presi-
dent Lincoln. In all fairness to the man,
however, John Evans was a prominent
Republican whose wide experiences in
business, education, and politics certain-
ly qualified him for the office. In addi-
tlon, President Lincoln wanted to save
that territory for the Union, and felt that
he could trust John Evans to do that. In
this respect, President Lincoln had
chosen well. During the American Civil
War, John Evans raised two regiments,
which together with the existing regi-
ments, he enlisted in the Union ar-
my. This helped save the entire territory
for the Union cause.

As governor, his grasp of legal matters
was surprisingly good, and his relations
with the Legislative Assembly had been
excellent. He proved to be an able and
tireless governor, but he did have ruth-
less political enemies and critics. There
were constant charges by his critics that
he was using his office to favor Meth-
odists.

As governor, John Evans was also the
commander-in-chief of the militia, and
acted as ex-officio superintendent of In-
dian affairs--responsibilities that were
not at all compatible. This eventually
caused an abrupt end to his governor-
ship.

The Treaty of Wise called for relocating
the Cheyenne and Arapahoe tribes to
reservations on the Arkansas River. The
Indians, however, had other thoughts.

In spite of his fine intentions for the
Indians, and his desire to maintain
peaceful relations with the Cheyenne
and AraDahoe Indians, his handling of
Indian affairs during this difficult era in
Colorado was less than successful.

Fearful of an Indian war by renegade
bands, white settlers armed themselves,
and Governor Evans called for volun-
teers to defend against Indian attacks.

A regiment of mercenaries was orga-
nized as the Socond Colorado Volun-
teers, under the command of Colonel
and Brother John M. Chivington. What
resulted was a surprise, pre-dawn raid on
a friendly Indian village--today remem-
bered as the Sand Creek Massacre--in
which hundreds of friendly Cheyennes
were killed--mostly defenseless women,
children, and the elderly.

Brother Chivington was the first Grand
Master of the Grand Lodge AF&AM of
Colorado, a Methodist minister, and
missionary to the Indians, who had
turned soldier and Indian fighter. His
character, at best, reportedly left some-
thing to be desired, regardless of his so-
called "credentials." Many saw him as
a carpet-bagger, power-hungry oppor-
tunist, and trigger-happy Indian
murderer whose actions resulted in
atrocities against friendly Indians.

Colonel Chivington was severely criti-
cized and condemned for his deliberate
massacre of the friendly Indians but
Governor Evans took the "poiitical
heat" and was held responsible.

His politica, enemies made the most of
this unfortunate and sad incident, result-
ing in the resignation of John Evans as
governor.

He remained active as one of the
leaders of the Colorado statehood move-
ment, however, and in 1865, the legisla-
ture elected him U.S. Senator. He never
took office, however.

Not being in political accord with then
President and Brother Andrew Johnson's
reconstruction policy, the attempt
of Congress to admit Colorado to state-
hood was twice thwarted by the Presi-
dent's veto.

Discouraged, John Evans withdrew
from political, life, although he remained
a prominent member of the Colorado
Republican Party for his remaining life.

      His Masonic Life

In the 1840s, the anti-Masonic spirit
was still current in Indiana; and, at its
1844 meeting, even the North Indiana
Conference of the Methodist Church,
passed a resolution recommending that
preachers refrain from becoming Free-
masons and Odd Fellows.

Stubbornly independent, John Evans
joined the Masonic Fraternity, and was
raised a Master Mason in Attica Lodge
No. 18 F&AM, of Attica, Indiana, in
1844. After relocating to Indianapolis,
he became the first Worshipful Master of
Marion Lodge No. 35 F&AM, in 1847,
when that Lodge received its charter.

He became a Royal, Arch Mason in
Indianapolis Chapter No. 5, in 1846. As
a charter member, he became the first to
be knighted a Knight Templar in Roper
Commandery No. 1, also of Indianap-
olis.

President Lincoln named John Evans
governor of the Colorado Territory in
order to save it for the Union cause.
When he arrived in Colorado, however,
John Evans found that many ofthe mem-
bers of Denver Lodge No. 5 AF&AM
were outspoken against the Union, so he
and other Freemasons organized Union
Lodge No. 7, in 1863. He remained a
member of that Lodge for his remaining
life.

In 1868, he also became a charter mem-
ber of Denver's Colorado Commandery
No. 1, Knights Templar.

His Remaining Life

John Evans owned an extensive ranch
near the base of Mt. Evans, near Den-
ver where he indulged his taste for rural
Iife. His simple habits, easy accessibility
and cheerful disposition added to the
purity of his private life, especiafly in his
later years

His death in July 1897, was an occasion
for statewide mourning. His body lay in
state in the rotunda of the state Capitol,
where most of Colorado's community
leaders paid their final respects. His
cedar casket was then escorted to the
Union Masonic Lodge Temple by Colo-
rado Commandery No. 1, Knights Tem-
plar, for the Masonic memorial observa-
tions, after which a brief funeral service
was held in the Evans home.

On the day of the funeral, large crowds
accompanied the body to Riverside
Cemetery for the reading of "the majes-
tic burial services of the Masons" con-
ducted by Union Lodge No. 7 AF&AM,
and Colorado Commandery No. 1, both
of Denver.

Named in honor of John Evans were:
Evanston, Illinois; Evanston, Wyoming;
Mt. Evans (14,260 feet), near Denver;
and, Evans Lodge No. 524 AF&AM, of
Evanston, Illinois, which was established
there in 1866.

Much more could be written about
John Evans--as a devoted husband and
father, friendly neighbor and citizen,
and as a dedicated Freemason who left
his mark on society in a manner that
continues to reflect favorably on him
and our beloved Masonic Fraternity, to
this very day.
