Leander and Mary Evans
Written by Doris J. Smith, 2010
Leander Evans
Leander Evans was born in Bloomington, Illinios on November 6, 1849. Leander’s grandfather is credited with helping to “lay out” the city. After completing high school, Leander traveled with his parents, Samuel and Eveline [King] Evans, to Vernon County, Missouri where they farmed for seven years. He then moved to Kansas where me met Mary Elizabeth Swasey.
Mary was born on February 28, 1855 in Clark County, Missouri, the daughter of George C. and Elizabeth Clark Swasey. Details of Mary’s childhood are sketchy, but her mother died when Mary was very young. Mary’s father married Louisa Carter on August 28, 1859, when Mary was four years old. This is the woman that Mary refers to as “Ma” in her writings. Leander and Mary were married on May 16, 1875 in Cowley County, Kansas. He was 25, and she has just turned 20.
Leander and Mary Evans
Also in 1875 Leander purchased 160 acres around South Haven, Sumner County, Kansas. While farming in Kansas, two sons were born to Leander and Mary. George Clark Evans, the eldest son, was born on May 18, 1876 at South Haven, Kansas. Walter, the second son, was born on March 31, 1878. Walter died at six months of age and is buried near South Haven. He is remembered often in the journal.
George Clark Evans
Leander and Mary moved to Colorado for a short time in 1881. Leander worked in the mines at Arberville, Colorado and also freighted to the mines in Chaffee, Colorado along the Arkansas River. Their third son, Frederick Earl Evans, was born in Arberville. Within the year, the family returned to South Haven, Kansas to resume farming.
Frederick Earl Evans
Some years later, seeking a new life in the West, Leander and mary, along with their two boys, left Kansas and arrived in Mosier, Oregon on February 26, 1887.
Mosier, Oregon is located approximately 65 miles east of Portland, on the banks of the Columbia River. Jonah Mosier and his family, the area’s first white settlers, arrived in 1854, attracted by the seemingly endless acres of available timber which could be milled with local water power and sold for construction. Other families followed and settled in the valley. The climate and soil were ideal for fruit growing, and by the turn of the century, Mosier was a bustling village.
The Evans Home and Orchard
Leander and Mary, along with their two young sons, homesteaded 179 acres located on Carroll Road, south of Mosier, beginning in April 26, 1887. According to a local newspaper article, the family moved into their newly built small box house in July of 1887. The land around Mosier was heavily forested, and Leander set to work clearing trees and logging by hand to prepare for planting fruit trees.
Leander and Mary's House in Mosier, Oregon
In 1905 the History of Central Oregon noted:
“Leander Evans is one of the prominent fruit raisers of Wasco County. He resides about a mile southeast from Mosier. He owns one hundred and seventy five acres on the home place, most of which is tillable, and he has an orchard of about thirty acres. Last year he shipped something over three thousand boxes of fruit, and this year he will probably dispose of over five thousand. In addition, Mr. Evans has a fine fruit drier with a capacity of five thousand pounds per day, and he ships many tons of dried prunes and apples…
Evans Prune Packing House; Leander and Mary on far right
Two children have been born to our subject and his wife. Frederick E., a graduate of Philomath College in 1903 and married to Carrie Gray, the daughter of H. J. Gray, and George C., who received his education in the high school at Hood River and married Elva Coyle. He is now living on the farm adjoining that of our subject… Mr. and Mrs. Evams are members of the Methodist Church as also are their sons.
Mr. Evans is a Democrat but not active. He is well informed on the issues of the day and keenly alive to the interests of education. Mr. Evans is one of the wealthy men of the country, having secured a fine holding by virtue of his skill and industry while also he has stimulated many to meritorious labor which has resulted in great good to this part of the state.”
Leander Evans was a pillar of the community. He worked on committees and boards, was a member of many orginizations, and worked hard on his own farm. He was in the public eye. He was the more outgoing -more flamboyant- of the pair, and yet, one is drawn to Mary’s quiet ways. After a century, her story lives on.
Mary died on September 21, 1910. Here is what was written up in the Mosier Bulletin:
“Death of Mrs. Lee Evans”
The people of Mosier were saddened, on Wednesday morning, by the news that Mrs. Leander Evans was dead. While it was known that she was seriously ill, still it was hoped that the Angel of Death would pass over without blighting her household. But an Allwise Providence ruled otherwise, and she passed away at 5 o’clock in the morning, after receiving all the care that medical skill and kind neighbors could give.
Mary Elizabeth Swasey was born in Clark County, Missouri, in 1855. In 1873 she moved to Cowley County, Kansas, where she was married to Leander Evans, living in Kansas seven years. She returned to Missouri with her husband, and in 1887 came to Mosier, where she has since lived. Three children were born to her -George, Walter (who died in infancy), and Frederick, who, with her husband, survived her.
For the past three years Mrs. Evans has suffered from heart trouble, but only during the last year was it considered serious, causing periods of suffocation, becoming more frequent and severe. In July Mr. Evans took his wife to the coast, hoping that the change would benefit her; but while she enjoyed the trip, the damp climate only aggrivated her trouble. In fact her decline was more marked after her return home. The last spell came on Friday. On Sunday Dr. Robinson, of Mosier, and Dr. Ferguson, of The Dalles, were called to attend her. They informed her family that she could live but a short time and prepared them for the end, which came peacefully. At the time of her death her immediate family and other relatives and friends were at her bedside and she was enabled to bid them good-bye.
The deceased was a menber of the Methodist Church and by a long life of consistent Christian lving, by her kind and loving ways, has won the love and high esteem of a host of friends, who mourn her departure. This was evident by the large number who attended the funeral. The Baptist Church, in which the services were conducted by the Revs. J. W. Rigby of Hood River, and H. C. Clark, of White Salmon, both of them former pastors of the Methodist Church here, assited by the Revs. W. A. Stark of the Baptist Church, and H. C. Clark, of the Christian Church. The Odd Fellows and Rebekahs, of which the latter order the deceased was a Past Noble Grand, had charge of the services. A large concourse of people followed the remains to the grave, where the impressive Rebekah services for the dead were rendered. Many beautiful floral offerings were sent.
Although Mary had been in poor health for a long time, her death was a blow to the family. In spite of her excruciating headaches that lasted for days, in spite of the nose bleeds that continued for hours, and in spite of the doctor’s diagnosis of heart trouble, in the end Mary would always rise from her bed and continue being Mary – looking after the needs of her family, making sure meals were prepared, and doing jobs that needed attention around her house. She was wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, gracious hostess, and friend. And suddenly she was gone.
By today’s standards, Mary’s death at age 55 was very premature. She had lived in Mosier for more than 23 of those years. Mary and Leander had come to the Mosier valley early enough to be considered some of the early settlers, and they had been privileged to witness the expansion of local population and farming over the years. The mention in her obituary of the overflowing crowd at her funeral was a tribute to the public’s deep respect for this family.
Leander used Mary’s journal to express his grief. He wrote this entry n the day of her death:
Mary, My Beloved Wife Died …….. Sept. 21, 1910
She was Born 1855, Feb. 28
Lee Evans
Leander lived for another 21 years. He continued farming with his son, Fred, and maintained his interest in various organizations in Mosier. Life continued for Leander, even without Mary. And yet, we have a glimpse of his loneliness in these poignant journal entries…
July 3, 1911 How Emty My Life, Dear One
August, 1926 How Emty My Life, Dear One Lee
Life continued for the Evans family. In 1916 Fred and Carrie’s second son, Arlyn Wayne Evans, was born, joining his brother, Darrell, Mary’s beloved grandson. George and his wife, Elva, also added to their family, with the arrival of twins, Alvy and Alvon, in 1911, followed by Mary in 1912 and Walter in 1918.
However, the family also experienced the loss of George’s wife, Elva, in 1919 and Fred’s wife, Carrie, in 1928. Mary’s stepmother, Louisa Carter Swasey, lived to be 95 years old, passing away in The Dalles in 1935. Leander died in 1931 at the age of 81 years. He never remarried.
Leander and Mary's Tombstone
Just FYI
Just wanted to let you know that during the school year, I don’t really have time to work on genealogy… I homeschool my four kids full-time, plus work outside the home. What with housework, there just isn’t time for “play”. 
The kids are usually done with school by the end of April, and I have time for my hobbies during our four-month summer vacation. So if you Email me, I may be very late on the reply. Sorry!!! … But don’t give up, because summer is on the way! 
(Yay!)
I am All A Lone: the diary of an early female settler
I just found out that someone found the journals of my great-great grandma, Mary Swasey Evans and put them into a book! I am currently looking into how I can get my hands on a copy of that book. I guess there will be a book signing/sale at the Discovery Center in The Dalles on March 12th, but my kids have their junior bowling league and I have to work.
Anyway, there is an article about the book here. It has a picture of Leander and Mary Evans. Up until today, I hadn’t seen a SINGLE picure from the Evans side of the family, including my Dad’s own father. This is the first one I’ve gotten my hands on, or even seen! … Pretty excited about that!
Anyway, here is the article:
I am All A Lone: the diary of an early female settler
Former Ontario resident finds family and history in her great-great aunt’s diary
By Patrick McDonough
Argus Observer
Saturday, December 11, 2010 10:04 PM PST
The diary of Mary Swasey Evans (right) an early Mosier settler was the main source for Doris J. Smith’s book ‘I Am All A Lone: The Diary of Mary Swasey Evans Early Mosier Settler.’ Smith also drew from multiple area newspapers of the time and photos, such as the one above with husband Leander Evans, to add to the scope of the work.
Smith said the work, which culminated with the publication of the book “I Am All A Lone: The Diary of Mary Swasey Evans Early Mosier Settler” began with the discovery of the Evan’s dairy while Smith was still teaching school.
“I first read a copy of a copy of the Mary Evans journal while I was still teaching and I thought it needed to be put into a better format so my relatives would read it,” Smith said.”I was not sure they would dig through the handwriting.”
Smith, who is a former Ontario resident and schoolteacher, began transcribing the hand written pages, but as she did this, she realized that there were elements of the diary that would be better served with outside illumination.
“I was immediately captivated by her gentle spirit and the details of her life as a farm wife,” Smith said. “She faithfully recorded her household tasks, the weather and more exciting events. When Mary would describe ‘going to the hall for entertainment’ I wanted more details.”
To gain insight into these details, Smith began researching newspapers from the area, such as The Dalles Optimist, the Mosier Bulletin and the Hood River Glacier, spending hours scouring microfilm and delving further into the mystery of Mary Evan’s life.
Smith said she discovered more about the life and times of a woman who came to Oregon in 1887 with her husband Leander and her two sons. The family cleared and homesteaded 170 acres of land, planted orchards and became well known and loved community members.
Smith said she discovered a great deal about life in the Mosier area around the turn of the century and that the combined elements unfolded what Smith calls a tapestry of Oregon history for her.
“The book takes place at Mosier Oregon, which is along the Columbia River,” she said. “It happens to be my hometown. I have five generations of my family buried there.”
“I thought it would be something that needed to be preserved for family legacy, but as it developed; as we put it together I thought it had a larger appeal than just for the family.”
Smith gathered the excerpts from the diary, the newspaper clippings and more to offer readers insight into, not only the life of a farm wife of the time, but the time itself.
“I have included quite a bit about the history of the area from the newspaper articles as well as photos of area and photos of family.”
The book interweaves all of these elements in an easy to follow and understand chronological manner. An excerpt from the diary dated Jan. 6, 1909 reveals particularities of the vernacular of the age as well as a preoccupation with weather common to the time and also the solitude Evans often found immersed in.
“Commenced snowing at 7:30 a.m. Very cold wind in the east,” Evans writes. “About eight inches of the beautiful. Lee has gone to the station … A Lone.”
Smith said the term beautiful was a quaint term of the time describing the snow itself, and the term ‘All A Lone’ was one Evans often wrote when left at the homestead as her husband went to town for business or social pleasure.
The entry is tied to an article in The Dalles Optimist dated Jan. 14, 1909 which amplifies the entry with a report of the weather being the coldest experienced in the area in many years and goes on to add other items of interest.
“The river has frozen over at The Dalles and milk is being hauled across in sleds,” the Optimist reports. “Thus averting a milk famine.”
Smith said the language of the settlers and the newspapers, the details of life 100 years ago and the photographs and other information make the book interesting and historically significant.
Smith welcomes anyone interested in the history of Oregon or the life of settlers in the area to share in the journey. The book is currently in the collection of the Columbia River Trading Company at the Discover Center and Museum in The Dalles, Oregon.
For more information, contact the center at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center, 5000 Discovery Dr. The Dalles, Oregon 97058. Or call (541) 296-8600.
“The dairy takes place 100 years ago and this is what a homemakers life would have been like at that time,” Smith said. “These people led a different life than we do, They did not have electricity, and Mary talks about her first automobile ride. It is an exciting cross-over from the horse and buggy days to more modern times.”
Letter from Karl Nagel to Jessica Andersen Evans
Sorry about some of the blanks. The handwriting is very shaky, and I can’t make out some of the words…
2nd November 1979
My dear Jessica,
Thank you very much for your letter received. It was re_____ed from Birmingham. As you have been informed already, I had a slight heart attack on the 24th August, when I was with Pauline. I got over that and went to spend a week at Birmingham. On Sunday evening, the 2nd September, I spent the day out with a nephew and everything was alright til after 9 o’clock that night. We were getting ready for bed and I was reading the Bible for prayers. Suddenly, at about 9:30, my speech became blurred. They phoned for an ambulance and took me to the hospital. After various tests they told me that I had a mild stroke. They kept me about three hours in the hospital, by which time by speech was more or less normal. They told me that I had got back my speech, that I could go home, but I must rest for a few days. They wrote to the doctor to keep an eye on me. Fortunately nothing happened after that. I returned here from Birmingham on the 18th September. So here I am in the ____ of recovery.
Yes, I can quite understand how you all must miss your Mum and Dad, especially as they were taken so close together. What has happened to the house at El Cajon? I am glad to hear that the children are doing well in school.
Pauline was here for the whole of last week with her two children. They had what is known here as the half____ holiday, so she took advantage to come. Virginia will be 4 years old in a few days, but she started at nursery school a few weeks ago. Abigail is just over two. She will be 3 next March.
Here are the dates you wanted:
Harriet Sabina Nagel, born 15th November at ?
Volbrecht Nagel, born 3rd November at Stammheim, Germany
Samuel Frederick Nagel – 1st January 1898 in Kunnamkulam, Cochin State, India
Theodore Ernest Nagel – 10th March 1899 in Kunnamkulam, Cochin State, India
Gotlob Volbrecht Nagel – 8th August 1900 in Parur, Cochin State
Karl Heinrich Nagel – 17th November 1905 in Cochin, Cochin State
When you have finally completed the family history, could you please send me a copy? Have you got the date my father and mother were married? And the place? I think they were married at Kunnamkulam. I have just written a long history of my father’s life, and also how I came to _____ his _____ . I shall send you a copy when it is finally finished.
Is Alvy still working in the same job? May the Lord prosper him in it!
What church do you attend? We attend the Baptist Church. We gave a good pastor. A Godly man who preaches the “old” gospel.
The Lord bless you all abundantly with ____ love.
Your loving
Uncle Karl and Auntie Esther
Please excuse my shaky handwriting. It seems to have been affected by my recent stroke.
My Tribute to My Parents
Theodor Bonneland Andersen
January 11, 1902 – September 1, 1979
Laid to rest at the El Cajon Cemetery, California
Olive Margaret Nagel Andersen
December 31, 1901 – May 27, 1979
Laid to rest at the El Cajon Cemetery, California
By Jessica Andersen Evans
Oh! Mom how suddenly you were taken away from us. I knew you were tired, but little did I realize just how tired. I know the strain of nursing Dad must have taken its toll on you. I’m grateful you did not suffer. How kind the Lord is to have answered your prayer. I knew that you wanted both you and Dad to go to Heaven together, and in a very special way you did. The Lord just took you a little bit sooner so you would not have to go through the agony of watching Dad suffer and die.
Dad, how happy you must be to be in Heaven with Mother. Just think, she was waiting there with outstretched arms to welcome you home. How there is no more pain and suffering. The Lord has taken that awful cancer away from you. Now you are well and strong and can enjoy the treasures of Heaven. I can just imagine you and Mother walking hand-in-hand and talking with the Lord. Oh! How you both loved the Lord and longed for the day you would be with Him.
I miss you both so very much. There are times when the ache in my heart is so very great, but oh, what a comfort the Lord has been. There are times like right now, when I feel his loving arms around me. What would I have done without the Lord. He has sustained me and upheld me. Just like the words of the hymn “Without Him”. Truly how lost I would be. Without Him I would never see you again. Your presence in Heaven has made it seem much closer for me.
Thanks Mom and Dad for all you did for your children. As far as I’m concerned, no parents sacrificed more for their children. How many children can say that their parents gave up a home and security for their children, but you did. Why at the age of 50 you sold the farm to take us to a better land. You did not want us growing up in a land under the threat of communist domination. You left family and friends to face the unknown. What faith you had to make a step like that one. Even before this, you even sacrificed a family together so your children would not be in an area infested with malaria. Dad you stayed at the farm while we were up in the hills. This was also done so we could go to a Christian School and not have to be put in Boarding School. We didn’t see much of you during those early years of our lives, but oh what beautiful times we had together even though they were very brief.
Thanks Mom and Dad for raising us up in a Christian atmosphere. You molded us and kept us safe from the world and all its snares. You made us what we are today. My prayer is that I can do the same for my children. Home was always a happy place. I remember many evening sitting by the first. We’d sing hymns and have devotions and play games. Mom, I remember the bedtime stories. Peter Pan was always my favorite. From little children, you introduced us to beautiful music and taught us how to appreciate it.
Life in India was always an adventure. We never knew what was going to happen next. I remember the monkies and what a pest they became. Then there was the wild boar that came near the house. Dad, you would not let us out until the boar was killed. Dad, you talked about shooting at the elephants to keep them away from the house. Mother would hold the lantern while you shot into the darkness. Then there was the panther that came up onto our front porch and carried away our dog. There were many adventures with snakes and scorpions, but Dad you never let anything hurt us. Life on the farm wasn’t always full of danger. As children, we found many things to do. The fresh haystacks after the rice was harvested, building homes with empty Kerosene cans, catching fireflies, wading in the river, swimming in the tank and well. Then, of course, there were the many treks to the Homestead to visit Uncle Phil and Auntie Julie. Yes, life in India is truly full of many pleasant memories.
By leaving India we were now truly a family together. We had many great adventures on the “High Seas”. Why there was the thrill of seeing the ocean for the first time, let alone being on a big Ocean Liner. I will never forget the Otranto. The sights were a history and geography lesson all rolled into one. There was the Red Sea, the Suez Canal, Sicily and Mt. Etna erupting, Naples and Pompeii, the island of Crete and Fairhavens where the Apostle Paul took shelter, Marsailles and Gibralter.
Life in England was so different, but we as children learned to adapt. I know how hard a time you and Dad had in England. Though the sojourn was brief, Devon was a beautiful County. In the Spring we’d roam the woods and pick wild primroses. I even got to watch a steeplechase on the Moors of Devon. Before leaving England we went to see London, of course, that included Buckingham Palace, Westminister Abby and London Bridge.
Yet another ocean voyage, and what a stormy one that was compared to the first. Then a long train ride across Canada. It was early spring and snow still covered the ground. What a thrill for us children who had grown up in the tropics. But Mom, I can still remember you shivering. We saw the changing scenery from the mountains of Quebec, the hills of Ontario to the wide open Prairies. Dad, I think of the work you did to support your family. After having been the owner of a farm, you took a job in England growing tomatoes. Then in Calgary you started out as a ditchdigger. The Lord watched over you and you ended up getting a job as a draftsman. Our travels weren’t over yet, we had another long trip by Greyhound Bus from Calgary to San Luis Obispo, California. At last the destination of a dream come true for you Mom. You at last had your family in a free country. There were several years of struggling but the Lord saw that you prospered and honored your faith.
As I look back, Mother you were the strength of our family. The verse in Isaiah 12:2 says it all about you, “The Lord is my strength, my song, and He is become my salvation.” You were our strength and you sang praises to the Lord. Early mornings I’d wake to hear you singing hymns while you worked in the kitchen. What a beautiful voice you had. I think of the hymns of praise and rejoicing you must be singing now. I wonder if you are playing the harp. I remember you saying, “I want to play the harp when I get to Heaven.”
Dad, you were a very special person as well. No daughter ever had a more wonderful father. As I look back, I can’t ever remember you being angry with me. I know that there must have been many occasions, but right now, all I remember is your love. Oh, what wonderful times we had on the farm. You saw to it, that we had special things to do. Even here in this country, you and Mother saw to it that we see as much of this great land as possible. You sacrificed so much and how you were blessed. What more can I say about two dear parents who I love very much.
Yes Mom and Dad, you made our lives one big adventure, with memories that will live on. I’m sure there were many times when you wondered if you had made the right choice by leaving India, the land of your birth. I know you went through many hard times, but they were worth it all.
How fitting it is to have your final earthly resting place, a hillside so like the area of Danishpet. Just standing by your graves in the quiet of that evening, my mind wandered back over the years. Yes, all your children were there together. I’m sure the others were thinking similar thoughts. I wonder when all your children will be together again? I’m so thankful for those last moments together on the hillside. The sun was setting as a final tribute to two of the dearest people I know. One day we shall all rejoice together in Heaven. No one will ever separate us again. I’m looking forward to that glorious day.
In Loving Memory,
Jessica
