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-,ouges,
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PIONEERS OF NEW MEXICO.
John' Evans.
words.
AUG 3 11936
One of northeastern New Nixicols most prominent and
prosperous business men and ranchmea was John W. Evans, who,
though he lived a number ol years in the town of Clayton,
called his homestead, located five miles south of town, ham..
Ur. ;.van s was born in Madison, Tndiana, August 17,
Whe:, a very suall lad, he was left fatherless, The
mother thenassumed the two -fold duty of parenthood to the child,.
but afue a peri3d of invalidism lasting fifteen years, she
passed on, leaving her son in the care of very new' and dear
frielas, Mr. and ,11.64. fhomas, where he was tenderly cared for
and reared to young manhood.
At the declaration of the Civil Ur. Lvans en-
listed in the civil service, and served his country well until
peace was declared, after which he returned to his home in Mad
ison,
He then entered a school of photography at Cincinatti,
Ohio, a_ which place he worked at this profession for several
years.
then caa:e iest and located at Lancaster, Texas,
where he opened a studio. After several years spent there, he
moved his studio to Lisbon, Texas. It was at this place he
A, married to Sarah E. Horn, July 23, 1882.
Evans.
.2.
They made their home on a farm near Lisbon for five
years, then moved to Western Texas and located near Vernon.
It was at this town he left his wife and three step.
children while he journimi farther west to investigate the new
and sparsely populated state of New Mexico, with the view of
locating, which he did, filing on a claim of 160 sores, five
miles south of Clayton, on the Pence, in the year 1863. Later
he filed on an adjoining 160 acres, and as time passedl punch-.
acted land from adjoining neighbors until the "Evans Ranch l as
it became popularly known, consisted of 3800, acres.
Their first home consisted of a tent and dug -out in which
they lived for some time, as buildi.g materials were difficult
to obtain. At last they were priviledged to build a modest a.
bode, which the; occu.jed during their stay on tLe ranch, cover.
in a fieriod of twHnv years.
As this location was in a well watered district, this
progressive family enjoyed the priviledge of truck gardening
and fruit orchard, a luxury denied manyinhabitants of the states
even today.
The cattle industry proved succe.Esful for them, and
they were considered among the most successful ranchers of the
community.
In 1891 or 1892, Mr. Evans erected a frame building
on the site of the present "vans Block," located on 1st. Street
and ain, Clayton, New 4iiexico. For several years he conducted
a eneral sAl-e, and after his appointment as postmaster of Clay-
ton, in 1893, the postoffice was also locateu in this store.
are. ''vaas was the town's third postmaster, and sved in
this capasity for seven years.
This general store and postoffice building was destroyeu
by fire Li 1at.er yeace, and, the building known au the Land
Office Building -at the present time, the bozo of the W. P. A.
office force.. was ereetivi on the site. The other fr&IA buildings
that compose the "vans Block," were alspbuilt at the same time.
It will be of historical interest to the present gener-
ation to know that the stone building, lecated in the "vans
Block," on let. Street is the first location of the original
"Tixier Dry Goods Store," owned and operatedby the lateL B.
Tiller, of Clayton. This building was erected by Ur. i-ivane for
the sole purpose of accommodating Mr. Tixier in his business
efforts.
After his resignation from the position of postmaster,
Mr. :_vans retired for a period of relaxation, after which he
accepted the poAtion of cashier in the First National Bank of
Clayton, organized and operated by the late Herbert J. Hammond,
Sr., and located in the old postoffice buildings
At this time the 11;vans family moved into town and resi-
ded in what is now known as the Dr. Charlton bozo on Main Street,
on.e door east of the present Pioneer Garage.
fter serving in the capacity of CaBbieriL for a number
of years, Mr. '3vane retired frod active business and spent the
remainder of his days at the ranch home, now known as the
71ixey Ranch, on Perico Creek.
On July 31, 1911, passed away, and with his passing,
Clayton lost on of its earliest, most respected and influential
citizens.
3iodc:es, Carrie
ohn W. ;Nuns.
BIBLIOCI-APHY.
Interview, Lira. Srih E, ivans, 324 Pine 3t., Clayton,
New Mexico, to Carrie L. Hodges, August 21, 1936.