Evan Oliver (1836 - 1887)

Born 28 Mar 1836 in Llanfihangel-y-creuddyn, Cardiganshire, Wales, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Catherine (Jones) Oliver — married 11 Jul 1857 in Ridgeway, Iowa, Wisconsin, United States

Descendants

Died 13 Jul 1887 at age 51 in Wayne, Republic, Kansas, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Bill Oliver [send private message]

Biography

Evan Oliver was born in Wales.

Evan Oliver was a Wisconsin pioneer.

Birth

Evan was born at 10:00a.m., March 28, 1836 in Llanfihangel-y-creuddyn, Cardiganshire, Wales.^[1] He was baptized in the Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Church April, 22, 1836.^[2]

Marriage

Evan wed Catherine Jones on July 11, 1857 in Ridgeway, WI.^[3]

Life Events

1841 Wales Census: Evan was living with his parents and six siblings in Cardiganshire. His father was working as a miner.^[4]

1846: Evan emigrated with his siblings and step-mother to Wisconsin.^[5]

1850 Census: Evan was living with his parents in Genesee, WI with his now seven siblings. His father was a farmer.^[6]

1860 Census: Now married with two children, Evan was living in Dodgeville, WI and working as a miner.^[7]

1869: Evan moved his family to Braidwood, IL to begin work as a Pit Boss in a coal mine.^[8]

1870 Census: Evan and wife Catherine were living in Braidwood. With five children, Evan was working as a miner. An official in the Congregational Church, he was known as a kind and affectionate man with high esteem. ^[9]

1880 Census: Evan and Catherine were residing in Braidwood as Evan continued work as a miner.^[10]

May 6, 1887: Evan takes wife Catherine and three minor children to visit son William in Kansas. Evan had exhibited symptoms of delirium and those associated with Typhoid Fever prior to the trip but was deemed healthy enough to travel. While on the journey two confidence men had targeted Evan and began to work him. On the morning of May 7, 1887, Evan panicked and tried to flee the confidence men who continued to target him. He jumped from his seat, grabbed the hand of 8-year-old son Tommy and ran for the door. The Cannon Ball was travelling at the full speed of 35 m.p.h. as Evan leapt from the train. The alert conductor, Mr. Caplan, was able to catch young Tommy, saving his life. The shocked passengers halted the train and began to search for Evan in the brush. After several hours of searching with no results, many assumed that he had drown in the nearby Missouri River, never be found. Nonetheless, the family offered a substantial reward of $200 for his return. On June 16, John Wilson was out riding his horse through the country and came upon Evan, severely emaciated, lying in the brush, covered in dirt, incoherent and gasping.^[11]

Death

Evan passed July 13, 1887 in Wayne, KS. He is interred in Braceville's Braceville-Gardner Cemetery in the Oliver family plot.^[12]

Sources

1. ↑ Family Bible
2. ↑ England & Wales, Non-Conformist and Non-Parochial Registers, 1567-1970
3. ↑ Wisconsin, Marriages, 1820-1907
4. ↑ Class: HO107; Piece: 1374; Book: 7; Civil Parish: Llanfihangel y Croyddin; County: Cardiganshire; Enumeration District: 4; Folio: 22; Page: 9; Line: 2; GSU roll: 464303
5. ↑ Family Records
6. ↑ Year: 1850; Census Place: Genesee, Waukesha, Wisconsin; Roll: M432_1009; Page: 261A; Image: 51
7. ↑ Year: 1860; Census Place: Dodgeville, Iowa, Wisconsin; Roll: M653_1412; Page: 644; Image: 130; Family History Library Film: 805412
8. ↑ Modesto, D., Donna's Story of Braidwood, Illinois : Historical Data, Reported Facts, Personal Recollections. Page 143
9. ↑ Year: 1870; Census Place: Wilmington, Will, Illinois; Roll: M593_292; Page: 519B; Image: 505; Family History Library Film: 545791
10. ↑ Year: 1880; Census Place: Braidwood, Will, Illinois; Roll: 261; Family History Film: 1254261; Page: 469D; Enumeration District: 211; Image: 0040
11. ↑ The Kansas Chief Troy, Kansas16 Jun 1887, Thu • Page 3
12. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 20 January 2020), memorial page for Evan Oliver (28 Mar 1836–13 Jul 1887), Find A Grave Memorial no. 90092082, citing Braceville-Gardner Cemetery, Braceville, Grundy County, Illinois, USA ; Maintained by Find A Grave (contributor 8) .