Dickinson Co., KS AHGP-Portrait and
Biographical Record of Dickinson, Saline, McPherson and
Marion Counties-Alonzo Evers
Portrait and Biographical
Record of Dickinson, Saline, McPherson and Marion
Counties
Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1893
ALONZO L. EVERS, an extensive sheep-
grower of Hope Township, Dickinson
County, residing on section 6, came to
this community in August, 1871, and, securing
a homestead, has here since resided. He
has made extensive improvements upon the place,
transforming it into one of the best farms in the
central part of Kansas. He has raised about four
hundred head of sheep each year, and now has a
large sheep farm of fifteen hundred and eighty
acres in Morris County, which is stocked with
about two thousand sheep. He came here with the
intention of raising cattle, and now feeds about a
car-load each year, but has given his attention
chiefly to sheep-raising. He at first made a specialty
of the Merino sheep, but now raises Cotswolds.
Mr. Evers was born in Warren County, Pa., May
18, 1836, and is a son of John and Emeline (Fellows)
Evers, the latter of whom was a native of
the Empire State, the former being born on the
farm where Alonzo L. first saw the light. At the
age of twenty, he removed with his parents to
Barry County, Mich., where he resided until August,
1861, at which time he enlisted in Kalamazoo
as a member of Company H, under Capt. J. J. Barrett.
Two companies from Michigan, one from
Ohio and seven from Illinois organized as the
Northwestern Rifle Regiment, which was afterward
changed to the Forty-fourth Illinois Infantry.
The troops served in Missouri under Fremont
in the fall of 1861, going to Springfield, but
were ordered back into winter quarters at Rollo,
Mo. In the spring of 1862, the regiment participated
in the battle of Pea Ridge, and then went
to Shiloh to re-enforce Grant, participating in the
battle of Corinth, following the retreating enemy
as far as Rienzi, Miss., where they surrendered.
In the fall of 1862, he took part in engagements
at Perryville, Ky., and Stone River, where, on
the 31st of December, he received a gun-shot
wound in the shoulder. After lying for three
and a-half months in the hospital, he was discharged
in April, 1863, and returned home, but
soon afterward entered the Quartermaster's department,
and remained at Chattanooga until
after the close of the war. He was a faithful and
valiant soldier, ever found at his post of duty.
After the war was over, Mr. Evers, before returning
North, was married in Chattanooga, Tenn.,
September 29, 1865, to Mrs. Eliza Jane Roberts,
nee Collier, who was born in Cleveland, Tenn.,
August 21, 1844, and is a daughter of Irby and
Mary Jane (Turk) Collier. Her mother, who is
now Mrs. Murray, has resided for the past fourteen
years with her daughter. Mrs. Evers had
previously been married, and when she became the
wife of our subject was the widow of Joseph Roberts,
of Athens, Tenn. Two children were born of
her first marriage, and Lena, who is now in her
eighteenth year, is a student in Oswego College,
of Oswego, Kan. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Evers
have been born the following children: Charles
Edgar, Joseph Floyd, Harry, Bertie and Guy Ernest,
who all died in childhood. Those remaining
are Lena Evers, who is now seventeen years of
age, and John Clifford, a lad of fourteen.
Mr. Evers is the owner of a gypsum bed a half mile
from Dillon, covering from ten to twenty
acres of land. The deposit is from two to ten
feet deep, and lies quite near the surface. He
is an enterprising and successful business man,
and is one of the few that have succeeded in
sheep-raising. He has met with excellent prosperity,
and is now one of the wealthy citizens
of the community. In politics, he was first a
Democrat, afterward became a Republican, and
is now identified with the Prohibition party.
In 1890, he erected his elegant residence, one of
the finest country homes in Dickinson County.
He is a pleasant, genial gentleman, open-hearted
and hospitable, of generous nature, and a very
popular man. He has the high regard of all with
whom business or social relations have brought
him in contact, and Dickinson County recognizes
ill him one of her valued citizens.
The following facts in regard to the early settlement
and organization of Hope Township may
be of interest to the readers of this sketch: The
first house built in the township was built by A.
Klingberg on section C, township 16, range 3 east,
in 1870. The first child born in said township
was Martha Klingberg, in March, 1871. The first
election was held at Hiram Bardow's in November,
1871, when fourteen votes were cast.
Ridge Township was organized in 1872, and included
the territory of Ridge and Hope Townships.
The first township election was held in April,
1872, when fifty votes were polled. C. M. Teats
and A. L. Evers were elected Justices of the Peace;
Martin Pear, Trustee ; Mr. Chalmers, Clerk; Wesley
Swayzee, Treasurer; James Burton and G. P. Baird,
Constables. The first sermon preached in Hope
Township was preached by Rev. Mr. Estes at the
home of Frank Sawyers, section 4. The first death
was of a little daughter of D. Shortier, in the
spring of 1872.
The first school in Hope Township was taught by
Ledora Fry in a little log house on section 8. The
first Sabbath school was organized in the spring of
1872 by W. E. A. Meek, shortly after he arrived
here with the Tennessee colony. The first lawsuit
was A. Henquenet vs. G. P. Baird before A. L. Evers,
Justice of the Peace. The first marriage in Hope
Township was between Wesley Swayzee and Adell
Williams, September 29, 1872, the ceremony being
performed by A. L. Evers. The first schoolhouse
built in Hope Township was on section 8, district
45, and has always been called the Tennessee
Schoolhouse.
(c) 2009 Sheryl McClure for
Dickinson County KS AHGP