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RICHARD EVANS ATTAINS HIS GREATEST AMBITIONWintersville Farmer-Poet Celebrates Century Milestone of Life—Pertinent Views on Modern Issues—Says Hoover Must Save America(From Pege One) attest to his love of the written*’heat Held word. Some of the papers are yellowed with age. Others bear more recent date lines. Daily and Sunday papers from England, local newspapers, issues of eastern publications—ail have part in his library.Murder and mystery stories are the favorite portions of a newspaper to Mr. Evans. His preference is readily explained when one learns that the veteran unravels his mysteries long before the-author, and usually has the murderer spotted, He’s a good loser, too, and doesn't mind when someone else is proven guilty. But the game does give him something to do.Not that Richard Evans is one of the world's unfortunates who can’t ba at peace doing just nothing,His life has been too full for that When his eyes tire with reading, and his ears with straining for sounds from the street, lie lies back in bed and lets his memory carry him to the years when he was just a child like other children, without any thought of living to be a hundred.Stage-Coach BuilderHo was born in Montgomery,England, where his father was a builder of stage-coaches. In 1858 Richard Evans came to America with his wife and two children and settled on a small farm in Wintersville, later moving to what is now the Brandfass farm which he sold eight years ago to its present owners,Shortly after his arrival here he was visited by tragedy, his wife and children dying of scarlet fever within a few weeks of each other,His second wife was Harriet Warren of Wintersville. She preceded him in death a number of years ago, leaving two daughters, Mrs.Anna Morton, 62, of Amsterdam, and Miss Hannah Evans, 58, who makes her home with her father.The centenarian has also two sisters, 87 and ,t)2, living in England.Steubenville’s population was only 5,000 when Richard Evans came here. No bridges spanned the Ohio river. Three ferry-boats cared for the river passengers.Only a few stores dotted Market street, The greatest industry in Jefferson county was farming and farmers supplied both Steubenville stores and homes.Learns Butcher Trade In his earlier years here, before ving his farm at Wintersville,Evans learned the butcher trade by working for * brother-in-law.He recalls that all butchers did their business in the old market house, when the price of cattle was two cents a pound; hogs 2 1-2 cents a pound and choice cuts of me.ats retailed at 8 to 10 cents a pound, Evans is today the only living person who had a stall in the old market house.“It’s seems like only a few days since Steubenville was a-thechanges hare been remarkable,'’ the centenarian sums up his reminiscences.Although he has kept la touch with all iho more recent developments in science and Industry through the medium of newspapers, the veteran has no desire to go out into the world again. Neither docs he sigh for his lost youth. He’s content to ait back and watch the parade of destiny with the complacency of age that has tasted of life and found it not only good, but satisfying.Scorns Auto. Talkies Ho Is interested in aviation. Much more than that. He was never in an automobile and has never had any desire to drive a machine. He would go up in a piano if someone would tRke him, he states. He hns no use for movies. Believes they put bad notions in young peoples’ heads.” He admits never having visited one.But it’s talk of hi3 past that Is most Interesting to the aged musician. Days when he gavo organ recitals, among the first ever given in Steubenville, He recalls that he organized the first brass band In the district, playing Hie fife, coronet, flutes and drum. He was also skUled in playing the tnelodian.His ability to play the fife caused him to be taken out of the regular army during the Civil war and placed in the company band as a flfer. He was the only man In the Steubenville district who could play a fife.Composer of Bongs Still It wasn’t only as a musician that Evans was well known He was song composer of no mean ability and an exception ally gifted poet. It is to be feared that his farm suffered when the farmer turned to composing the poems and writing the songs that the Ohio boys sang on their way to victory in the Civil war. His poems too were published by many of the leading periodicals of that day.It is not surprising then, In view of his activities in his youth, that today, the centenarian, despite hia 1(10 years, retains not only a comprehensive and intelligent knowledge of world events, but is able to discuss them and his beliefs with a clarity of thought and sagacity that speaks volumes for the unquenchable spirit that still lives la the aged and practically helpless body. •Itecipe For Long Life To regular hours, a sense of humor, and the will power to leave the table while still hungry does Richard Evans attribute his longevity. But he doesn't tell others to follow his example.What was good for me. was good tor me,” he will tell you. Life has brought tho centenarian, an unquestioning and unshakable faith In hia Ood. If American were to think as muchof Him as 1 do. we'd have a better country,’’ lie declares.For Evans ’is of the opinion that disobedience to the laws of the nation and the laws of God is making the world worse. He believes that education will prove America’s salvation together with the fact that human nature is unchanged and the good and bad must moot in the melting pot of life.''Sees Hoover As Savior Religion and politics march hand In hand for the veteran. He says of the Hoover administration :I am the oldest member of St. Paul's Episcopal church. 1 naturally believe in the Gloria Patri—-the Trinity 0f the Father. Son and Holy Ghost. I look on Mr. Hoover as tlie Holy Ghost in the salvation of America from the crime wave which Is sweeping over it. George Washington was the Father of America In the Trinity of salvation and Abraham Lincoln the Son.”I look to Hoover to save the American nation. It' he can’t save her, no one can.Of prohibition, the patriarchsays: T believe prohibition hasbeen the greatest set-back America baa ever sutiered. It Is prohibition that Is HHing our Jails and penitentiaries. I believe in a man being able to take his glass of beer when he is so inclined.” Voted for ProhibitionMr. Evans cast his vote In favor of Prohibition bark in 1918. He explains his vote with the statement that at that time he believed prohibition would he a good thing.A question on the Far® Relief measure brought a thoughtful answer:Only supply and demand can determine tho fnle of the farmer in this country and regulate the farm problem.And England's political situation he describes with: When I was a boy, capitalism led labor by the nose. Now labor is leading capitalism by the nnse. The capitalists in England haven't accomplished anything for years.Those are Richard Evans' opinions. They are uttered by a man at peace with the world—a man who in his quiet country home, is not unlike that home. For besita A the side of life's highway, watching Its feverish aetlvlty* with a calm mind and spirit.He has welcomes th* twilight of existence with Its balm to the tired soul of man. To him there is no regret in the knowledge that at the most, a few years will carry him to that hereafter on whose threshold he now so gently treads.He has lived to the 'full the life allotted him. And he’a ready, when his time comes, to welcome the summons that win solve for him the great mystery.
Newspaper Details
Steubenville Herald Star
Steubenville, Ohio, US
Wed, Jun 19, 1929
Page 24
Full Page
Clipped by
Public L.
OH, USA 02 Feb 2024
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