Benjamin Evans

Benjamin EVANS, born circa 1796-1798 in Virginia, was first found in Obion County in Jan. 1835 when he served as a juror. His oldest daughter, Mary Jane, was born in Tennessee 11 Aug. 1823 so Benjamin had been living elsewhere in Tennessee then. He was located in the 1830 Census of Williamson Co., having married there 07 Feb. 1882 to Elizabeth REID and they appeared in the 1830 Williamson Co. Census as:

2 Males	0-5 yrs.	1 Female	5-10 yrs.
1 Male	5-10 yrs.	1 Female	30-40 yrs.
1 Male	30-40 yrs.

Benjamin bought 50 acres on Houser Creek in Obion County from David THOMPSON 03 June 1836.

Benjamin was listed in the 1840 Census of Obion County, having had another daughter by then:

1 Male	5-10 yrs.	1 Female	5-10 yrs.
1 Male	10-15 yrs.	1 Female	15-20 yrs.
1 Male	15-20 yrs.	1 Female	40-50 yrs.
1 Male	40-50 yrs.

His first wife, Elizabeth, died before 05 Jan. 1843 when in Obion County, Benjamin married Mary BURFORD, who may have been a widow and they were listed still in District #1 of the 1850 Census with my great grandparents, Mary Jane EVANS and James Lowry PALMER, who had married 1842 in Obion County, living nearby:

EVANS	Benjamin	52	VA Farmer
.	Mary	40	KY
.	Elizabeth	16	TN
.	Anderson	15	TN Farmer
.	George	6	TN
.	Benjamn	4	TN
.	James	1	TN
TURNER	Osco	16	KY
.	Sarah	13	KY
BURFORD	Joseph	10	TN

Benjamin's second wife, Mary, died before 08 July 1860 when again in Obion County, Benjamin EVANS married his thired wife, a widow, Mrs. Sarah E. ( ? ) CALDWELL. Sarah had been married to Isaac W. CALDWELL, listed in the Obion County 1840, 1850 Census, had a daughter, Docia, born circa 1840 and a son, Wallace/Walter, born circa 1849. Benjamin and Sarah E. were in the 1860 Census soon after their marriage, again in 1870 and 1880.

Benjamin signed his will 20 July 1880 naming his beloved wife, Sarah E. EVANS, youngest son,James Madison EVANS, and among other of my children,@ Benjamin F. EVANS, John E. EVANS, Elizabeth L. CALDWELL and Mary PALMER. He added a codicil 31 Dec. 1884 revoking his legacy to his son Benjamin (Jr.) and naming Benjamin (Jr.)'s wife, Sallie E. EVANS as the legatee instead. The will was filed in the August term of court 1887 as Benjamin had died shortly before then, probably around the age of 86-88.

Meanwhile, Benjamin's beloved wife,Sarah E., who was born 28 Dec. 1816, died 17 Feb. 1884 and was buried in Harelson-Scott Cemetery in Union City where Benjamin's son, James Madison, who was born 06 Aug. 1848, died 11 Feb. 1890, was also buried.
Benjamin's will stated that: I gave Mary PALMER in her life time all of my estate that I desired her or her children to have. This was because Mary's husband, James Lowry PALMER later left Mary and her children and Benjamin had likely helped her financially when she needed it the most. Mary died 18 Aug 1877 before Benjamin signed his will.

E. H. Marshall in his History of Obion County, TN wrote that Jacob PALMER and family from North Carolina located in Union City in 1839 and settled upon the site which afterwards became school property. He obtained an option on 200 acres of land and built a log house, hewed from native timbers and chinked with clay, with two rooms 18 feet square and a passage between them, a stick and clay chimney at each end with immense fire places - the type of homes common with pioneers.

A Jacob PALMER, with children of comparable ages, was in the 1830 Census of Buncombe Co., NC listed next door to a James Lowry. Then Jacob was the only PALMER in the 1840 Census of Obion County and was listed as:

1 Male	0-5 yrs.	1 Female 15-20 yrs.
2 Males	5-10 yrs.	1 Female 40-50 yrs
2 Males	10-15 yrs.
1 Male	15-20 yrs.
3 Males	20-30 yrs.
1 Male	50-60 yrs.

Mr. Marshall also said that the first railroad station agent was Jacob M. PALMER. In the 1860 Census of Obion County, my great grandfather, James Lowry PALMER, who was probably a son of Jacob, listed his occupation as Railroad Agent.

James Lowry PALMER was born Jan. 1820 in North Carolina, married in Obion County 11 Jan. 1842 to Mary Jane EVANS, daughter of Benjamin EVANS.

Their children were: Robert A.; Henry Clay, b. c.1845; Elizabeth R., b 11 Dec 1848, 1/m. 26 Dec 1872 Samuel J. VEATCH, 2/m 03 Sep 1880 Eugene DILLIHUNT; Julius L., b. 26 Mar 1850, d. 23 Nov. 1887, m.04 Feb 1880 Rachel GREY; Mary Belle, m. 01 Dec 1868 J. W. SCOTT; James A., b. 29 Feb. c.1854,1m Fannie NEAL, 2m 16 Sep 1883 Ellen TANNER; Kate L.; Charles G., b. 26 Mar. 1859; George Beauregard (Gent), b.14 Apr 1861, d.25 Mar 1931, m.17 Sep 1883 Georgia Serena LUTON; Josephine S., b.07 Oct 1863, d.13 Jan 1913, m.22 Aug 1883 Nicholas Howard LUTON (brother of Georgia Serena) Sterling Price, b.11 Dec 1865, d.03 Mar 1953, 1m 11 Sep 1888 Mattie NEWCOMB, 2m 16 Dec 1902 Ruby Lee McWHERTER.

James Lowry PALMER posted various bonds for elected officials, became a Justice of the Peace resigning in Aug. 1862.

No Civil War record has been found for James Lowry PALMER but one descendant had what was said to have been his uniform and family tradition was that he served in the war transporting supplies to or from VA.

Obion County troops were apparently stationed for sometime in Columbus, KY. James Lowry PALMER abandoned his family soon after his youngest child, Sterling Price, was born in 1865. James Lowry later married circa 1877, probably after his first wife had died, a woman 25 years younger than he, Virginia HANCOCK from Columbus, KY. Family tradition was that they married somewhere enroute to Europe where both Virginia and James Lowry went to study music. They returned to live in Columbus, KY where James Lowry was a Police Judge, taught voice and Virginia taught music.

Virginia died between 1905-1908 and James Lowry PALMER returned to Union City to live with his daughter, Serena, who cared for him until his death, circa 1913. He is said to have been buried in Shady Grove Cemetery with a wooden marker.