Civil War Veterans Buried In Washington State - Stephen Evans

8^th KENTUCKY VOLUNTEER CAVALRY
Organized: August/September, 1862
Mustered In:
9/8/62 (1^st Battalion) Henderson, KY
913/62 (2^nd & 3^rd Battalions) Russellville, KY
Mustered Out: 9/23/63 Russellville, KY

REGIMENTAL HISTORY: 

The 8^th was a one year western theater regiment. The 1^st battalion was raised in Henderson, Daviess and adjoining counties. The 2^nd was raised in Logan and adjacent counties. The 3^rd was raised at Lebanon in Marion County. The entire unit was recruited and organized within three weeks.
 

Initial contact with the enemy for the 8^th occurred when the 1^st battalion attacked and dispersed Rebel forces at Geiger's Lake. In November this third of the regiment moved from Henderson County to Bowling Green in Bowling Green County. During this march Rebel guerillas made a night attack on the Federal camp, but the 8^th suffered no losses.
 

From Bowling Green two companies of the unit went on a scout into Tennessee. There, 100 foraging Confederates were captured.
 

The principal service of the 8^th was its participation in the pursuit and capture of John Hunt Morgan and the Rebel force under his command. After Morgan's apprehension the regiment returned to Russellville. There, after a year of continuous activity, it was mustered into history.
 

REGIMENTAL LOSSES:

 Officers Killed Or Mortally Wounded: 1; Officers Died Of Disease, Accidents, Etc.: 4; Enlisted Men Killed Or Mortally Wounded: 8; Enlisted Men Died Of Disease, Accidents, Etc.:  104.

SOLDIER:
Residence: Inf. Not Avail.   Age: ca. 23 yrs.
Enlisted/Enrolled: 7/28/62 Russellville, KY   Rank: Sgt.
Mustered In: 9/8/62 Henderson, KY
Mustered Out: 9/17/63 Lebanon, KY
Highest Rank: Sgt.
Rank At Discharge: Sgt.

PERSONAL/FAMILY HISTORY:
 

NOTE: The following birth - to - death biographical profile was completed in August, 2020. It is less detailed than many biographies within this website. The reason for the shortness is that, because of the Corvid 19 medical pandemic, the National Archives in Washington, D.C. was closed. Veteran-related military, pension, homestead and related files were not accessible. On a later date those files will be requested and the material found therein added to this veteran's life story.
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Stephen Madison Evans was born in the month of March. Both 1838 and 1839 appear in U.S. Census data as his birth year.  Because the latter is more predominant, it is that year that has been adopted herein. No specific birth date has been found. 

Parents of Stephen were Carter Henry (b. 6/28/12 TN - d. 1880 Scott Co., IL) and Melinda "Manda" J. (nee Rhodes b. 11/14/17 KY - d. 1905 Cass Co., MO) Evans. The Evans family was a farming family. 
 

In comparison to the size of other mid-19^th century farm families the Evans clan was relatively small. Stephen had two younger siblings: David Evans (b. 1840 Casey Co., KY - d. unk.) and Drury Sampson Evans (b. 6/28/41 Clinton Co., KY - d. 4/26/28 MO*). Interestingly, in 1900 eighty three year old Melinda Evans would report in that year's census that she had birthed only two children, both of whom were living.
 

The U.S. Census of 1860 found Carter Evans and family farming in Liberty Dist.2 Casey Co., KY. At that time. Stephen was still residing under his parents’ roof.
 

The next information about Stephen's life comes from 3/12/62. It was on that date that, in Liberty Casey Co., Kentucky that Stephen married. His bride was Elizabeth Henson (b. 3/25/41 Casey Co., KY). The young couple then set up their household in Casey County.
 

Based on available documentation Stephen and Elizabeth produced twelve children: Stephen Henry (b. 1/20/62 Casey Co., KY), Isaac Newton (b. 8/3/64 Casey Co., KY), Josephine "Josie" Ann (b. 10/9/66 KY), Mariah Nettie (b. 12/30/68 IL), Carter Luther (b. 5/2/71 Boyle Co., KY), Joseph Spillman (b. 4/6/73 Ft. Bend, TX), Malinda Francis (b. 2/18/75  MO - d. 3/3/75 MO), Mary J. (b. 3/25/76 MO - d. 5/10/76 MO), Robert Madison (b. 11/5/78 Howell Co., MO), Drury Samson (b. 5/4/81 MO) and Eva Lena "Evalen/Evalin" (b. 5/4/83 Greene Co., MO).
 

A scant few months after his marriage Stephen left his wife and young son to join the army. His unit and regiment was Co. "M" of the 8^th Kentucky (Union) Cavalry. Interestingly, Stephen enlisted as a sergeant rather than a private.  Why was that? Did he have prior military experience? In the U.S. Census of 1910 which also served as a Civil War veterans tally, Stephen listed his service affiliation as "Confederate Army." Was this a misprint? If not his unit affiliation has not been found in available databases............The 1910 notation aside, perhaps the sergeant rank was based on his age. Stephen was older than the average (27.5 yrs.) American Civil War combatant.
 

Until his military service records are accessed, all we really know about Sergeant Evans' period of enlistment is that he survived The War and returned to civilian life.
 

Looking at the birth states of the Evans children we get a sense of where the family resided. From 1862 until ca. 1867 (Stephen, Isaac, Josie) they were in Kentucky. During this period on 3/28/67 in Casey Co. Stephen was granted the patent (deed) to 100 acres of farmland Likely, this was a homestead tract.
 

By the end of 1868 (Nettie) the Evans clan was in Illinois. The census of 1870 noted their Illinois address as Scott County.
 

 As of spring, 1871 Luther) the Evans family was back in Kentucky. However, by spring 1873 (Joseph) they were in Texas.

By early 1875 (Malinda) the family was in Missouri. Within Missouri three residential locations are mentioned: Jackson Polk Co. (1880 & 1900 census), Howell Co. (Robert M.) and Greene Co. (Evalen/Evalin).

Elizabeth died on 3/26/93 in Turkey Creek Polk County, MO. No details are available pertaining to her passing. She was/is buried in Polk County’s Turkey Creek Cemetery.

  It appears Stephen remained in Missouri until some point in time between 1900 - when he was in Jackson Polk Co., MO - and 1910 when he was in Edmonds Snohomish Co., WA.

Exactly what had drawn Stephen to the Puget Sound region of Washington State is not known. Also not known is when he arrived here. In the 1910 Edmonds census Stephen noted his occupation being "rancher."
 

Stephen died in Edmond Snohomish County, WA. The date of his passing was 2/20/19. He was/is buried in the Edmonds Memorial Cemetery.
*****************************************************************************************During the American Civil War Drury served in Co. "C" of the 1^st Arkansas (Union) Cavalry. He survived the conflict.

Buried at Edmonds Memorial Cemetery