Thomas Evans papers

Thomas Evans was born on February 23rd, 1798 in Philadelphia to Jonathan Evans, Jr. and Hannah Bacon. He was a descendant in the third generation of the Gwynedd group of settlers in Pennsylvania. The Evans family resided in Philadelphia and the seven children were reared in the traditions of the Society of Friends. Evans was educated at the Academy at 4th and Chestnut Streets in Philadelphia. By 1819, he established himself as a druggist at 3rd and Spruce Streets in Philadelphia and in 1834 Evans married Catharine Wistar (d. 1871), the daughter of John and Charlotte Wistar of Salem, New Jersey. During Evans’ early adulthood (1820-1835) there occurred several heated religious controversies in the Society of Friends. In 1827 the great schism in the Society of Friends reached its apex. On reflection in later years he characterized the separation as the “most mournful controversy that ever divided a once united people.” The Orthodox movement schismed again in 1842 to form the Gurneyite and Wilburite branches of the Quaker faith. After the Orthodox-Hicksite schism Evans worked as a minister, author and publisher supporting ideas of the Orthdox Quaker movement. Evans, with others, also helped found Haverford College, a Quaker college. Haverford College was founded by members of the Orthodox Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. Evans was one of the first managers of the college. Evans also helped manage estates and took on various responsibilities in the Philadelphia Quaker community. He communicated with many like-minded Quakers through the schisms and helped pass on information from the Northeast to the South and Midwest, as well as to and from Quakers in England. In 1837, Evans embarked by steamer to Charleston, South Carolina to look after some property owned by the Society of Friends. During the trip a violent storm struck the ship and Evans injured his spine, never entirely recovering. During the winter of 1867-1868 he took ill and by early spring was entirely confined to his room. Thomas Evans died on May 25th, 1868 in Philadelphia at the age of 70.