Kraus-Everette Genealogy

Kraus Family History

 (last update 19 Aug 2006)

Second Generation

[ WILLIAM T.1]

Children of William T. and Martha Evans

Daniel J. Evans1. Daniel John 'DJ' Evans [1913] was born in Laleston Parish, Glamorgan County, Wales on 23 July 1849. In the 1850s he migrated with his parents Laleston to Trehafod, Llanwonno Parish, Glamorgan County, Wales; a hamlet about 5 miles from Pontypridd. His mother died before 1868. He married Jeanette Jones in Sardis Independents Chapel, Pontypridd, Llanwonno Parish, Glamorgan County, Wales on 23 November 1868. Jeannette was born in Wales on 14 August 1853, the daughter of David Jones. At the time of the marriage Daniel lived in Trehafod and worked as a coal miner. Jeannette lived in Hopkinstown, Llanwonno Parish, Glamorgan County, Wales; another of hamlet about 2 miles from Pontypridd. Daniel and Jeannette married the day before leaving Pontypridd with  his father, brother and sisters, to set sail for America. Family lore states that Jeannette's brothers had come to America earlier.

Upon arrival they settled in Summit County, Indiana. Daniel continued his work as a coal miner and their first child, Gomer, was born there in 1870. They soon settled about 20 miles south in  Doylestown, Wayne County, Ohio, just south of Akron. Daniel's father, brothers and sisters migrated to Johnson County, Arkansas, arriving 21 February 1878. Daniel, Jeannette and sister Mary Ann Evans remained in Ohio until after June 1880. In 1880 Daniel worked as a music teacher in Doylestown, Ohio. By 1883 Daniel moved his family to Clarksville. The first Educational Association organized in the state of Arkansas was organized in Clarksville, 12 April 1869, and was incorporated on 23 February 1881. Perhaps this presented the perfect opportunity for Daniel to make a major change of careers. He was an accomplished musical director and singer, talents probably developed in the Pontypridd Choral Society in Pontypridd. Male choirs in the Rhondda Valley, made up primarily of coal miners, have a long tradition in South Wales; producing a number of world renown singers including opera stars Sir Geraint Evans and Stuart Burrows and popular stars Gillian Humphreys, Beverly Humphries, Tom Jones, Iris Williams and others. Daniel is credited with introducing music into the curriculum of the Clarksville school system and was the music director of the Clarksville Choral Society in 1883. The incorporation of the Clarksville Education Association and the liberal educational atmosphere it represented was just the catalyst to launch Daniel's career in education and the arts. He didn't remain long in Clarksville before moving his family to Bonham, Fannin County, Texas were he accepted a teaching position at nearby Grayson College in Whiteworth, Grayson County, Texas. While there he performed in a very popular quartet composed of himself, Jesse Smith, Olvin Gross and Lynwood Massey. Sometime after 1893 he migrated to Little Rock, Pulaski County, the capital city of Arkansas, to accept a position of Supervisor for Music for the Little Rock public school system. He is said to have dyed his hair and beard in order to work well past retirement age. He also served as the choir director at the Ashbury Methodist church in Little Rock. While in Little Rock they lived at 1126 Summit Avenue.

Daniel died at his summer home in Newaygo, Michigan 12 July 1922, eleven days before his 73rd birthday. Jeannette attempted to live there alone for some time but was persuaded to move in with her daughter Gwennie in Skellytown, Carson County, Texas, northeast of Amarillo where she died 25 May 1931 at the age of 77. Both Daniel and Jeanette are buried in Oakland Cemetery in Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas. They have very large markers inscribed with "Born in South Wales." Daniel's brother Joseph and his wife Susanna Griffiths have identical markers. There are identical markers in the James plot located adjacent the Evans plot.

Children of Daniel and Jeannette were:

  1. Gomer Evans, born 1870, Summit County, Ohio; died before 1880.

  2. Idris William Evans, born 20 October 1871; died 17 December 1938.

  3. Gwennie Evans, born about 1874, Ohio, died 1958, Eastland, Eastland County, Texas.

  4. Gomer Dave Evans, born about 1876, Ohio; married Florence Blanch Hughes

  5. Gwylim 'Guy' Evans, born. between 1880 and 1887.

  6. Martha Evans, born between 1880 and 1887.

  7. Llewallen Evans, born between 1880 and 1887.

  8. Jeannette Evans, born 1 January 1887; died 11 October 1888.

Bibliography

Joseph Evans2. Joseph Evans [1346] was born in Wales on 6 August 1852. His mother died before 1869. He immigrated to the U.S. from Wales with his father, brother and sisters in November 1869. The family settled in Akron, Summit County, Ohio. He married Susanna Griffiths in 1 July 1875 in nearby Clinton, Pennsylvania. Susanna was born in Wales 7 June 1857, the daughter of Thomas and Ann Elizabeth Griffiths. There is some confusion in the record regarding her immigration date. The 1900 census indicates 1856 while the 1910 and 1920 censuses indicate 1869, the same year as Joseph. If 1869 is the correct data then it is possible that her family immigrated with the Evans family. She was naturalized in 1875. They migrated with his father, brother and sisters to Johnson County, Arkansas, arriving on 21 February 1878. Joseph was a stone mason, brick-layer and cement worker of some note. Apparently his reasonable prices and quality work created a high demand for his services. He was a member of the Clarksville Choral Society. He and his wife attended the First Baptist Church in Clarksville, of which his father was a Deacon and charter member. They lived on Rogers Street in Clarksville but everyone referred to it as Evans Street. 

Joseph died of pneumonia 21 July 1919 in Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas. He was working on the house of his daughter Maude when he became ill. Susanna stayed in Clarksville until her death on 15 November 1925. They were both buried in Oakland Cemetery in Clarksville and have very large markers inscribed with "Born in South Wales." These markers are identical to those of Joseph's brother Daniel and his wife Jeannette Jones. The following appeared in the Clarksville Democrat newspaper...

March 13th, 1913 - Local Mention

"Mrs. Joseph Evans has been quite sick this week"

May 8th, 1913 - Local Mention
"Joseph Evans and wife and Joe Evans Harris returned Sunday from a visit with Mrs. W. N. Cunningham at Russellville."

May 22nd, 1913 - Local Mention
"Mrs. Joseph Evans returned from Russellville Monday where she was spending a few days with her daughter, Mrs. W. N. Cunningham."

June 19th, 1913 - Local Mention
"Joe and Susie Cunningham of Russellville are visiting their grandparents Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Evans."

June 26th, 1913 - Local Mention
"Mr. and Mrs. Joe Evans left Tuesday for the east where they will attend an International Welch singing contest at Philadelphia."

Children of Joseph Evans and Susanna Griffiths were:

  1. Mary J. Evans, born 15 October 1877, Doyleston, Wayne County, Ohio; died 22 April 1936; married Wiley Lee Harris, 15 October 1901, Johnson County, Arkansas; born 29 February 1876, Arkansas; died 16 July 1939.

  2. Elizabeth T. Evans, born 15 April 1881, Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas; died 15 November 1965; married William N. Cunningham on 12 June 1902 in Johnson County, Arkansas; born 22 July 1879, Arkansas; died 16 February 1861. Both buried in Oakland Cemetery, Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas.

  3. Martha Ann Evans, born 10 January 1884, Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas; died 15 January 1961; married Charles L. Moore, 25 April 1906 in Johnson County, Arkansas; born 21 August 1881; died 11 March 1952.

  4. Maude G. Evans, born 4 January 1891, Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas; died September 1983 in San Antonio, Texas; married Gordon W. Marlar, 16 November 1910, Johnson County, Arkansas; born 08 February 1897; died 25 November 1934. Gordon is buried in Oakland Cemetery, Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas.

  5. David Evans.

  6. Jeannette Evans.

Bibliography

Research Notes. When searching for Susannah's relatives in Wales, the surname may be the Welsh Gruffyd.

Mary Ann Evans3. Mary Ann Evans [5940] Mary was born in Wales about 1856, the daughter of William T. Evans. She immigrated to the U.S. with her father, William, and brothers and sisters in late 1869. She married William Edris 'Ed' Morgan in 1872 in Ohio. He was born May 1848 in Wales and  immigrated to America with his parents in 1869, the same year that Mary and her family made the journey. It is possible that they came together. He was a collier (coal miner). About 1875 they left Ohio and settled in Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa. By 1900 Mary had been naturalized but he had not. They had as many as twelve children; One of these, William 'Willie' was named in Mary's father's will in 1893; two died before 1910.

 

Children of Mary Evans and Ed Morgan are:

  1. Andrew Henry Morgan, born Jan 1873, Summit County, Ohio.

  2. + Edris J. 'Eddie' Morgan, born 17 Jn 1875, Summit County, Ohio; died between 1918 and 1930, probably in Stanley County, South Dakota; married Velda McBurney, daughter of Solomon H. McBurney; born March 1878, Iowa.

  3. William 'Willie' Morgan, born about 1876, Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa.

  4. + Daniel B. Morgan, born October 1879, Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa; married Mary D. 'Mollie' [last name unknown] about 1908, Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa.

  5. Joseph Morgan, born September 1883, Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa.

  6. Luther? Morgan, born October 1885, Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa.

  7. Jesse M. Morgan, born May 1888, Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa.

  8. Ralph Morgan, born September 1891, Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa.

  9. + Clarence Wallace Morgan, born 20 October 1893, Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa; died before 1930.

  10. Mildred Morgan, born October 1895, Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa.

  11. Gwennie Morgan, born April 1898, Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa; died before 1910, Des Moines, Polk County, Ohio.

Bibliography

4. Amelia Evans [1345] was born in Wales about 1858, the daughter of William T. Evans. Amelia immigrated from Wales to Doylestown, Wayne County, Ohio with her father, brother and sisters in late 1869. The family migrated to Johnson County, Arkansas in February 1878. In 1880, at the age of 22, Amelia was not married and was living with her father in the home of her brother Joseph. Nothing is known of the remainder of Amelia's life other than she married a man with the last name Brunt, before September 1890. She was mentioned in her father's will in 1893 and at that time had no son.


Bibliography

5. Gwennie S. Evans [934] was born in Wales on 8 July 1862, the daughter of William T. Evans. Gwennie is most likely a nickname of one of the more formal Welsh names beginning with Gwen ("white, fair"). She immigrated to the U.S. with her father, brothers and sisters at the age of seven in late 1869. The family settled in Doylestown, Wayne County, Ohio and then migrated to Johnson County, Arkansas when Gwennie was sixteen years old. In 1880 she was living her father in the home of her brother Joseph. There she met Edward "Ed" Kraus whom she married about 1885. Ed was born 23 October 1859 in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, the son of George W. Kraus and Mary Ann House. He built a brick factory in the Spadra township of Johnson County. All the children of Gwennie and Ed were born in Johnson County, Arkansas. Edward died 13 April 1906 and Gwennie died 3 years later 19 March 1909. They are both buried in Oakland Cemetery in Clarksville, Arkansas and have very large grave markers erected by the Woodmen of the World. Edward's marker bears the inscription  "God's hand touched him and he slept, a loving husband, a father dear, a faithful friend, he's buried here."

Children are listed under Edward Joseph Kraus.

Bibliography:


Copyright ©1998-2006 Larry Kraus - all rights reserved. www.ancestry.larkcom.org