Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1888-12-13
DELAWARE AND CECIL
A KING STREET. BURGLAR BARELf
- ESCAPES DRATHs


Special CorrespondenceofG OF Gazette and Journa,
ELKroN, Dec. 6.-Hon- Alexande,
Evans, ex-member of Congress and well
known ss one of the ablest lawyers and
best read men in Maryland, died at hit
home in Elkton last night at 8.45 O'Clock
after an Illness Of several months OF
general debility.
Mr.. Evans great-grandfather, Robert
Evans, in 1880 purchased 800 acres of
land near CowsntoWn, In the Fourth dis
trict of Cecil county, and had a tan yard.
BE bequeathed the ton yard to his two
sons. The father Of the deceased was
DR.. Amos A. Evans, who attended Newark
Academy, and afterward read medicine
with Dr.. George E. Mitchell, father Of
DR.. I'll. III. Mitchell. DIR. Evans attended
the lectures Of the celebrated DR.. Rush,
signer OF the Declaration of Independ-
enoe. He became an assistant surgeon In
the United States navy, and was aboard
the Constitution during the celebrated
fight with the English ship Guerrsere.
He was afterwards deet surgeon wish
Commodore Bainbridgs, and cruised in
the Mediterranean during the war with
the Barbary states. DIR. Evans married
Miss Oliver Of Boston, in 1916. He died
in 1848, and his widow survived until
1881.
Alexander Evans was. their oldest child
and was about 20 years old at the time OF
his death. He read law and was ad-
| mitted TO the Cecil county bar early in
life. He was soon recognized as one of
the ablest lawyers in the state both in
criminal and civil practice. He was en-
gagged in several murder trials and was
one of the counsel for Swift, the only
white man hung in this county in cen-
tury.. In 1S47 he was nominated for
Congress by the Wing party. The dis.
trict was then composed Of Queen Anne's,
Cecil, Caroline, Kent and Hartford
counties. He had d majority in
each county, over his opponent, Judge
Richard b. Oarmichael, and carried
the district by 465. yotes. In I849 he
was reelected, defeating Mr.. Mngraw
by over 500 votes. He carried
every county but Caroline in which there
Was a tie vote. The contest for Congress
In 1867 was q memorable ono. Mr.. Evans
who was hgain nominated byt the w higs had
for hisopponent Hon. Hiram dCuliough,
iaiso Of this county. Mr.. Evans for the
first time failsd to carry Cecil County. He
had carried the county. in ls49 by 244
majority notwithstanding That the Wing
candidates for iegisistuse we're dofsated.
Mr.. Mccullough in 1887 had 81 majority
in Cecil county and also carried HGrford
county. Mr.. Evans carried Caroline,
Queen Anne's and Kent counties and was
elected by q majority of i48 in the dis
trict. He retired to private life after his
third term, and devoted his attention to
the practice of his profession. He was
strong Unionist during the war. In 1866
he was elected to the house of delegates
on the Democratic ticket. He was in
atrnmental in bringing about the consti-
tuition of 1867.
Mr.. Evans was considered one OF the
best informed men IN the State. He had
o library Of several thousand volumes.
BE was one of the counsel for the Phila-
delphis, Wilmington & Baltimore rail-
road. He leaves widow and one son,
Alexander Evans, Jr., of this place. He
also leaves brother and sister, the
former, Colonel Andrew Wallace Evans,
O. S. A., retired, and who resides in
Elkton.