Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-04-14
"FIGHTING BOB" EVANS.
He Was Born in The Little Town of
Floyd, Va.

He Was Born in the Little 1oWn OF
Floyd, Va.
FLOYD, VA. April 13.-(SpeciaL)-It is
perhaps not generally known that
Fighting Bob" Evans, who has sought
and found "the bubble reputation, even
at the lannon's mouth and who now,
with hating, though firm and determined,
trcads. walks the decks of the great bat
tleship Iowa, first saw the light Of day
on top Of the Blue Ridge in the little
town of Floyd, the county seat Of Floyd
county, but such is the truth of history.
DR. Samuel Andrew Jackson Evans moved
from Georgetown or Fairfax county, 10
this plact i'm the year 1871, and lived here
until 1856 dying I'm the city of Baltimore
in the early part Of that year, where he
had gone for medical treatment. About a
year after Or. Evans came here he mar
ricd Miss Sally Jackson, Of Fairfax coun-
ty. a sister of -- Jackson. who killed
Ellsworth at Alexandria at the beginning
of the war i'm 1851. Four children We're
the fruit Of this union-Nannie, Robly,
Sam, and Willie RObly was born In a.
house ON Main street, now a part Of Jetts
Hotel in the year 1916. DR.. Evans built
the first brick dwelling-house i'm town.
I
Pendleton. but sold IL about the time il
was completed and bought a large farm
on Little river. five miles from the court
house, to which he moved I'm 1917. where
! he lived with his family until he died. i'm
proving it greatly. and when he died it
was considered the finest farm I'm the
| county. and is still known as the 'Oll
| Evans place Mr.. Joseph Il. Purcell, of
| Richmond, afterwards owned this place,
and his family spent several summers in
/ it, While Dr. Evans lived I'm this county
! he practlced medicine, merchandised. and
/ farmed. When the Presbyterian church
/ was Organized az this place Or Evans
/ and his wife were Of the original mem
/ bers So Fighting Bob like many an
other hard fighter. sprang from Calvinis-
/ tic stock.
HIS EARLY BOYHOOD
on this farm. on the banks of Little
river. Robly grew up 10 be a boy 10 years
! old. He was q pupil at the old schoo
Kept by Mr.. Raley VI. Simmons. who is
yet living and well remembers 'Rob," as
he was called. and his sister Mamie Mr.
/ Simmons SAYS Mamie was his best anC
| most studious scholar. She grew up e
/ be a beautiful woman. and married Dr. i
! w. Hines, of Montgomery county. Rob
from what the boys who grew up witt
| him say, was always a fighter ready FOL
q fsticuff on the slightest provocation.
Dr. Evans left his estate heavily in
volyed I'm debt. and soon after his dealt
all Of his property, real and personal was
sold, and his family left homeless an,
pcnnless They lived for awhile on tn,
top Of Laurel Ridge, I'm this county, an,
then moved TO Fairfax county. Dr. Evan
was elected 10 the Legislature from thi
county I'm 1916. and served two years il
that capacity. Mrs. Evans afterward
married Captain Joel w. Pepper. O
Montgomery county. and came back u
that county where she died several year
ago. Robly got his appointment TO tn
Naval Academy. it is said, from the dele
gate I'm Congress from the Territory o
Utah. though the influence Of Judg
Henry W. Thomas. Of Fairfax, who mar
ried his mothers sister.
An true Virginians would, no doubt. b
much proudcr Of Fighting Bob If h
had received the wound that gives hin
his hating step in defending Fort Fisher
instead of I'm assaulting 10.