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- CAPT. EVANDER EVANS
Capt. Evans was born in 1820, at Westcock, where the Evans family have lived since the early settlement of the country; his father being Wm. Evans, and the family homestead being the farm later owned by Mr. George Ogsett. William Evans’ father’s name was Isaac Evans: he was a native of Wales, and was for many years ferryman between Westcock and Westmorland Point, at a period before highways can be said to have existed, and when communication was more sure and speedy by boats along our shores and up and down our rivers. On a voyage to Saint John in a schooner, the vessel sank during a violent storm off Partridge Island and he with his whole crew was drowned. The brothers of Capt. Evans were James Isaac, residing at Shediac, Edwin G. living at San Jose, California, and he had one sister, the wife of Marcus Trueman, Esq. formerly of Sackville, a wealthy resident of San Jose, California.
Capt. Evans was one of the pioneers as well as one of the best known steam-boat men in Canada. In 1856, he took command of the steamer "Westmorland" a vessel built by the late Christopher Boultenhouse of this place, for the Bay of Fundy service. Previous to this he had seen considerable service: he was first officer, in her last days of the old "Maid of Erin" whose bones lay off Grand Aunce shore. The steamer "Westmorland", after running between Saint John and Sackville for a couple of years, was transferred to the Shediac-Summerside service, where she became mail boat. Here she remained until about 1862, under command of Capt. Evans, when she was sold to the United States government as a transport to be used in the war against the Southern Confederacy. Capt. Evans then took command, first of the steamer "Princess" and then of the "St. Lawrence" of the P.E.I. Steam Navigation Company from which he retired in 1886. During his active life, Capt. Evans had been steam boating with P. E. Island developing from small beginnings, employing but one vessel, to large proportions, keeping quite a number of steam vessels busy, either for local service or for the mainland, or for distant ports -- Halifax, Boston, etc. When the steamer "Westmorland" was first employed, there were not wanting many croakers amongst the leading business men, who predicted nothing but disaster for so rash an enterprise.
Capt. Evans was widely known and wherever known was greatly respected. He was a popular commander and no man in the business, probably, ever gained so completely the confidence of the travelling public. He conducted his hazardous business with such good judgment and such caution and care, that during the whole course of his life, he was never met with any serious accident, or with loss of life. Few men could show a more successful and honorable career. He married Mary E., daughter of the late Thomas R. Lyons of Sackville, who came from Cornwallis, N.S.
Captain Evans left a wife and family of seven daughters.
The funeral services were performed by Rev. W. P. Hall of the Baptist Church, assisted by the Rev. Dr. Burwash, Rev. B. C. Borden and Rev. Mr. Lavers.
Two brothers of Capt. Evans, Edwin and Henry, fought for the North in the American Civil War. The latter, Corporal Henry A. Evans died from wounds in the Military Hospital at Washington and was brought home and buried in the old cemetery at Westcock.
Capt. Evans was a son of William Evans, who was a son of Isaac Evans. His mother was Lois Estabrooks, a daughter of William Estabrooks, who was a son of James Estabrooks (Squire Jim) the first Sackville man to become a member of the local House of Parliament.
James Estabrooks was a son of Valentine Estabrooks who came from Rhode Island to Sackville in 1761, and his monument is the oldest standing in the old Four Corner Cemetery. He died October 23, 1770 in his 48th year.
Both Capt. Evans’ father and mother, William Evans and Lois Estabrooks died when he was a very young man. His only son, Ernest E., died when a lad of ten years of age, and there were seven daughters: Emma (Mrs. Captain Purdy) who died in 1908; Lois A. (Mrs. W. A. Russell); Grace (Mrs. Captain Charles Moore); Minnie (Mrs. R. C. Tait) who died in 1927; Annette (Mrs. F. J. Robidoux); Margaret and Gertrude Evans. The five daughters all reside in Shediac, New Brunswick.
Mary E. Lyons, was of United Empire Loyal descent, daughter of Thomas Ratchford Lyons, who came from Cornwallis to Sackville. Capt. David Lyons of Sackville, who died at Benin on the African coast, was a half brother. Captain James Lyons, who was killed in Saint John, by falling from his ship, was her own brother. Captain Rufus and Henry Lyons were sons of Captain David Lyons.
Hon. Sanford Bates, Federal Commissioner of Correction for U.S.A. is a grand nephew, being a grandson of her sister, the former Lucinda Lyons of Sackville. (Source: History of Sackville, New Brunswick, by Dr. William Cochran Miller, 1846-1939).
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