An Illustrated History of Central Oregon, Western Historical Publishing Company,
Spokane, WA. 1905, pages 388-389.

LEANDER EVANS, one of the prominent fruit raisers of Wasco county, resides about
a mile southeast from Mosier. He owns one hundred and seventy five acres on the
home place, most of which is tillable and he has an orchard of about thirty
acres. Last year, he shipped something over three thousand boxes of fruit and
this year will probably dispose of over five thousand. In addition, Mr. Evans
has a fine fruit drier, with a capacity of five thousand pounds per day and he
ships many tons of dried prunes and apples.      

Leander Evans was born in Bloomington, Illinois, on November 6, 1849. His
father, Samuel Evans, was a native of Ohio and was brought by his parents to
Illinois when three years of age. They were also born in Licking county, Ohio.
His father, the grandfather of our subject, laid out the city of Bloomington on
his homestead and died there in 1869. He was a man of strong character and noted
for his charity and public spirit. For many years, he was very wealthy but met
with reverses late in life. He died when ninety-three years of age. The father
of our subject came to this vicinity in 1898 and died in 1900. He had married
Evaline King, a native of Illinois. Her father was born in Wales and her mother
in England. She died here in 1901. After completing the high school in
Bloomington, our subject was about to enter the normal school but was deterred
on account of ill health. He went with his parents to Missouri and farmed for
seven years, then he moved to Kansas where the parents remained until they
joined our subject here in the west. He came with his family and one brother
here about 1887 and homesteaded the place where he now resides.      

On May 16, 1875, in Cowley county, Kansas, Mr. Evans married Miss Mary E.
Swasey, who was born in Clark county, Missouri. Her father, George C. Swasey,
was born in New York and his family was prominent for many years there.      

Mr. Evans has five brothers, William H., Ira D., George F., Samuel E. and Oscar.
He also has four sisters, Calista Depew, Mary E. Hunter, Louisa Graham, and
Lillie E. Johnson. Mrs. Evans has one child. Two children have been born to our
subject and his wife, Frederic E., a graduate of the Philomath college in 1903
and married to Carrie Gray, the daughter of H.J. Gray; George C., who received
his education in the high school at Hood River and married Elva Coyle, mentioned
elsewhere in this work. He is now living on the farm adjoining that of our
subject.      

Mr. and Mrs. Evans are members of the Methodist church as are also their sons.
Politically, Mr. Evans is a Democrat but not active. He is well informed on the
issues and questions of the day and keenly alive to the interests of education.
Mr. Evans is one of the wealthy men of the country, having secured a fine
holding by virtue of his skill and industry while also he has stimulated many to
meritorious labor which has resulted in great good to this part of the state.

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in January 2005 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. 
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.