Person:John Eves (1)

Will written 4/30/1800 in Northumberland Co. Pa. Read 7/12/1802. Names wife, Elizabeth and children, Thomas, John, Joseph, William, Chandlee, Andrew, Edith, Elizabeth, Sarah, Mary, Priscilla and Ann.

"History of the EVES Family" by Miss Jesse Marie Eves - 1936 - W.P.A. Project No. 5175 (Pages 1, 2, 49, 50 & 53) Died at age 82 yr 5 mo (This date would make him born 1 Feb 1720, but most records have his birthdate as 25 Sep 1726. If 1726 is correct then he would have been 75 yrs, 9 months and 6 days old when he died.)

John Eves a Irish Friend (Quaker) moved to America about 1738. John Eves purchased land from Reuben Haines a brewer in Philadelphia, PA. John Eves left the Quaker community at Mill Creek Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware to settle in the Townships of Greenwood & Madison in Columbia County, PA on 1,200 acres of land around Little Fishing Creek. This land was secured with a deed dated Nov. 29, 1774. They built a cabin on the West bank of the Little Fishing Creek. In 1778 a warning was given by the friendly Indians of the terrible Wyoming Massacre. The family at once loaded wagons and fled by way of Washingtonville, where a stockade was standing and thence returned to their former home in Delaware. They did not return until 1785 and then found their home in ashes and their fields overgrown with bushes.

The fame of the Millville Wagons made by John Eves and his son Charles Eves has gone all over the State and enabled the firm to build a factory in the town that employes twelve persons. An 18 horse power turbine operates the machinery.

"Eves Family" Compiled by Charles Eves 1867-1946 Millville, PA (Page 50) John & Edith Eves have grave stones along the left side of the upper path and in the third row in the Friends graveyard at Millville, PA.

Record of Millville Quaker Cemetery by B. J. (Bartlow) Wilkins 1251 Salwat Ave. SW -North Canton, OH 447209 and Records of two Quaker Cemeteries 1949 by Mrs. W. Wallace Smith , NGS and son, Robert Dent Smith - Tombstone Record - Greenwood Meeting Graveyard - Greenwood Township, Columbia County, PA - Second Page - John Eves 82y - 1802 - Second Page - Edith Y. Eves 83y - 1818

HISTORY: The Millville Friends Meeting House sign reads: John EVES the founder of Millville, gave an indenture or lease to a committee who were going to establish a meeting and building a meeting house. The 999 year lease stipulated rent of one peppercorn yearly, if demanded.

HISTORY: John EVES, the ancestor of the Columbia County family of that name, was one of the earliest settlers in the valley of Fishing Creek. He immigrated thither from Mill Creek Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware and located on a tract of 1200 acres in the townships of Greenwood and Madison, including the site of Millville. This land was secured by deed dated November 29, 1774 the former owner having been Reuben HAINES, a brewer, of Philadelphia. It would appear, however, that he had concluded the purchase and settled in this region some years previous to the time this title was acquired. As his settlement in this section marks an important period in its history, it is described at length in another part of this work. But little is known regarding the personal history of John EVES. He was an Irish Friend, born in 1720, and removed to America about the year 1738. He was in good circumstances at Mill Creek Hundred, and held various offices involving a degree of responsibility. One of his experiences as constable reveals the resolute and determined character of the man. He was given a warrant for the arrest of a miscreant who defied the power of the law, and threatened to take the life of the officer as he approached. But the latter walked boldly forward and disarmed him without a struggle. The victory was not yet complete, however, as the obstinacy of the culprit was equal to his cowardice, and he refused to walk, whereupon the constable tied his prisoner to his horse and they proceeded without further difficulty. Another trait of his character is illustrated by an occurrence during his residence here. While in Philadelphia on one occasion he advanced the passage money of Larry FLINN and his wife, two destitute Friends who had recently arrived from England. They would then have been obligated to remain in his service for several years, but he received them into his family and they never left it. In 1751 John EVES married Edith YEATMAN, an English lady, said to have possessed great strength of character as well as personal beauty. They were the parents of seventeen children, fourteen of whom reared families. Their names with dates of birth are as follows: Sarah, 4th mo., 24th, 1753 (died in 1762); Thomas, 2d mo., 5th, 1755; John, 2d mo., 22d, 1757; Joseph, 10th mo., 30th, 1758; Mark, 7th mo., 16th, 1760 (died in 1762); William, 2d mo., 2d, 1762; Chandlee, 12th mo., 14th, 1763; Elizabeth, 12th mo., 30th, 1765; Sarah, 5th mo., 14th, 1767; Edith, 5th mo., 14th, 1767; Andrew, 6th mo., 4th, 1769; Mary, 11th mo., 24th, 1770; Priscilla, 11th mo., 3d, 1772; Mark, 4th mo., 8th, 1774; Ann, 4th mo., 21st, 1775; Samuel, 1st mo., 28th, 1778; Ezra, 6th mo., 28th, 1782. John EVES, Sr., died 7th mo., 1st, 1802; and Edith (YEATMAN) EVES, 4th mo., 14th, 1818. The children of Thomas EVES and Rachel (WILSON) EVES were Edith, John W., Phebe (MATHER) and Thomas; of John EVES and Lydia (JUDGE) EVES: Peter, Jesse, Nehemiah, John, James and Lydia; of Joseph EVES and Sarah (PARVIN) EVES: Parvin, Ezra, Milton, Sarah (SHIVELY), Asenath (ASHTON), Francis, Elizabeth (SWISHER) and Mary (MARTEN); of William EVES and Sarah (PHILIPS) EVES: Mary (BRUNN), Edith (KITCHEN), Prudence (STATON), Ann (CLAYTON), John, William and Elijah; of Chandlee EVES and Rachel (KERTES) EVES: Annie (EVES), Elizabeth, Yeatman, John K., George F., Benjamin, Chandlee, Sarah (WILSON) and Rachel (SHIVELY); Elizabeth EVES married Thomas MATHER, and died without issue; Sarah EVES married Henry BATTIN and was the mother of thirteen children, viz.: Edith (FAIRMAN), John, William, Chandlee, Isaac, Henry, Samuel, Susan (KISNER), Sarah, Joseph, Mary (COX), Rachel and Enoch; the children of Isaac PHILIPS and Edith (EVES) PHILIPS were William Samuel, Mary (ARMITAGE), Ann (ARMITAGE), and Sarah (HUGHES); of Andrew EVES and Martha (MARTEN) EVES: David, James, Edith, Margaret (FAIRMAN), Andrew, Joseph, Martha, Sarah and Yeatman: of Nehemiah REECE and Mary (EVES) REECE: William, Sarah, Edith (KERTZ), Mary, Philip, John, Joseph, Nehemiah, Louisa (EVES), Sarah (WHITACRE), Aaron, Mary and Hannah (McHENRY); of William MATHER and Priscilla (EVES) MATHER: Mary and Elizabeth (LEMON); of John Watson and Ann (EVES) WATSON: John, Sarah, Edith, Thomas, Mark and Dorcas: of Samuel EVES and Tamar (KITCHEN) EVES: Priscilla (WATSON), James, Thomas, Edith, Elizabeth, Reuben and John. In the above the line of descent has been traced to the second generation from the original progenitors of the family in this county. It is estimated that the descendants of this pioneer settler of the Little Fishing Creek number at this time 1000 souls; and many of those who bore his name have occupied positions of honor and respectability in the various walks of life. (History of Columbia and Montour Counties Pennsylvania, Battle, 1887, page #467) from this web site: http://www.jowest.net/Research/CCBios11.htm#J_Eves

He and his family were Quakers and attended the Maiden Creek Monthly Meeting in Pennsylvania.

He died at the age of 82 years.

12/25/1782 John Eves requests several of his children be recieved into membership with Friends, namely, Chandlee, Elizabeth, Sarah, Edith, Priscilla, Mark, Ann and Samuel