William Ferdinand Evans
Cotulla, La Salle County, Texas
Marker Inscription
(Jan. 14, 1831 - Jan. 13, 1917) Born in Louisiana, W. F. Evans moved to Polk County, Texas, in 1850, and to Gonzales County in 1856. During the Civil War (1861-65), he served on Galveston Island in Texas coastal defenses, with Co. I, 2D Texas Regiment, Volunteer Infantry, and in Cunningham's Co. C, Mann's Regiment. He married Nancy M. Weathers, and after her death Malissa Justice. He had four children. Cotulla was his home from 1903 to 1917.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Born in Louisiana in 1831, W. F. Evans moved through several Texas counties before the Civil War, when he served in the state's coastal defenses on Galveston Island with the 2nd Texas Volunteer Infantry and Mann's Regiment. He made Cotulla his home in the final years of his life, from 1903 until his death in 1917.
Why it matters
His service in Galveston's coastal defenses reflects the many ordinary Texans who guarded the Confederate home front rather than fighting in distant campaigns.
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Related people
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Themes & tags
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