yesterday's tennessee

JAMES D. EVANS HOME

Thomas Evans, Rebecca Maxwell, and Moetta Nuckolls

This home was built in Darden by James D. Evans in the early 1880's. His son Purd Evans was born in this home in 1887. His next son, Doss Evans was born here in 1889. Mr. James D. Evans owned a lumber business in Darden. The workers were paid on Saturday afternoons with gold for their labor. One Friday night Mr. Evans was aroused from his sleep with someone at his bedroom window on the ground floor. Someone has raised the window and placed a pan of ammonia inside and closed. Mr. Evans immediately got his gun and fired at the intruders running off, and these fired back at him. A bullet hole that was made in one of the columns at that time was still in the column when the house was torn down in the 1980's. The Darden Community Center Pavilion is now located on this property.

Following Mr. Evans death, Mrs. Evans kept boarders in the house. The also made rag rugs. She had them placed everywhere in the house, along with one on every step going upstairs. Mrs. Evans cleaned all the rugs in the wintertime by sprinkling snow on them and sweeping them good.

All of the above information was furnished by Mr. & Mrs. Evans living children.

Thomas Evans, Dayton, Ohio
Rebecca Maxwell, Elizabethton, Tenn.
Moetta Nuckolls, Toone, Tenn.

Return to History of Darden