Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

, "* GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS 2847James H. Evans was reared to adult age on the old homestead plantationand had just-finished his studies in the grade schools when at the age ofsixteen he subordinated all other interests to lend his aid in defense of theConfederacy. He joined what was known as Kittle's Company, which wasmustered in and proceeded to the stage of active military operations. Atthe Battle of Atlanta most of the members of this company Arere captured.Mr. Evans escaped that fate, since at that time he was lying ill in a hospital' at Montgomery, Alabama. After recovering he went to Savannah, becamea member of Company F, Fifth Georgia Regiment, and with that commandcontinued in active service until its final surrender at Greensboro, NorthCarolina,- at the close of the war. He took part in the memorable Battle ofAtlanta and various other engagements before his illness sent him to ahospital in Alabama. In the closing period of the war he participated inthe battles of Beatonyille, North Carolina, and Cheraw, South Carolina.For one year after the war, which closed before he had reached hismajority, he assisted his father in the work and management of the homeplantation. Then he began farming on his own account. Starting withextremelA limited capital, he encountered many problems and manifoldhardships'owing to the depressed conditions that followed the close of thewar. In every sense of the term he has been the architect of his ownfortunes. During the half century since the close of the war he has achievedlarge and worthy material success, and his career throughout has been guidedand governed by the highest principles, with injustice to no man. Suchsuccess is worthy of the name.His attention was finally turned to the turpentine business, and alsomerchandising. Through the medium of these connections he laid the foundation of his financial prosperity. Mr. Evans was active along those lines until1910. In that year removing to Sylvania, the county seat, he effected theorganization of the Sylvania Banking Company, which was incorporated witha capital stock of $25,000 and of which he became president. Under his'careful and effective administration the business of the bank was developedon a most substantial and profitable scale, and annual dividends of 8 per centwere declared. He continued as executive head of the banking company untilOctober 1, 1915, when he sold his stock at a premium of 25 per cent.For many years Mr. Evans has been one of the influential and activeworkers in the ranks of the democratic party, and has been a real leader inpolitical affairs in his home county. Fourteen years he served as justice ofthe peace. In 1911 there came a special tribute to him when elected representative of Screven County in the loAver house of the Georgia Legislature.Pie is now filling his second term, ending in 1916. A man of thought andaction, it Avas but natural that Mr. Evans should demonstrate his ability inlegislative work and prove an active leader on the floor of the House and inthe deliberations of the various committees to which he was assigned. Specialmention should be made of the part he took in furthering legislation for thecause of temperance. He was one of the most ardent supporters of theEvans-Full-Bright temperance bill, introduced in the legislative assembly of1911. Of his direct service for his constituent district it may be said that heprocured the passage of an amendment by which the City-Court of Sylvaniawas reorganized in 1914. He was father of the bill, duly enacted, providingfor the employment of detectives to discover and wipe out places in whichalcoholic liquors were being surreptitiously and unlawfully sold within theboundaries of Screven County. It was his bill which provided for theincorporation of the Village of Hilltonia in that county. He also obtainedan amendment providing for the creation of five commission zones insteadof one in Screven County.The activities of his earlier years still cause him to take a very vitalinterest in agricultural progress in Georgia. From 1900 to 11907 he served