Sophia Annie (Gibson) Evans was born on February 14, 1875 in Llano County, Texas, the daughter of William Washington and Sarah Ann (Haynes) Gibson. She often went by her middle name, Annie. While she was young, Annie’s family left Texas for the Arizona Territory in a covered wagon. They spent two years in New Mexico and survived several Indian raids before arriving in Globe, Pinal County, in 1880. Later they moved to Palomas, Yuma County, on the Gila River and finally settled at the mining town of Congress in Yavapai County.

On April 21, 1895, Annie married William Adolphus Evans, known as “Dolph” in Congress. After they married, Dolph took up a homestead next to his father, near Buckeye in Maricopa County. He developed a range for cattle that extended from the Hassayampa River toward Wickenburg.  The couple had six children: Agustus Adolphus, born March 7, 1896; James Claud, born August 30, 1897; Eva Sylvia (Evans) O’Connell, born June 21, 1899; Ralph Earl, born August 16, 1902; Laura Etta (Evans) Cropper, born June 23, 1904; and Anna Mae (Evans) Monette, born June 21, 1907.

In 1905, Dolph and Annie moved to Phoenix to school the children. While in Phoenix, Dolph operated the Eureka Meat Shop in partnership with Charles Tovrea. The couple also owned a ranch in Buckeye, and Dolph was often gone for days at a time on cattle business, leaving Annie alone to raise their children. When the 1940 census was taken, they were enumerated on the Evans Cattle Ranch located at Highway 69 and Black Canyon Road in Phoenix.

Annie loved flowers and gardening and had a big asparagus fern on the porch of their home in Phoenix. The Arizona Republic dated April 15, 1945, reported: “In celebration of the golden wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. W. A. (Dolph) Evans, an open house will be held from 8 p.m. Saturday in the home of the honored guests’ son-in-law and daughter Mr. and Mrs. Ed O’Connell, 1122 West Portland Street.”  She was a member of the Methodist Church and a charter member of the Arizona Pioneers Association, in addition to being a busy ranch wife, mother and homemaker.

Annie died on March 31, 1949, at a rest home in Phoenix and is buried in Greenwood Memorial Cemetery in Phoenix.

Donors: Ruth Cordes and Raymond Evans, April 2005
Photo Located: PB 148, F-15, I-9
Updated: 11/21/2015, D. Sue Kissel