leila (lela) evans
1893-?
Life Story
Leila Ann Beal—often recorded as Lela—was born on January 3, 1893, in Jasper County, Mississippi, to Green Beal (1869–1944) and Lettie Beal (1875–?). She grew up in a rural farming environment, where agricultural labor shaped daily life and family survival.
On March 25, 1911, Leila married Coyt (Coit) Edward Evans (1889–1968). Together they established their home in Newton County, Mississippi, and raised a family during a period marked by economic hardship, segregation, and limited educational opportunities for African Americans.
Marriage & Family
From this union, the following children were born:
- Alton T. Evans (1912–1976)
- Glasper Evans (1913–?)
- Lettie B. Evans (1915–1987)
- Caroline Evans (1917–1917)
- Mary Evans (later Mary Naylor)
Leila was deeply involved in the labor of raising children while supporting her husband’s work as a farm laborer and sawmill worker. Her role within the household was central to maintaining stability and continuity for the family across generations.
Education & Work
Leila completed the 6th grade of elementary school, a notable achievement for a Black woman born in the late nineteenth century in rural Mississippi. In her early years, she worked as a farm laborer on the home farm, contributing directly to the family’s subsistence.
By 1950, census records list her occupation as “keeping house,” reflecting the unpaid but essential domestic labor that sustained the household and supported working family members.
Later Years & Death
The exact date of Leila Evans’s death is not recorded on her headstone and remains unknown. However, documentary evidence confirms that she was living after 1976, as she is listed as a surviving parent in the obituary of her son Alton T. Evans, who died that year.
Leila is buried beside her husband, Coyt Edward Evans, at St. John Missionary Baptist Church Graveyard in Newton County, Mississippi. The placement of her grave alongside his affirms the long-standing family connection to St. John M.B. Church and the surrounding community.
Resting Place
Saint John Missionary Baptist Church Graveyard
Photos/Albums
Sources
- 1900 Federal Census
- 1910 Federal Census
- 1920 Federal Census
- 1930 Federal Census
- 1940 Federal Census
- 1950 Federal Census
- U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current
- Mississippi, U.S., Compiled Marriage Index, 1776-1935
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