fannie chapman evans
1892-1965
Life Story
Legacy of Faith and Family
Early Life in the Altare Community
Fannie Chapman Evans was born on July 20, 1892, in the Altare Community of Newton County, Mississippi. She was the daughter of John Chapman (1875–1953) and Lucindy Walker Chapman (1879–1958). On her maternal side, her grandparents were Emanuel Walker (1850–1926) and Riney Evans (1850–1926)—a couple remembered for their steadfastness and perseverance in a world still healing from the wounds of slavery. Her paternal grandparents, David Chapman (1848–?) and Sarah Evans (1852–?), also endured the hardships of enslavement and Reconstruction, teaching their family the virtues of endurance, faith, and hard work.
Growing up in rural Newton County, Fannie experienced a childhood shaped by agricultural labor and community life. Like many children of her generation, she was expected to contribute to the family’s livelihood while attending school when possible. Despite these challenges, she completed the second grade of elementary school, a modest but meaningful accomplishment at a time when educational opportunities for African American children were severely limited.
Marriage and Family
Around the age of sixteen, Fannie married Eligah Evans (1893–1972), the son of Elias Evans (1875–1951) and Rachael Jane Cotton Evans (1874–1971). Their union represented not only the merging of two long-rooted families in the Altare and Lawrence communities but also the continuation of a shared legacy of faith and resilience.
Over the course of their marriage, Fannie and Eligah welcomed twelve children, several of whom carried the Evans name into later generations that would span Mississippi, Illinois, and Michigan. Their known children were:
- Hattie Evans (1912–1985), married Hugh Johnson
- Fred Henry Evans (1913–1957)
- Elijah Evans, Jr. (1915–2002), married Mary Evans
- Annie May Evans (1918–1919)
- Charlie B. Evans (1919–2000), married Loraine Wilkerson
- Juary Evans (1920–1964), married Maebell Haney and Ludie “Molly” Jordan
- Huey Evans (1922–1993), married Virginia Whitehead
- Reharb Evans (1926–1980), married Alma Anderson
- Robert J. Evans (1927–1982), married Bernice Brown
- Sallie Mae Evans (1933–1977), married Henry Lee Moore
- Ruby Lee Evans (1935–2003), married William D. Garner
Together, Fannie and Eligah built a household defined by love, faith, and discipline. Fannie was known for her devotion to her children, ensuring they were nurtured both spiritually and morally.
Faith and Community Life
Faith was at the center of Fannie’s life. She grew up worshipping in the Altare Missionary Baptist Church, located on Newton-Calhoun Road, where her family played an integral role in the early life of the congregation. Her husband, Eligah, was affiliated with Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church and later St. Cloud Baptist Church, serving as a deacon. Fannie’s presence in the church was quiet but powerful—marked by her steadfast attendance, her kind spirit, and her role as a guiding matriarch for younger generations.
Migration North
In the mid-20th century, as the Great Migration drew countless Black families northward, Fannie’s children began leaving Mississippi for cities such as Chicago, Illinois, and Flint, Michigan, in search of better opportunities and freedom from the systemic inequalities of the South. Fannie herself eventually joined them in Chicago, sometime after 1950, where she lived among her adult children and grandchildren.
Her decision to relocate reflected the broader movement of African Americans who sought both economic independence and social progress, leaving behind the familiar rhythms of farm life for the hope of a new beginning in the industrial North. Yet, despite the distance, Fannie’s heart remained tied to her Mississippi roots—especially the Altare community that had shaped her faith and identity.
Passing and Legacy
Fannie Chapman Evans passed away on October 19, 1965, in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. Honoring her lifelong wish to rest among her kin, her body was returned to Newton County, where she was laid to rest in the Altare Missionary Baptist Church graveyard—the same sacred ground where generations of her family had gathered to worship, celebrate, and mourn.
Her legacy endures through the countless descendants who carry forward her strength, faith, and love of family. The story of Fannie Chapman Evans stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of Altare’s families and the women whose quiet determination sustained their communities through decades of change.
Sidebar: Legacy of Faith and Family – Fannie Chapman Evans
Birth: July 20, 1892 – Altare Community, Newton County, MS
Parents: John Chapman (1875–1953) and Lucindy Walker (1879–1958)
Marriage: Eligah Evans (1893–1972)
Children: 12 total – including Hattie, Fred, Elijah Jr., Charlie, Juary, Huey, Reharb, Robert, Sallie, and Ruby
Occupation: Homemaker and farm worker
Faith: Altare Missionary Baptist Church
Migration: Chicago, Illinois, after 1950
Death: October 19, 1965 – Chicago, Illinois
Burial: Altare Missionary Baptist Church Graveyard, Newton County, MS
Resting Place
Altare 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
- Cook County, Illinois Death Index, 1908-1988
- U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
- U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current
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