iley jane evans
1860-1955
Life Story
Born: 1860, Newton County, Mississippi
Died: January 6, 1955, Lawrence, Newton County, Mississippi
Parents: Peter Evans (1831–1900) and Clarissa “Clara” McLeray Evans (1836–1920)
Burial: Evans Cemetery, Newton County, Mississippi
Early Life and Family Roots
Iley Jane Evans was born in 1860 in Newton County, Mississippi, to Peter Evans and Clarissa “Clara” McLeray Evans, members of one of the earliest African American families to settle in the Altare–Lawrence area after emancipation. She spent her entire life in Newton County, where she built a reputation for strength, compassion, and faith.
In her youth, Iley completed the fourth grade of elementary school, an uncommon educational achievement for a Black woman in Reconstruction-era Mississippi. Like most families in her community, the Evans household depended on farming, and Iley worked alongside her parents and siblings on the family’s land, gaining the skills that would sustain her through adulthood.
Marriages and Children
By 1880, Iley was married to Andrew Walker and living in Smith County, Mississippi. The couple had two children:
- Elsa Walker (born 1877 – died before 1900)
- Marietta (Mary Etta Clevie) Walker (1879–1968)
Following the death or separation from her husband, Iley returned to Newton County with her daughter Marietta. Her eldest child, Elsa, is believed to have passed away before the family’s return.
By 1886, Iley had remarried to Gus Evans (1847–1926). Together, they had one child:
- Cora Evans (later Walker) (1886–1962)
At that time, Iley had given birth to five children, of whom only two were living. She and Gus established a strong household in the Altare community, where her mother, Clara McLeray Evans, eventually joined them after 1920, living out her final years under Iley’s care.
Community Leadership and Midwifery
Iley was a midwife, serving countless families across Newton County. Her name appears on numerous death certificates from the early 1900s, attesting to her service at births and infant deaths during a period when professional medical care was scarce for Black families. Her dual role as a farmer and caregiver made her one of the most respected women in the community.
In 1920, she and her husband Gus Evans executed a Deed of Trust securing ownership of a 20-acre farm in Section 17, Township 5, Range 11 East, in Newton County. This property lay near the present-day Altare Missionary Baptist Church and Evans Cemetery, forming part of the agricultural foundation of the Altare community. The Evans farm symbolized the determination of African American families to achieve independence through landownership in the early 20th century.
Faith and Final Years
A devout Christian, Iley joined the Altare Missionary Baptist Church early in life and remained a faithful member until her passing. She held multiple leadership roles within the church as a missionary sister and community caregiver, earning the affectionate nickname “Aunt Iley.” Her life of service made her a guiding presence for younger generations.
In her later years, after her husband’s death in 1926, Iley continued to live independently on her farm until age and frailty required her to reside with her daughter Marietta Whitehead and son-in-law Ambrose Whitehead in Lawrence.
On January 6, 1955, after a long illness, Iley passed away peacefully at the age of 95. Funeral services were held at St. John Baptist Church in Lawrence, with interment in Evans Cemetery, near the land her family had cultivated for nearly a century.
She was survived by her daughters Cora Walker of Newton and Marietta Whitehead of Lawrence; 49 grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and relatives whose lives carried forward her enduring legacy.
Historical Significance
Through her faith, her midwifery work, and her family’s land stewardship, Iley Jane Evans embodied the spiritual and agricultural foundation of the Altare community. Her story illustrates the persistence of African American families who transformed hardship into stability, faith into action, and land into legacy — shaping the social and spiritual landscape of Newton County for generations.
Resting Place
Photos/Albums
Sources
- 1870 Federal Census
- 1880 Federal Census
- 1910 Federal Census
- 1920 Federal Census
- 1930 Federal Census
- 1940 Federal Census
- 1950 Federal Census
- The Newton Record, Iley Evans Obituary, Thu, Jan 13, 1955 ·Page 6
Leave a Reply