Henry Clay Evans
| Henry Clay Evans | |
|---|---|
Portrait of Evans by Frances Benjamin Johnston
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee's 3rd district |
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In office March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1891 |
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| Preceded by | John R. Neal |
| Succeeded by | Henry C. Snodgrass |
| Mayor of Chattanooga, Tennessee | |
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In office 1882 – 1883 |
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| Preceded by | John A. Hart |
| Succeeded by | Hugh Whiteside |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
June 18, 1843 Juniata County, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Died |
December 12, 1921 (aged 78) Chattanooga, Tennessee |
| Resting place | Forest Hills Cemetery Chattanooga, Tennessee |
| Citizenship |
 United States
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| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Adelaide (Durand) Evans |
| Children | 3 |
| Profession | Businessman |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America
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| Service/branch |
 Union Army
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| Years of service | May 6, 1864 to September 24, 1864 |
| Rank | Quartermaster Sergeant |
| Unit |
 Company A, 41st Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
Henry Clay Evans (June 18, 1843 – December 12, 1921) was an American politician and businessman who represented Tennessee's 3rd district in the United States House of Representatives from 1889 to 1891, and was twice a candidate for Governor of Tennessee (1894 and 1906). He also served as U.S. Commissioner of Pensions from 1897 to 1902, and as U.S. consul to London from 1902 to 1905.
A supporter of progressive causes such as the Lodge Bill, Evans frequently found himself at odds with the Southern Democrat-controlled state legislature. His district was gerrymandered to ensure his defeat in the 1890 congressional elections, and the state legislature tossed thousands of votes in the 1894 gubernatorial election to allow his opponent, Peter Turney, to win. He also consistently quarreled with fellow Tennessee Republicans, initially Congressman Leonidas C. Houk, and later the faction led by Congressman Walter P. Brownlow. Brownlow helped thwart Evans's bid for the vice presidential nomination at the 1896 Republican National Convention.
Evans was also active in local politics in his adopted hometown of Chattanooga, where he championed education. He served two terms as Mayor of Chattanooga (1882–1883), and in his later years served as the city's Commissioner of Education.
Born in Juniata County, Pennsylvania, Evans moved to Wisconsin in 1844, with his parents, Jesse and Anna Single Evans, who settled in Platteville, Grant County. He attended the common schools, a business school in Madison, and graduated from a business school at Chicago in 1861.
During the Civil War, Evans enlisted on May 6, 1864, as a corporal in Company A, 41st Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry and served until he was discharged as a quartermaster sergeant on September 24, 1864. For a year, he was an agent with the quartermaster department in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He then spent some time in Texas and New York. He married Adelaide Durand in Westfield, New York, in 1869 and they had three children.
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