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William Dennis Evans
Member From: 1877 - 1880
- Birth Date: 1831 Birth Place:Prince Edward County, Virginia
- Death Date: October 15, 1900
- Gender: Male Race: African American
- Spouse: Margaret - married 1855
- Children: 4+
- Religion: Baptist
- Education:
- Military Service:
- Occupation/Profession: Painter and Interior decorator
- Memberships/Affiliations: First Baptist Church Farmville
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Additional Info Links:
Bio from Encyclopedia Virginia
Bio from Virginia's Martin Luther King Jr. Commission
- Bio: William D. Evans represented Prince Edward County in the House of Delegates for two terms (1877–1880). Born free, he apprenticed as a housepainter and worked as a servant during the American Civil War (1861–1865). He sat on Farmville‘s town council in 1873 and 1874, one of several local offices he held during his political career. In 1877, despite a new poll tax that greatly limited the number of African American candidates, he won a seat in the assembly. Evans prevailed again two years later and during his second term he joined the Readjuster–Republican alliance that controlled the General Assembly from 1879 to 1883 and refinanced the state debt. He worked as a painter and interior decorator in Washington, D.C., and as a constable in Farmville until his death in 1900.
- Other Notable Service and/or Elected Offices: Farmville Town Council
| Session | District | District Number | Party | Leadership | Committees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1877-1879 | Prince Edward | Readjuster and Republican | Enrolled Bills Committee Executive Expenditures Committee |
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| 1879-1880 | Prince Edward | Readjuster and Republican | Banks, Currency and Commerce Enrolled Bills Committee (Dates Unknown) Executive Expenditures Committee |
*The information within this interactive and searchable application has been researched extensively by the House Clerk’s Office. As with any historical records of this age and breadth, there may be discrepancies and/or inconsistencies within records obtained from a variety of credible sources. Any feedback is encouraged at history@house.virginia.gov.