Biography of Randal Evans

Date: 13 September 2013

1795 First appearance in Tredyffrin tax records as a freeman, i.e. at least 21 years old and unmarried.
1796 Listed as farrier in the Tredyffrin tax records.
1797 Listed as tanner in Tredyffrin tax records
1798 Listed as tanner renting 99 acres from Joel Evans, Tredyffrin glass tax records, presumably married to Mary Davis.
1800 Large household in census.  One male younger than 10 years old; 3 males 16 – 26 (workers at tannery?); 1 male between 26 and 45 years old; one male over 45 years old; 2  females between 16 and 26 years old; one other person (indentured servant?)
Early 1800s Regularly in tax records as tanner
1811 Probate on Joel Evans’ will.  Randal bequeathed ½ of 100 acres plus another 20 acres
1818 Purchases Black Bear Inn and 46 acres of land (deed O3-508) for $3,630
1820 Bark Mill in manufacturing census
1823 Paid bond as insolvent debtor
1824 Court case
1828 Took out mortgage for $4,000 on 6 plots of land (mortgage p-232)
1829 Licensee of Black Bear Inn
1835 – 41 Licensee of General Jackson Inn
1837 Assigned assets to Thomas Irwin, John Malin, Hibbert Evans (miscellaneous deed , page 306) presumably due to financial difficulties
1838 Randall Evans – tan yard (county tax)
1847 & 1849 No tannery listed on 1847 map; Property advertised for sale, previous occupied by Randal Evans
1851 Property sold in sheriff’s sale.  Hugh Steen purchases Lots #2 and 3 (Black Bear Inn, deed P5-391) for $4,000.
1856 No longer living in the township (tax records)

Outstanding Questions

Who were his parents?
Who owned other half of Airdrie after Joel died?
When was mortgage paid off?
Who owned General Jackson Inn when he was licensee?  Was it the Penningtons or did Joshua Evans hold the lease?
Get details of court cases.

Mike Bertram

References

Evans Family Tree
Early History of Paoli by Mike Bertram, TEHS Quarterly, April 2014, Volume 51, Number 1.