Robley D. Evans letter
Collection — Folder: S0441
Identifier: S0441
Scope and Contents
This collection includes an autographed, signed letter from Robley D. Evans in Washington, D.C. on November 3, 1910 regarding the California Consolidated Oil Company.
Dates
- 1910/11/03
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Biographical Note
Robley Dunglison Evans was born in Floyd County, Virginia on August 18, 1846. He was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy in 1860 from Utah and graduated in 1863. Evans was commissioned in the rank of acting ensign during October, 1863 and served on the U.S.S. Powhatan. He was present at the ground assault on Fort Fisher, North Carolina in January, 1865 and was badly wounded. Evans retired May, 1866, but was able to return to active duty as lieutenant in 1867. He married Charlotte Taylor, the sister of Rear Admiral Henry Clay Taylor, with whom he had three children. Evans served from the late 1860s to the 1880s: on U.S.S. Piscataqua (renamed the Delaware), was promoted to lieutenant commander, had shore duty at the Washington Navy Yard, Naval Academy, served on the U.S.S. Shenandoah and U.S.S. Congress, training ship Saratoga, as a light house inspector and a member of the Light-House Board. During 1891-1893, he served in the Pacific Ocean as commanding officer of the gunboard Yorktown and earned the nickname "Fighting Bob" due to his determination during the 1891-1892 crisis with Chile. Evans also worked to stop illegal seal hunting off Alaska.
He was promoted to captain in June, 1893, served on the Light-House Board again, and commanded the armored cruiser New York and the battleship Indiana from 1894-1897. Evans commanded the battleship Iowa during the Spanish-American War in 1898. He was assigned to the Board of Inspection and Survey from October, 1898 to 1902 and served as its president after his promotion to rear admiral during February, 1901.
Evans commanded the Asiatic Fleet from 1902 to 1904, including the Atlantic Fleet in 1905. He led a large force of battleships around South America in 1907-1908 on the first leg of the Great White Fleet's historic cruise around the world, but was forced to quit due to ill health. Evans retired in August, 1908 but continued to serve on the Navy's General Board. He invested in shares of the California Consolidated Oil Company in 1910. Evans is responsible for a number of contributions to naval ships and processes and wrote several books and articles about his life and battles. Rudyard Kipling wrote a poem to him as a tribute. Evans died in Washington, D.C. on January 3, 1912 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Sources:
Item in the collection.
Ancestry.com. "Robley D. Evans." 1880 United States Federal Census. Accessed July 8, 2014. http://www.ancestry.com
Ancestry.com. "Robley D. Evans." District of Columbia, Select Marriages, 1830-1912. Accessed July 8, 2014. http://www.ancestry.com
"Evans, Robley D., USN, Rear Admiral." Naval History Center. Accessed July 8, 2014. http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/pers-us/uspers-e/rd-evans.htm.
Findagrave.com. "Robley Dunglison Evans." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed July 8, 2014. http://www.findagrave.com.
"Evans, Robley Dunglis[t]on." Arlington Cemetery. Accessed July 8, 2014. http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/rdevans.htm.
He was promoted to captain in June, 1893, served on the Light-House Board again, and commanded the armored cruiser New York and the battleship Indiana from 1894-1897. Evans commanded the battleship Iowa during the Spanish-American War in 1898. He was assigned to the Board of Inspection and Survey from October, 1898 to 1902 and served as its president after his promotion to rear admiral during February, 1901.
Evans commanded the Asiatic Fleet from 1902 to 1904, including the Atlantic Fleet in 1905. He led a large force of battleships around South America in 1907-1908 on the first leg of the Great White Fleet's historic cruise around the world, but was forced to quit due to ill health. Evans retired in August, 1908 but continued to serve on the Navy's General Board. He invested in shares of the California Consolidated Oil Company in 1910. Evans is responsible for a number of contributions to naval ships and processes and wrote several books and articles about his life and battles. Rudyard Kipling wrote a poem to him as a tribute. Evans died in Washington, D.C. on January 3, 1912 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Sources:
Item in the collection.
Ancestry.com. "Robley D. Evans." 1880 United States Federal Census. Accessed July 8, 2014. http://www.ancestry.com
Ancestry.com. "Robley D. Evans." District of Columbia, Select Marriages, 1830-1912. Accessed July 8, 2014. http://www.ancestry.com
"Evans, Robley D., USN, Rear Admiral." Naval History Center. Accessed July 8, 2014. http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/pers-us/uspers-e/rd-evans.htm.
Findagrave.com. "Robley Dunglison Evans." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed July 8, 2014. http://www.findagrave.com.
"Evans, Robley Dunglis[t]on." Arlington Cemetery. Accessed July 8, 2014. http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/rdevans.htm.
Extent
0.01 Cubic Feet (1 folder)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged chronologically.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed 2014/07/08 by Edythe Huffman. EAD finding aid created 2014/07/08 by Edythe Huffman.
- Title
- Robley D. Evans letter
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
