EVANS, LUMIS A. -- A pioneer of two cities--Pasadena and Anaheim--who started in the good, old-fashioned way as a farm hand contributing his mite toward the development of American agriculture, Lumis A. Evans, the path-breaking dealer in Anaheim real estate is one of the very interesting citizens of Orange County. He was born on a farm in St. Joseph County, Mich., at Centerville, the county seat, on November 8, 1854, and attended the country schools of that section and period. When eighteen years of age, he removed to New York state, to work on a farm, and later he secured employment on an Erie Canal boat plying between Buffalo and New York, an adventure affording him one of the most pleasing experiences of his life. After two years in New York, he returned to his Michigan home for a brief stay.
In the spring of the Centennial year of 1876, he arrived in California and came on to the Anaheim district, then in Los Angeles County, after a run through the northern part of the state; and for a couple of years he worked out by the month on neighboring ranches. In 1878 he was married to Miss Louise Jane Kellogg, a native of Napa, Cal., and a member of a pioneer family; and after marriage, he started to farm in the West Anaheim section on the Garden Grove Road. He had ten acres of his own, and in addition he leased land.
At the end of four years, Mr. Evans located at Pasadena, becoming a pioneer in the truest sense of the word, for when he arrived there in 1881, the place was so small that farming was the chief occupation. He lived there for seven years, and farmed 600 acres to grain in what is now the heart of the city. He was there, in fact, through the big "boom." and also dealt extensively in real estate.
Returning to Anaheim in 1892, he raised sugar beets for the Los Alamitos Sugar Factory; but since 1900 he has followed realty exclusively, dealing extensively in orange groves. He has made a special study of soils and relative land conditions, and has become an authority on that subject; and as the oldest dealer in real estate in Anaheim, in the matter of years of service, he enjoys an esteem and influence such as anyone might covet.
Mr. Evans is also a member of a syndicate which has large land interests in Guatemala, Central America, known as the Guatemala Agricola Central Company, acting as one of its directors, and they hold a large tract of land which is devoted especially to coconuts, pineapples, and also to sugar cane, grain and stock raising. In addition, he has extensive mining interests in Sonora, Mexico, which is being operated as the Esperanza Mining Company.
Ten children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Evans. Alice is the wife of H. M. Barker of Iowa. Francis is a lumberman in Siskiyou County. Leonard A. is a graduate of the University of Southern California, holding the diploma through the law school, and is a well-known practicing attorney at Anaheim, with offices in the First National Bank Building. Russell is chief engineer of the pumping station of the General Petroleum Oil Company at Nenach. Bayard H. is a member of the fire department in Los Angeles. Lawrence J. is with the ship yards at Mare Island Navy Yard. Orilla May is a graduate of the Los Angeles College of Osteopathy and practicing at Redlands. Carrie is at home. Benjamin is an engineer at Nenach. Jennie is a graduate of the Anaheim high school and now at home.
Mr. Evans helped to organize the First Christian Church in Pasadena, in 1881, and the First Christian Church in Anaheim, in 1890; and he has been an active member ever since.
