Henry Clay Evans 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.
Background
Henry Clay Evans was born in Juniata County, Pennsylvania, the son of Collonel Jesse B. Evans and his wife, Anna Single, both natives of that state. The colonel, who acquired his title in the state militia, was a pioneer in the manufacture of railway cars. When Henry was three years of age, the family removed to Lafayette County, Wis. , and here the boy was reared. His father followed the gold rush to California in 1849 and died in Montana in 1869; but the family did not follow him on his wanderings.
Education
Young Henry Clay went to school and worked on the farm.
Career
In the spring of 1864 he joined the Union army and did some campaigning in the neighborhood of Chattanooga. In September of that year he was honorably discharged from the service and secured clerical work with the quartermaster department at Chattanooga. He remained in this position until 1867 when he was sent to the Mexican border in a similar capacity. Here he worked for two years, and then journeyed to Westfield, New York. The following year he returned to Chattanooga where he made his home for the remainder of his life. On taking up his permanent residence, he at once became interested in the manufacture of railway cars and organized the Chattanooga Car & Foundry Company. In 1872, shortly after coming to Chattanooga, he was made school commissioner for the town and took a leading part in the organization of its educational system. In 1873 he was elected alderman, and he served several years in that capacity. In 1881 and again in 1882 he was elected mayor; and in 1884 he made his first race for Congress. Since he was a Republican and his district was normally Democratic, he was defeated in this contest, but cut down the opposition majority to a fraction of its former strength. In 1888 he ran again and this time was successful. As a result of this action, he failed of réélection in 1890 (Moore and Foster, post, II, 15). Three years later, he was appointed first assistant postmaster-general by President Harrison. In 1894 he was the nominee of his party for the governorship of Tennessee, Judge Peter Turney, the incumbent, being the Democratic candidate. Evans received a plurality vote, but Turney contested the election and a Democratic legislature decided in favor of the plaintiff (Contest for Governor: Peter Turney, Contestant, vs. H. Clay Evans, Contestée, 1895). The decision was thoroughly partisan, and it made a national figure of the defeated candidate. In 1896 he ran next to Hobart in the balloting for the vice-presidential nominee of the Republican party, and the following year he was appointed commissioner of pensions by President McKinley, which position he held until 1902. In that year President Roosevelt sent him to London as consul-general, where he remained until 1905. At the end of this service, he retired to private life at his home in Chattanooga. Gradually he disposed of his major business interests and began to live less strenuously. Once more, however, he was called upon to assume an active rôle. When Chattanooga adopted the commission form of government in 1911, he was elected, on a non partisan ticket, commissioner of education and health. In this capacity he served a full term of four years, giving all his time to the work. Thus his political career ended as it had begun—in connection with the school system of the city. When he died suddenly, on December 12, 1921, the mayor closed the municipal offices for half a day to do honor to his memory.
Achievements
After having controlled this business for two years, he became an official in the Roane Iron Company. He remained for a decade in this work, rising from the position of superintendent of the plant to that of vice-president and general manager. At the end of that time he went back to the Car Company and retained an important interest in it for many years. He was a leading stockholder in several other important local industries.
