Background
Evelyn was the son of George Evelyn of West Dean, one of the Six Clerks in Chancery, and his wife Elizabeth Rivers, daughter of Sir John Rivers of Chafford, Kent.
Evelyn was the son of George Evelyn of West Dean, one of the Six Clerks in Chancery, and his wife Elizabeth Rivers, daughter of Sir John Rivers of Chafford, Kent.
He became a Justice of the Peace for Wiltshire in 1637. He became a Justice of the Peace for Hampshire in 1641. He was a commissioner for Westminster Assembly, a commissioner for assessment for Wiltshire and a commissioner for levying of money in 1643.
In 1645 he became a commissioner for the execution of ordinances in Hampshire, a commissioner for the New Model Army and then for the Admiralty.
He was also commissioner for propositions for the relief of Ireland. In 1646 he was governor of the Covent Garden precinct and commissioner for abuses in heraldry and for exclusion from sacrament and for bishops lands.
He abstained from the House of Commons after Pride"s Purge. In 1660 Evelyn was Councillor of State.
He was re-elected at Ludgershall in 1660 for the Convention Parliament but this was a double return and he sat instead for Stockbridge.
Evelyn married Elizabeth Coxe, daughter of Robert Coxe, grocer of London. By her, Sir John had:
Elizabeth Evelyn, who married Robert Pierrepont, by whom she had Evelyn Pierrepont, 1st Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull
Sarah Evelyn, who married first Sir John Wray, 3rd Baronet, Lord Thomas Fanshawe, 2nd Viscount Fanshawe second, and Lord George Saunderson, 5th Viscount Castleton third.
Short Parliament; 2nd Parliament of King Charles I]
In 1626, Evelyn was elected Member of Parliament for Wilton. In April 1640, he was elected Member of Parliament for Ludgershall in the Short Parliament, and was re-elected Member of Parliament for Ludgershall in the Long Parliament in November 1640. In 1648 he was a member of the committee of both kingdoms.