He was the second but first surviving son of Sir John Evelyn and his wife Thomasine Heynes. Evelyn married Mary Farmer, daughter of George Farmer, prothonotary of the Common Pleas, about 1653. As part of his marriage settlement, his father bestowed on him two manors in Godstone, Marden (now in Woldingham) and Flower, and the manor of Tillingdon in Tandridge.
Created a baronet at the English Restoration, he inherited the Godstone estate in 1664. He quarreled extensively with his family to obtain more money and impaired the estate with debts from a profligate lifestyle. Evelyn was created a baronet on 29 May 1660 and was proposed as a Knight of the Royal Oak, with an income of £1,800 per year.
Sir John succeeded his father in 1664, inheriting an extensive estate in Godstone, including the manors of Walkhampstead or Godstone, Godstone Place, Lee Place, Marden, and Flower in Godstone.
He was appointed High Sheriff of Surrey for the year 1666. Lady Evelyn and George denied these charges, and added that Sir John had extorted certain lands from his father while the latter was alive, to avoid a lawsuit, taken a part of Lady Evelyn"s jointure, and that Lady Evelyn had felt compelled to flee the family seat less than a month after her husband"s death because of Sir John"s temper.
Shortly before his death on 10 August 1671, Sir John conveyed Marden Park (including Tillingdon) and Flower to his mistress Mary Gittings. She in turn sold them to Robert Clayton and John Morris in 1672 (Marden) and 1677 (Flower).
He was buried at Godstone.
George brought an action against her to prove her undue influence on Sir John"s will, but was not successful in recovering Marden and Flower.
