University of Denver - Kynewisbok Yearbook (Denver, CO)

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John Evans ( March 8. 1814—July 3, 1897.) SOME NOTE OF A LARGE LIFE. He came of Welsh origin (“Evan,” Welsh for John) hut for generations the family had been American. Though born in Ohio, he began active life in Indianapolis. Here studying and then practicing medicine, he could not keep himself to “pill-peddling” (his own term). He founded a medical school and urged the young railway system that today so marks that fair inland city. But he saw in Chicago the continental center and early transferred thither his energies. Here in the wondrous growing of the city began his own estate, but he worked never for himself alone. As Mayor, he raised the heart of the town from its Hat mud and made possible its magnificence. Here he reared the Rush Medical College. A few miles up the lake he planted the Northwestern University with an endowment of land in Chicago and in its own town, Evanston, and later founding in it two professorships. And now a new field: Mr. Lincoln in 1862 made him Governor of Colorado. Vigorously exploring his charge, he fixed on Denver as its true heart and gave himself and the legislature no rest until it was made the capital. Then leaving office, he gave himself to Denver and. as Lincoln to the nation, so was lie to Colorado. Over our plains and through our range he led railroads and Denver became centered and so it is to remain. He at once, while our chaos was taking form, urged the founding of a University forever to shed learning and culture on the goodly town, to grow with its growth for a thousand years untaxed and venerable. On March 5th, 1862, he signed its charter, a document for all time, the joy of many generations. To it he gave largely, but his thirty-three years of care and toil, night and day through all struggles were larger than his quarter million of money. They made possible the University of today. John Evans was for a generation the foremost citizen. He had “initiative;“ he started things; he was expansive. never working for himself alone but always for general welfare: he was persistent, never dropping a thing until it was done. He thought widely and keenly, then acted. He must control; his will was clear and stern; Mt. Evans is his monument. In our chapel. Lincoln is our national. Evans our local benefactor. We reap the harvest of his doings and our Chancellor enlarges the harvest. “Were a star quenched on high: For ages would its light. Still traveling downward from the sky. fall on our mortal sight. So when a great man dies, for years beyond our ken The light he leaves behind him lies Upon the paths of men.” 12

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LIBERAL ARTS UALl,