​​​THE HOMESTEAD

William Evans I (1641-1688) was the direct progenitor of the Evesham Evans Family and a carpenter by trade. He was born in South Newton, Oxfordshire, England and  lived in Oxon, Oxfordshire and immigrated to this country, probably on the vessel Kent in 1677. He later returned with his sons, Thomas I and William II  and his wife Jane Hodges (1643-1697) around 1682,. They landed at the town of Burlington and settled in the area now known as Willingboro on the Rancocas Creek.
William's son , William Evans II (1660-1728)  married Elizabeth Hanke (1670-1745) and in 1688 he purchased a tract of land on the mount at Mt Laurel where his family  had initially lived in a cave during the winter while they were building their first home. On August 2, 1701, William Evans II purchased a 1000 acre tract about two miles east of Marlton in Evesham Township for the sum of 120 pounds from Margaret Cooke. This was one of the original land parcels sold by Edward Byllinge. The friendly Lenni-Lenape Indians were living on a portion of the tract at the time of the purchase. William negotiated a deed with the resident chief, King Himeson. The deed is signed by the chief and two other Indians using their peculiar markings and symbols. Later that year on December 1, 1701 he purchased an additional 50 acres from Joshua Humphries making his total holdings 1050 acres.
In 1702 William II sold 100 acres to William Troth.  On October 8, 1703 he gave the remaining 950 acres to his son Thomas Evans II (1693-1783) as a "love" gift. Thomas II was the first Evans generation born in America. Thomas subdivided the land and gave his sons the following: William Evans 200 acres, and Isaac Evans 180 acres, Jacob Evans215 acres, Nathan Evans, 233 acres and Caleb Evans, 241 acres.
Thomas II married Esther Haines in 1715 and they made their home at the location of the Evans house on the present Indian Springs Golf Course. Thomas and Esther had twelve children, two dying in infancy. The plantation was eventually divided among his five sons with William Evans III (1716-1761)  his eldest son married to Sarah Roberts (1720-1784)  receiving 200 acres as a "love" gift while the other sons purchased their tracts at a later date.
The section given to William III corresponds to a portion of the Bowker/Koppenhaver farm, the Ben Roberts Farm, and the dairy later owned by Joseph Evans. The older part of the Bower/Koppenhaver house was a part of the first house built for William III around 1739.
William III’s brother, Jacob Evans (1725-1791) married Rachel Eldridge (1725-) and purchased the homestead and all of the acreage of the present Indian Springs Golf Club known as the Evans -Ballinger Homestead on June 30,1763.
Jacob’s son, Thomas Evans III (1752-1813) changed the spelling of the name from Evans to Evens, and married Mary Eves (1755-1834), the daughter of Joseph and Rebecca Haines Eves. They added their initials (T and E to the main chimney and built most of the“updated” Homestead house designed by Thomas Evans and Thomas Ballinger where the Ballingers lived in 1785.
The original part of the structure was made of sandstone and was built around 1710. The brick addition was made around 1785 by Thomas and Mary. Thomas Evans was the architect and builder who with Thomas Ballinger III (1743-1820) built seven brick homes in the area, among them the Homestead and The Thomas Ballinger Farm (T and S for Thomas Ballinger and Susannah Dudley) which is now the Beagle Club .
Thomas III and Mary had five children, Thomas IV (1752-1813), Elizabeth, Sarah, Martha and Mary. Thomas III will left the farm and the Homestead to his son and namesake, Thomas IV (1772-1869)  with the provision that his wife, Mary Eves Evans should have full use of certain rooms in the house for herself and her daughters. At some time Mary decided that it would be best for her to move back to her family home (the Joseph Eves estate across the road) that was awarded to her when her father died. Mary died April 3, 1835 and left the Eves farm to her three daughters who had never married. The fourth daughter, Sarah, married Samuel Roberts.
• Mary Eves and Lettice Eves were sisters. Thomas Evens/Evans III, Mary's husband and Joseph Evans, Lettice's husband were first cousins. Joseph Evans was read out of Friends Meeting because he bought his daughter an organ. Thomas was so upset and felt disgraced by his cousin and changed the spelling of his name to Evens from Evans (so goes the story).
Thomas Evans IV ( 1772-1869) married Sarah Burrough (1784-1858), Sally B’s Grandmother. When Thomas IV died he left the Homestead to his son and namesake, Thomas Evans V (1819-1898) who married Abigal Roberts (1825-1886). They had several children, among them Rachel Evans who married Levi T. Ballinger.
Sally Evens Burroughs married David T Ballinger December 18, 1876. Shortly thereafter David T and Sally B purchased the Homestead from her uncle, Thomas Evans V and aunt, Abigal Roberts Evans when they decided to quit farming and move to town.
David T Ballinger sold the Homestead to his youngest son, Raymond Lippincott Ballinger (Pop) around 1917.
Raymond Ballinger (Dad) , his only son, purchased the Homestead around 1948.
Raymond Ballinger sold the Homestead to the Jaggards in 1952.
The Homestead is currently the Evesham Township Cultural Center on the Indian Springs Golf Course on Elmwood Road. The barns built by David T were allowed to deteriorate and then were demolished.

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Copy of The Indenture
This Indenture made ye six day of ye eighth month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and one between Himeson being an Indian King of ye one part and William Evans of ye county of Burlington and province of West Jersey of ye other part.
Witnesseth that the said Himeson for and in consideration of five pounds of currant pay within the province of West Jersey aforesaid to him in hand paid before ye sealing and delivering of these presents, ye receipt thereof he said Indian doth hereby acknowledge and acquit and release ye said William Evans, hi heirs and assigns fore ever by these presents hath granted, bargained, sold, aliened, enfoeffed and confirmed and these presents (etc.) unto the said William Evans, his heirs and assigns forever all that tract of land situated in West Jersey upon ye branches of Ancokus Creek which was surveyed unto Walter New berry, it being one thousand acres TO HAVE AND TO HOLD ye said thousand acres of land and promises with all the grass and treed for ever there growing unto said William Evans, his heirs and assigns forevermore.

Witness whereof ye said Indian first above named to this present Indenture have you put his hand and seal ye day and year first above written.