Evans was born in
Leominster, England. His father settled in the United States in 1820, and apprenticed him to a hatter in New York. A diligent student in his leisure hours, Evans was attracted by the theories of
Robert Dale Owen and
Charles Fourier. After a brief return to Britain, he joined the Shaker community. He became the Presiding Elder in 1858. He died in
New Lebanon, New York. Evans was a
vegetarian for sixty years. ==Works==