In the online index of the 1840 census of Johnson County, Indiana, there is an entry that
lists Nicholas EVNAS on page 279. The online index matches an index found at the Allen
County Public Library. In looking at page 279, the surname spelling is clearly EVANS, not
EVNAS so both indexes are incorrect.
The number and age groups of the females listed match the expected females within the
Nicholas EVANS family for 1840. The expected males for this family in 1840 does not match
unless one counts the young man who was listed with this family for the 1850 census of
Hendricks Township in Shelby County, Indiana (dwelling #202, family #208, page #321) .
This young man's name was Wm. WARRICK. His birthplace was listed in the 1850 census
as being in Tennessee. Any chance that there are WARRICK family researchers out there who
can claim William?
Based on this information, I believe that my Nicholas EVANS family, who was once thought
to have migrated from Cumberland County, Pennsylvania directly to Hendricks Township,
Shelby County, Indiana may have migrated to Johnson County first in 1839-40 before
settling in Shelby County (by 1842).
Now...other researchers believe that the Nicholas EVANS family migrated from Shelby
County, Indiana directly to Clark County, Illinois in the late 1850's, however, I have
run across some information that may challenge that assumption as well.
...John Evans
(Researching EVANS, DUCKWORTH, BRANT, RAY, HARPER, REED, DOTY, and LAKE surnames - among
others - in Shelby, Johnson, Decatur, and Bartholomew Counties.)