This Coffin for Robert Evans is a rather interesting one as it has a photo of Robert glued to the back. It is also a nice example of this particular design as it is in good condition. The engraving is perhaps not the best quality but it has a nice look to it all the same.
Died
Dec 15th 1877
Robert Evans
Aged 32 Yrs
The first thing I did was go and have a look in the death records on Ancestry.com but I could not spot Robert. Then I went and had a hunt in the 1870 United States Federal Census as this would have been the last census that Robert would have been in before his death in 1877. I found about 25 Robert Evans in the census but of course I had no idea if one was my Robert. Now most coffin plates are from the North East United States. The custom of keeping them after the funeral was most common in States like Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, Maine. The farther away from the North East you get the less common they become. So with this in mind I discarded all the Roberts from States that the custom of keeping coffin plates was not that popular. Of course we have no guarantee Robert was not from the one of the States I discarded but statistically its unlikely. This resulted in a list of about 16 candidates.
1870 United States Federal Census
Robert Evans, Union, Porter, Indiana abt 1844 Ohio
Robert Evans, Fair Haven, Rutland, Vermont abt 1844 Wales
Robert Evans, New York Ward 8 District 10 (2nd Enum), New York, New York abt 1844 Ireland
Robert Evans, Israel, Preble, Ohio abt 1844 Ohio
Robert Evans, Buffalo Ward 4, Erie, New York abt 1845 Ireland
Robert S Evans, Hempstead, Queens, New York abt 1845 New York
Robert Evans, Lincoln, New Hanover, North Carolina abt 1845 North Carolina
Robert Evans, Allegheny Ward 3, Allegheny, Pennsylvania abt 1845 Pennsylvania
Robert M Evans, Centre, Union, Indiana abt 1846 Ohio
Robert H Evans, Marion, Hamilton, Iowa abt 1846 Indiana
Robert Evans, Pottawatomie, Pottawatomie, Kansas abt 1846 Pennsylvania
Robert Evans, Lyons, Ionia, Michigan abt 1846 Ireland
Robert Evans, Washington, Osage, Missouri abt 1846 Missouri
Robert Evans, Marshall, Saline, Missouri abt 1846 Missouri
Robert Evans, Rockfish, Cumberland, North Carolina abt 1846 North Carolina
Robert Evans, Portsmouth Ward 1, Scioto, Ohio abt 1846 Wales
I then went and had a look in the 1880 United States Federal Census. As the Robert I am looking for died in 1877 I can subtract any of the Roberts who are on the 1880 Census from the 1870 Census.
Robert W. Evans Jemima Marshall, Oneida, New York abt 1843 Wales Self (Head)
Robert Evans Elizabeth H. Meigsville, Morgan, Ohio abt 1843 Ohio Self (Head)
Robert Evans Harriett Fair Haven, Preble, Ohio abt 1843 Ohio Self (Head)
Robert Evans Martha Floyd, Oneida, New York abt 1844 Wales Self (Head)
Robert W. Evans Mary Kirkland, Oneida, New York abt 1844 New York Self (Head)
Robert Evans Jennie Sidney, Montcalm, Michigan abt 1844 Ireland Self (Head)
Robert M. Evans Bellevue, Grand Forks, Dakota Territory abt 1844 Canada Brother
Robert B. Evans Nancy E. Cartecay, Gilmer, Georgia abt 1845 North Carolina Self (Head)
Robert Evans Lower San Miguel, Ouray, Colorado abt 1845 Michigan
Robert M. Evans Minerva J. Monroe, Miami, Ohio abt 1845 Ohio Self (Head)
Robert Evans Zanesville, Muskingum, Ohio abt 1845 Wales Self (Head)
W. Robert Evans Robert, Elizabeth MT Pleasant, Racine, Wisconsin abt 1845 Ireland Son
Robert Evans Joanna Salt Springs, Saline, Missouri abt 1845 Missouri Self (Head)
Robert Evans Margarite Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts abt 1846 England Self (Head)
Robert Evans Pottawatomie, Pottawatomie, Kansas abt 1846 Pennsylvania
Robert H. Evans Elisibeth Medicine, Rooks, Kansas abt 1846 Indiana Self (Head)
Robert M. Evans Ellena Buffalo, Erie, New York abt 1847 Ireland Self (Head)
Robert J. Evans Mary B. Johnstown, Fulton, New York abt 1847 New York Self (Head)
Robert Evans Mary A. Murray, Clarke, Iowa abt 1847 Iowa Self (Head)
Robert G. Evans Mary Jackson, Maries, Missouri abt 1847 Missouri Self (Head)
Robert L. Evans Jennie Jersey City, Hudson, New Jersey abt 1847 New York Self (Head)
So a quick comparison brought the list down to 13 candidates. No guarantee that the Robert I am looking for is on this list but its a start.
Robert Evans, Union, Porter, Indiana abt 1844 Ohio
Robert Evans, Fair Haven, Rutland, Vermont abt 1844 Wales
Robert Evans, New York Ward 8 District 10 (2nd Enum), New York, New York abt 1844 Ireland
Robert Evans, Israel, Preble, Ohio abt 1844 Ohio
Robert S Evans, Hempstead, Queens, New York abt 1845 New York
Robert Evans, Lincoln, New Hanover, North Carolina abt 1845 North Carolina
Robert Evans, Allegheny Ward 3, Allegheny, Pennsylvania abt 1845 Pennsylvania
Robert M Evans, Centre, Union, Indiana abt 1846 Ohio Male
Robert H Evans, Marion, Hamilton, Iowa abt 1846 Indiana
Robert Evans, Lyons, Ionia, Michigan abt 1846 Ireland
Robert Evans, Washington, Osage, Missouri abt 1846 Missouri
Robert Evans, Rockfish, Cumberland, North Carolina abt 1846 North Carolina
Robert Evans, Portsmouth Ward 1, Scioto, Ohio abt 1846 Wales
If you are interested in looking at more Coffin Plates I have about 500 more on my Ancestorsatrest website.
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