Walter Evans (American politician)

Walter Evans
Portrait of Evans by Aurelius O. Revenaugh (1906)
Justice of the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky
In office July 1, 1901 – December 30, 1923
Nominated by	William McKinley
Preceded by	New district
Succeeded by	Charles I. Dawson
Justice of the United States District Court for the District of Kentucky
In office March 3, 1899 – June 30, 1901
Nominated by	William McKinley
Preceded by	John Watson Barr
Succeeded by	District divided
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kentucky's 5th district
In office March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1899
Preceded by	Asher G. Caruth
Succeeded by	Oscar Turner
14th Commissioner of Internal Revenue
In office May 21, 1883 – March 19, 1885
President	Chester A. Arthur
Succeeded by	Joseph S. Miller
Personal details
Born	(1842-09-18)September 18, 1842 Barren County, Kentucky
Died	Louisville, Kentucky
Resting place	Cave Hill Cemetery
Political party	Republican
Relations	Nephew of Burwell Clark Ritter
Profession	Lawyer
Military service
Allegiance	Union
Service/branch	Union Army
Years of service	1861 – 1863
Rank	Second Lieutenant

Walter Evans (September 18, 1842 – December 30, 1923) was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky, nephew of Burwell Clark Ritter.

Early life

Born near Glasgow, Kentucky, Evans attended the public schools near Harrodsburg, Kentucky. He moved to Hopkinsville, Christian County, where he served as deputy county clerk in 1859. He was a captain in the Union Army 1861-1863. He served as deputy and later as chief clerk of the circuit court.

Political career

Early career

Evans read law and was admitted to the bar in 1864. He commenced practice in Hopkinsville, and served as delegate to the Republican National Conventions in 1868, 1872, 1880, and 1884. Evans was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1871 and to the Kentucky Senate in 1873. He moved to Louisville, Kentucky in 1874, where he continued the practice of law. He was an unsuccessful candidate for election in 1876 to the Forty-fifth Congress. He was the Republican nominee for Governor of Kentucky in 1879, but lost to Luke P. Blackburn. He was appointed by President Chester A. Arthur as Commissioner of Internal Revenue on May 21, 1883, and served until April 20, 1885, when he returned to Louisville and resumed the practice of law.

Congressional career

Evans was elected as a Republican to the Fifty-fourth and Fifty-fifth Congresses (March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1899). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1898 to the Fifty-sixth Congress.

Judgeship

Evans was nominated by President William McKinley on March 3, 1899, to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Kentucky vacated by John W. Barr. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 3, 1899, and received commission the same day. Evans's service was terminated on July 1, 1901, due to reassignment to another court. On July 1, 1901 Evans was reassigned to the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. He served in this capacity until his death at his home in Louisville, Kentucky, December 30, 1923. He was interred in Cave Hill Cemetery.

References

• Walter Evans at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Walter Evans at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

External links

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by Asher G. Caruth	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kentucky's 5th congressional district March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1899	Succeeded by Oscar Turner
Legal offices
Preceded by Bland Ballard	Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Kentucky 1899–1901	Succeeded by seat abolished