James Paul "Paul" Evers ¹¹⁴⁷

  General Notes:

James Paul Evers was born Jan. 6, 1908, near Hillerman, IL, to Luther Lafayette and Ethel Bayless Evers. Paul's twin, Inez Pauline, did not
survive. Paul's mother had nine children before passing away in 1922, and his stepmother Nell helped raise him and his brothers and sisters, including three more Luther had with her.
As a young man he drove his father Luther, who was Superintendent of Schools, over the entire local area where he learned many details and much
of the history and romance of Massac County. Throughout the years, those who loved hearing his stories have sought Paul out many times for his knowledge and appreciation of history.

Paul went to the University of Illinois after graduating from high school at Metropolis in 1927. He married Jeanette Florence Kennedy on Oct. 5,1930, and they had four children; Georgia Ann, Charles, Janice and Byron.Paul's love of the water led him to work as an engineer on both the Ohio and
Mississippi Rivers before switching to the Great Lakes and oceans. He worked his way as an engineer from tugboats to freighters, tankers and troop
transport ships. After going to sea in 1963, he made many trips to Germany and India. He was on the last ship through the Suez Canal before the 1967
Gulf War. He learned many things while sailing around the world 17 times. Seeing many beautiful, historic and yes sometimes sad things, he always
loved "home" in Metropolis best of all.

In July of 1997 Paul was honored on his 89 1/2 birthday with a reunion of family and friends followed by a picnic appropriately held on the banks of the Ohio River. More than a hundred family and friends from all over the Americas attended. It was a "special time" and for some of them it was their last time to be together.

There were many "close calls" that nearly called him home to be with the Lord earlier, but thru God's Grace and Paul's lifelong skills of survival we have been blessed to enjoy being with him for 99 years. We are grateful and blessed to have him in our lives, and to help us in preparing a book on the Evers family history.

Due to his health Paul's later years are being spent living in Bradenton, FL, on the banks of the Manatee River where he still enjoys going for walks, reading and seeing his family and friends. He is a man who is very much loved and treasured. He has been a life-long member of First Methodist
Church of Metropolis, and loves being a brother in Christ and supporting other faiths as well. ¹⁸⁵³

  Life Events:

1. Census, 2 Apr 1910, Hillerman, Massac, Illinois, USA. ¹⁸⁵⁴

2. High School-Graduated, 1927, Metropolis, Massac, Illinois, USA. ¹⁸⁵³

3. Church Affiliation: First Methodist Church: Metropolis, Massac, Illinois, USA. ¹⁸⁵³

4. Occupation: Waterways Engineer. ¹⁸⁵³

James married Jeanette Florence Kennedy on 5 Oct 1930.¹⁸⁵³ (Jeanette Florence Kennedy was born on 15 Apr 1912,¹⁸⁵⁴ died on 21 Jul 1979 in Metropolis, Massac, Illinois, USA ¹⁸⁵⁴ and was buried on 23 Jul 1979 in Masonic Cemetery (Metropolis, Massac, Illinois, USA) ¹⁸⁵⁴.). The cause of her death was Cardiorespiratory Failure- Immediate; Bronchopneumia, Bilateral-few days.

James next married Evelyn Fuqua.