Jim Evans Collection

HISTORICAL NOTE

Donor Jim Evans is the grandson of Marvin D. Evans and the son of A. O. Evans. He worked in his grandfather's printing company in Fort Worth and donated company materials and photographs. 

Marvin D. Evans was the founder of a large printing company in Fort Worth. He was born in 1878 in Texarkana, Texas. He learned the printing process from his father, F. Vinson Evans, who established newspapers in the towns in which they lived, the Clarendon Traveler and the Bowie Blade. The Evans family moved to Fort Worth in 1898 where Marvin D. Evans had the opportunity to start his own printing business. 

Marvin D. Evans started out as a typesetter for James L. Harris, publisher of the Fort Worth Live Stock Reporter, and enrolled in Polytechnic College. He studied for two years then married Isola Eva Donnell in 1902. She worked at the Texas Printing Company at that time. Marvin Evans briefly ran a print shop with a partner around 1903 but ended the partnership in 1905 to start a business with Carl C. Paxton. Together they established Paxton & Evans Printers. They opened their business in a small office at 707 1/2 Main St. Along with running his company, Marvin D. Evans served on the Fort Worth City Council and Texas Wesleyan University Board and was a member of Rotary Club.

Paxton and Evans dissolved their partnership in 1925 and Evans continued to operate the company. Evans changed the name to Marvin D. Evans Company. Around that time, Charlie Harris became a stockholder of a large share in the company but was later bought out by Evans. The business also changed location multiple times to larger buildings that offered adequate space. It moved from Main St. to the corner of Throckmorton and Twelfth streets in 1912 then to a newly constructed printing plant at the intersection of Texas and Monroe streets in 1947. The business grew rapidly with help from a business deal between Evans and the secretary of the Texas State Teachers Association, R. T. Ellis. In 1917, Ellis chose Marvin D. Evans Company to be the printer of the Texas Outlook. In the following years, the company gained more prominent clients and expanded to include business advertising services along with general printing services.

Evans brought his son, A. O. Evans, into the business. A. O. Evans worked for his father while he was in high school and became an office assistant and salesman after graduating from Georgia School of Technology in 1931. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1944 through 1945 and was promoted to general manager of the company when he returned home. He later moved into the executive vice president position. A. O. Evans became president of the company when his father died on March 22, 1959. He moved the business in 1968 to a new building at 5133 Northeast Parkway and changed the name of the company to Evans Press. A. O. Evans continued to run the company with his son, Jim Evans, until 1982. 

Photograph of Paxton, Sullenberger, and Evans in the composing room at Paxton & Evans Printers, 1905

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

The collection materials relate to Marvin D. Evans and his printing company that operated from 1905-1982. The collection includes photographs, news clippings, publications, and ephemera dated from 1904 to 2003. 

Materials in this collection consist of the following:

Clippings

• "Principals at Golden Deeds Banquet," April 6, 1939
• "Marvin Evans retires from Banking Post," September 20, 1949
• "Printer's Ink Snared Prospective Preacher, but Church was not Loser," August 15, 1953
• Commendation upon retirement of bricklayer Eddie Hartman, Labor News, April 18, 1957 
• "Here are Men Whom Realists Champion for Seats on Council," Fort Worth Press, July 14, 1938
• "Marvin Evans at Bowie," November 3, 1946
• "Downtown Parking," December 1947
• "Marvin Evans another ‘Bowie Boy’ Who made it Good in Ft. Worth," West Texas Today, September 1943
• "Full War-Time Production" advertisement for Marvin D. Evans Co., Fort Worth Star-Telegram, December 27, 1942
• "Printing Firm Plans Construction of Plant," Fort Worth Star-Telegram, August 27, 1967
• "'Evans Press in New Plant," Fort Worth Press, August 25, 1968

Correspondence

• Copy of a letter from Marvin D. Evans on company letterhead to former partner Carl C. Paxton, 1928

Documents

• Inventory of the donation from Jan Evans Miller and James Allen Evans - includes notations explaining provenance and the relationship to company and individuals
• Color rendering of architect's plan for the Evans Press printing plant at 5133 Northeast Parkway
• Black and white rendering with press release on back
• Marvin D. Evans - In Memoriam (1878-1959), from Printing Industry Association of Fort Worth to Mrs. Marvin D. Evans and family, leather-bound resolution adopted March 24, 1959
• Marvin D. Evans - memorial to A. O. Evans from the employees of the Marvin D. Evans Company, 1959

Ephemera

• Fort Worth Baseball Club "Cats" season pass, made out to "Judge Mercer and Lady," approved by W. K. Stripling, President, 1926
• Blotter: "You've Gotta TELL'EM  If you Wanta SELL'EM," 1937
• Advertising ephemera
   a. Paxton and Evans ruler
   b. Marvin D. Evans Co., Printers Lithographers pencil, automatic, green and blue
   c. Marvin D. Evans Co. letter opener/knife

Photographs

• Glass lantern slide: "The United States Government presents M. D. Evans / The Committee on Public Information / Excelsior Illustrating Co."
• "Printers and Newspaper Men at Lake Erie," monochromatic, written on back: “Some Fort Worth and Dallas Printers and Newspapermen at Lake Erie in Handley, Texas, 1904,” Marvin Evans at left with hand on tree
• Texas Centennial 1936, monochromatic, men standing in front of entrance to "Where the West Begins.” Identified: Billy Rose, Van Zandt Jarvis, Marvin Evans
• Marvin D. Evans, Mayor ProTem of Fort Worth, 1939
• T. J. Harrell, former mayor, presenting barbells to Evans that have inscribed on ends “Fort Worth Pessimists' Club and Most Useless Citizen”
• Rotary Club meeting at 1213-1215 Throckmorton Street plant of Marvin D. Evans Co., 1931, Marvin D. Evans standing at far right, monochromatic
• Rotary Club of Fort Worth Board of Directors, 1931, headquarters in Texas Hotel, monochromatic, Jernigan Photo Service. Identified: R. O. Dulaney, Fritz Keller, Marvin Evans, T. J. Harrell, secretary, Lewis Fox, Elmer Renfro
• Marvin D. Evans Company building, 1215 Throckmorton Street, monochromatic with outline save out, 1937. Note from donor: "12th St. was Hwy. 81, Fort Worth Linotyping Co. was in rear of building"
• Marvin D. Evans Co. composing room and press room, 1937, monochromatic. Note on back says building built in 1917
• Bindery at Marvin D. Evans Co., November 1942, monochromatic, W. D. Smith stamp on back, operator of folding machine is Louie Bowles
• Fire at Marvin D. Evans, 2nd floor, April 1940, monochromatic, Bill Wood Photographer. Note on back states fire was a total loss
• Moving equipment from interior of Marvin D. Evans Co. for relocation to 265 Texas Street, 1947, monochromatic
• Moving equipment on truck outside 1215 Throckmorton for relocation, 1947, monochromatic
• Moving equipment from 1215 Throckmorton, monochromatic, building shown on right is Kemble Furniture Co. 1301 Houston
• 265 Texas Street building, 1947, St. Ignatius Academy shown on far left, Ft. Worth Linotyping Co. at rear on Monroe Street
• Photograph series, 1952, monochromatic
   a. A. O. Evans and Marvin D. Evans at desk, son is 41, father is 73
   b. Nolan Isbell and Leonard Scott of Advertising Specialties Division
   c. Advertising Specialties Division
   d. Ned Leach, Plant Superintendent at desk
   e. Sheridan Automatic Saddle Binder
   f. Milton Horne, Monte Needham, Ed Hartman, Jr. at letter presses
   g. Pressroom, Miehle Cylinder Letterpress
   h. Pressroom, vertical and cylinder letterpresses
   i. Pressroom
• Photograph series, 1954, monochromatic
   a. "Dedication" plaque at Marvin D. Evans Co., October 1, 1947
   b. Sheridan Automatic Saddle Binder, with woman standing next to it
   c. Harris Litho Press, with Eddie Cone reading copy
   d. Lenora Royster, Howard Champlin, and Opal Rozina, allocations and orders
   e. Miehle vertical letter presses
   f. At drafting table: R. E. Faudry, salesman; Sal Nasch, artist; Martin Tucker, plant supervisor; C. R. Drake, salesman. Donor notes: Faudry worked for company for more than fifty years
   g. Milton Horne pressroom foreman, and Martin Tucker plant supervisor
   h. Wayne Collins, shipping department, labeling Texas Outlook for mailing 
   i. Elfreda Edwards, Tye Callaway, Jr., and Norman Eyrick
   j. Composing room and pressroom, daytime with staff
   k. Composing room and pressroom, at night, empty of staff
   l. Sheridan Saddle Binding Machine, Mirtie Justice, Louie Bowles, and unknown
   m. Milton Horne, pressroom foreman
• Photograph series, 1959, monochromatic, W. D. Smith photographer
   a. Harry Cure, pressroom foreman, at Miehle Cylinder Letterpress
   b. Tye Callaway, Jr., plant superintendent
   c. Paul Evans, bindery foreman at Seybold Cutting Machine
   d. Monte Needham, litho pressroom foreman, at Mann Litho Press
   e. Tye Callaway, Sr., composing room foreman
• Photograph series, 1963, on occasion of changing sign at Texas and Monroe, six photographs, monochromatic, by W. D. Smith photographer
   a. A. O. Evans pointing to old sign, Jim Evans and Les Miller
   b. A. O. Evans, Jim Evans and Les Miller
   c. Crane placing new sign with old sign on street - Jim Evans, Les Miller, and A. O. Evans
   d. New Miehle 38" 1-color litho press. Les Miller, Tommy Gore, and George Witherspoon
   e. Miehle 25 x 38 1-color litho press, George Witherspoon and Tommy Gore
   f. Forrest Foster, sales manager; Harry Bury, artist; George Witherspoon, press-man
• Photograph series, Texas Outlook, 1967, monochromatic, by W. D. Smith photographer
   a. Harriett Griffin, president of Texas State Teachers Association and A. O. Evans holding 50th anniversary issue of Texas Outlook
   b. Harriett Griffin and A. O. Evans
   c. Harriett Griffin and A. O. Evans holding issue in front of Miehle Litho Press
   d. Tye Callaway, Sr. composing room foreman with December 1966 issue
   e. Tye Callaway, Sr. holding ruler.
   f. Tye Callaway, Jr., plant superintendent
   g. Harriett Griffin and A. O. Evans holding new issue of Texas Outlook
• Photograph series, Marvin D. Evans Printers, 1967, by Bob Wharton photographer
   a. Paper stock on skids, Rupert Garcia, folding machine operator
   b. Jim Evans inspecting color transparencies
   c. Saddle stitching machine
   d. Saddle stitching operation
   e. Saddle stitching operation
   f. Les Miller and Frank Sherrill, salesmen, inspecting double-stacked skids of paper
   g. Miehle, 38-inch, one-color litho press, Tommy Gore, pressman and Dossie Graves, assistant pressman
   h. Frank Sherrill and Les Miller, salesmen, inspecting printed sheets
   i. Sheridan automatic saddle binder, "Family Record Club", a publication of Word Records, Waco, Texas
   k. Roy Brooks, pressman, at 29-inch Miehle one-color litho press
   l. Larry Browder, cameraman, adjusting copy for American Quarter Horse Stud Registry on 24-inch camera. Donor note: MD Evans Co., and Evans Press printed all but the first edition for AQHA beginning in 1946
   m. May Jo Phillips positions color negative for a school annual
   n. Paul Gudat, pre-press foreman, prepares to burn a litho plate
   o. Bindery in new building
   p. Delivery of finished magazine from Sheridan automatic saddle binder
   q. Sheet feeder on litho press
   r. Labeling, sorting, and tying Texas Outlook for mailing, Herman Ford in background
   s. Ralph Hale at Lawson programmable paper cutter, in new building
   t. Ralph Hale operating programmable paper cutter
   u. Larry Browder in darkroom in new building
   v. Larry Browder, cameraman, adjusting light on camera
   w. Tommy Gore, pressman, checking register of AQHA on light table
   x. Cheshire labeling machine
   y. Jim Evans looking at color transparency through magnifying glass
• A. O. Evans, Jim Evans, Les Miller, and Glenn Roberts, Great Southwest Corporation salesman, signing contract
• Glenn Roberts, A. O. Evans, Les Miller, and Jim Evans on occasion of signing contract for land in Mark IV Industrial Park. Donor's note: "The company move was precipitated by City purchase of Texas and Monroe site under eminent domain for newly planned Fort Worth City Hall parking lot.”
• A. O. Evans with Jim Evans in front of photo of Marvin D. Evans
• Photograph series: Marvin D. Evans Co. - Mark IV Groundbreaking, monochromatic, by W. D. Smith photographer; images include Jan Evans Miller, Les Miller, Julie Miller, and Evans Miller, A. O. Evans, Lewis Bond, Mayor DeWitt McKinley, Tarrant County Judge Howard Green, Bill Kneer, architect for building, C. R. Drake, Forest Foster, Jim Evans, Ernie Lormer at podium, Charlie Hillard
• Marvin D. Evans Co. - Mark IV Construction; eight monochromatic photographs, by Minox
   a. aerial view of building with walls up, roofing support in; W. D. Smith photographer
   b. tilt slabs being lifted for walls
   c. periphery panel being placed
   d. tilt panel lifted into place
   e. panel being placed, crane shown
   f. periphery panel being placed, other walls behind
   g. office slab reinforcement
   h. office slab being poured, pickup truck in foreground
• Evans Press, 12 monochromatic, by Don Barnett Photography
   a. Jim Evans, Les Miller, A. O. Evans standing in front of new sign, 1968
   b. Les Miller, A. O. Evans, and Jim Evans holding an "S"
   c. A. O. Evans, Jim Evans, and Les Miller
   d. New building, bare landscaping
   e. New building, at night, entrance and sign, from right
   f. New building, at night, from left
   g. Composite sheet showing Elfreda Edwards and Les Miller
   h. Composite sheet showing A. O. Evans, Les Miller, Tye Calloway, Jim Evans, Frank Sherrill 
   i. Jim Evans, A. O. Evans, and Les Miller in press room
   j. Les Miller and Frank Sherrill in conference room
   k. Baum folding machine
   l. Baum folding machine

Publications

• Program: Honoring Marvin D. Evans, Texas Wesleyan College, October 27, 1955
• Reference Book on Printing, published by Paxton and Evans Printers, Inc., undated
• Panther Trails, Key and Guide to Fort Worth, published by Marvin D. Evans Co., 1930
• Our Fiftieth Year, by Marvin D. Evans Company, 1955
• Fort Worth, official publication of the Chamber of Commerce, October 1948
• Silver Anniversary, Fort Worth Rotary, 1913-1938, Fort Worth Rotary Club, 1938 
• Rotagraph, 1958, 1967. Marvin D. Evans Company printed the newsletter from 1923 to 1967. The 1967 issue was the last issue printed by Evans Press. 
• Advertising booklet: The Candid Camera Peeks through the Keyhole, for Marvin D. Evans Company printing division, advertising agency division, and advertising specialty division, 1937. The advertising division formed in 1934 as a division of Marvin D. Evans Company. In 1944, it was incorporated as a separate corporation. Evans sold his stock in the company in 1950, and the agency became Thomas L. Yates Advertising Agency. It later became Ottman Advertising.
• Advertising booklet: Evans Press Proof, 1968
• Advertising booklet: Your Publication, 1968
• Advertising booklet: Type Faces, Borders, Ornaments, Ink Colors, Marvin D. Evans Co., 1937
• "We've Moved!" advertising mail, 1947
• The Texas Outlook, Convention Issue, Texas State Teachers Association 85th convention, Fort Worth, October 1963
  
• The Texas Outlook, Fiftieth Anniversary Issue, May 1967. Paxton and Evans, Marvin D. Evans Co., and Evans Press printed the magazine from 1917 to 1982.