A brilliant lawyer, who has for years enjoyed a very large practice in Little Falls, Herkimer county, New York, and throughout the Mohawk Valley country, James Albert Evans has also a national reputation, in which his legal attainments are of no consideration. For thirty years he has been known throughout the United States as Evans-Williams, a noted referee in football games, has visited all parts of the United States where famous football elevens have contested for supremacy, and has been the official referee of the Army and Navy games for many years. Mr. Evans is a graduate of Williams College, at Williamstown, Massachusetts, and from this college he derives the name of Williams, being known as Evans-Williams wherever football is played. He has acted as referee in all the noted football games played in this country. Mr. Evans is fond of fishing, travel and all athletic sports. He was born in Little Falls, New York, on January 9, 1870, the son of Evan David and Elizabeth (Jones) Evans. The father was born in 1833 at Frankfort, New York, and the mother was born in Wales, in 1836. On the paternal side Mr. Evans' grandfather was David Evans, who died at Bridgewater, New York, in 1872. Evan David Evans, father of James Albert Evans, was a prominent builder and contractor in Little Falls, New York. He was a gold miner in Sacramento Valley, California, in 1850, traveled throughout the United States, and in making the trip to California went over the Isthmus of Panama. The ancestors of the Evans family on both sides are Welsh.
James Albert Evans was the youngest of three children born to his parents, two sons and a daughter, and he obtained his elementary education in the grade and high schools of Little Falls, afterward attending Williams College, at Williamstown, Massachusetts, where he received the degree of A. B. and was graduated in 1893. Mr. Evans then began the reading of law in the law office of the Hon. A. M. Mills, was admitted to the bar in 1896, and at once began the general practice of law in Little Falls, where he has remained and has offices at No. 513 East Main street. He is not connected with any fiscal or industrial interests. During the World war Mr. Evans was chairman of the questionnaire board, made many speeches in behalf of the Liberty Loan and bond drives, and was a strenuous worker for all war activities in Little Falls. He was justice of the peace under the city charter for ten years and a member of the assembly in the state legislature from Herkimer county for one term.
Politically Mr. Evans is a republican, a Presbyterian in religion, being a member of the First Presbyterian church of Little Falls. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of Little Falls, and is past district deputy grand exalted ruler for the north central district of the state of New York. Mr. Evans is a bachelor. His only brother is the Rev. David Herbert Evans, who married Cornelia Draper, their children being Draper and Elizabeth Evans. The family lives in Boston, Massachusetts. Mary Ida Evans, the only sister of James Albert Evans, is living in Little Falls.