William Evans was born in New York July 12, 1866. His parents died, while he was still a young child, and thus he was left an orphan and not much is known of his early childhood days. On December 9, 1873, at the age of 7½ years he came to the Children’s Aid Society at Golden, Ill. Here he soon found a new home, for on December 12 of the same year he was adopted by Mr. C. Franzen and henceforth was known as Wm. Franzen.

In 1891 he came to Gothenburg, Nebr. Later he went to Holyoke, Colo., where he was united in marriage on June 3, 1898, to Kathrine Juilfs. Three children were born to this union, Sophia, Fred and John. In 1900 he moved from Holyoke, Colo., to Farnam, Nebr., where he has resided since.

Saturday morning, December 16, 1922 he left the house and about 10 minutes afterward was found dead, acute heart failure had suddenly taken him away. He was 56 years, 6 months and 4 days of age. He leaves to mourn his loss his wife, his daughter Sophia, his two sons, Fred and John, two foster brothers, Fred B. Franzen of Golden, Ill., H. H. Franzen and two foster sisters, Mrs. Geo. Block and Mrs. C. Miller all of Gothenburg, Nebr., besides a host of dear friends. The funeral services were held at the M. E. church at Farnam, Tuesday afternoon, December 19, conducted by the Rev. Fred Weike. Interment was made in the Farnam cemetery.

The Farnam Echo ?(9):1 Friday, January 12, 1923