David,
Good to hear from you. I found your family in my genealogy program -- a descendant of John M. Evans and Ann Shackleton Evans. They are my line too through daughter, Sophia. John M. Jr was next to the youngest son of John and Mercy. He and his younger brother, Gurdon, were the last survivors of the family -- living into the 1900s.
We have Gurdon's descendants to thank for most of the clues about the parents and family or our John Evans b. 1772. Gurd's childrlen, Nall and Eurkey (called Arkey) remembered their dad's old stories about the family.
In abt 1958 I visited Nall at his home west of Stanton, Michigan. He was 90 years old -- the living grandson of our John and Mercy who were born in the 1770s; an amazing span of years!
Clues from Nall: 1. John was one of five brothers; 2. His mother died when the boys were young; 3. His father left the children in the care of Mrs. Stevens who raised them with her own children (it strikes me she was a brave woman to take on five boys along with her own children); 4. another vague clue: Nall said the father helped build a canal; 5. another Gurdon Evans descendant, Helene Wheeler, remembered seeing a letter that said John's brother, William Evans, lived "near Niagara".
You mentioned, "I don't know how I could possibly help" in the search for John's unknown parents and family. I'm remimded of this: when I was young I remember my grandmother, Myrtie Evans Brassington, saying one day that her grandfather, John Evans was Irish -- a small comment but a CLUE! something to dig into. Probably every family has such small remembrances from their old grandparents, aunts or uncles. Old letters, pictures, small family stories. The old folks cherished their memories and still do. Keep up the search.
Betty Brassington