Out of the four Evans brothers' home, Robert Evans' home was the most recognized for its 1927 restoration. What about his home that really stood out to Philadelphia architect George Brumbaugh?
The Robert Evans Tract
Robert Evans (1658-1738) was the second Evans brother born in the family. He and his brothers came to Gywnedd from Wales in 1698 and divided their land surrounding the Gwynedd Friends Meeting House. All the brothers, except Thomas, occupied parts of Lower Gwynedd. Robert's land was along Dekalb Pike/State 202 where the Church of the Messiah and the William Penn Inn currently stands.
Initially, Robert built a log house after settling in Gwynedd. Later on a stone house was built on his property in 1716. Inscriptions "R.E. 1716" and "H.E." were found on the home that indicated it was Robert and his son Hugh Evans (1685-1734) who built the stone house. After his son Hugh died, Robert passed on the home to his relative Amos Roberts (1725-1790). Then Amos passed it onto his son George.
The property then came into possession of Silas White (1823-1912). After Silas died, Charles C. Coolbaugh (1875-1943) purchased his property and made improvements around the home.
Improvements were further made after the Shearer family purchased the old Robert Evans property. The home was purchased by Luther R. Shearer (1876-1928), who was a well-known businessman in North Wales. He took over his father's builders' supply manufacturing firm with his brother Abel where it was renamed A.K. Shearer's Sons. After it was dissolved, the two worked separately as Abel took over the lumber yard department while Luther took over the millwork department.
The 1927 Restoration
The home was restored by Philadelphia architect George Edwin Brumbaugh after the Shearer family purchased the old home.
Fun Fact #1: Brumbaugh was known for restoring historic properties in PA like the Betsy Ross House, Grumblethorpe, and Pennsbury Manor.
Based on the article Brumbaugh wrote in 1927 (as seen below), it sounds like the home was left how it was from 1716, which was what impressed the architect. The architectural plan of the home drawn by Brumbaugh showed the entrance at the front that leads to the living room and the dining room where he said the original fireplace was left exposed. There were four other fireplaces that were sealed until they became open.
Before the restoration, the home was covered in stucco, but behind it was local ledgestone. There was also a Victorian gable at the front of the house that was added possibly before the Shearer family purchased the home. Besides the altered roof there was a "lacy fringe" cornice on the side of the roof. When removing the plasters inside the home, it reveals its original structure. When he removed the stucco from outside the home, it revealed the inscriptions "R.E. 1716" and "H.E.", indicating the names of Robert and Hugh Evans.
He talked about the closed string stairs that was, according to Brumbaugh, "undoubtedly one of the few remaining in this part of the country." Even though some of the spindles were upside down, they are still intact and the newel post that's attached to the staircase.
He found an old Franklin stove in the barn, and placed it back to where it might've belonged.
Fun Fact #2: Benjamin Franklin invented the stove made of cast iron that could supply the home with a better, more constant, and quieter heat.
"Just as learning to read gives us an interest in all books, so learning to understand old houses makes us love them; and because they are sensitive, this love is all that saves them from destruction."
- G. Edwin Brumbaugh
Bibliography
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Franklin Survey Co. Atlas: Montgomery County 1934 Vol A, Plate 16, 1934.
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Quinn, James A. "Robert Evans Home, Gwynedd, Pennsylvania, as it appeared in 1926.
Built in 1716." Analog Dial. Accessed April 16, 2022. http://www.analogdial.com/PostOffice/robert_evans_article.html.
Scott, J. D. Montgomery County 1877, Gwynedd, North Wales, Ambler, Royer's Ford, Limerick Station, 1877.