Also the name of one of Colorado's first governors. As with many of the "founding fathers" Colorado he has quite a few things named after him. Like Mount Evans and the town of Evans south of Greeley. Not to mention the numerous Evans Streets and so on.
Also like so many politicians of the Gilded Age, he was rather involved with business. He was one of the primary backers of the first Railroad from Denver to the transcontinental line in Cheyenne. It opened in 1870. He also was a backer of the Denver & New Orleans, which later became the famous Denver & Rio Grande.
Previous to his time in Colorado he founded the Illinois Republican Party and deeply involved in Chicago's political life. He was the second Governor of the Colorado Territory, succeeding William Gilpin and served 1862-1865. He lost his appointment as governor and his political career due to Sand Creek Massacre, which took place while the Governor was in Washington. Colorado's statehood was delayed, as well by this; otherwise it probably would have been created in 1865. As it was the state waited until 1876 for admission to the Union.