author
Charles Evans
1802–1879
A Philadelphia physician and devoted Quaker, he wrote thoughtful works on William Penn and early Friends history. His books blend careful research with a deep interest in faith, community, and reform.
1 Audiobook
A Concise Biographical Sketch of William Penn
by Charles Evans
About the author
Born in Philadelphia on December 25, 1802, Charles Evans was a physician, writer, and active member of the Religious Society of Friends. Archival records describe him as deeply involved in Quaker life, including the turbulent period around the Orthodox–Hicksite separation, and as an attendant physician at Friends Asylum for many years.
Alongside his medical work, he wrote and edited books connected to Quaker history and belief. His works include Friends in the Seventeenth Century and A Concise Biographical Sketch of William Penn, showing a strong interest in preserving the lives, ideas, and spiritual legacy of earlier Friends.
Evans died in Philadelphia in 1879. Today he is remembered not only as a doctor, but also as a careful chronicler of Quaker history whose writing helped keep key figures and debates of the movement accessible to later readers.