Mike Evans

Birth Name: Michael Jonas Evans

Date of Birth: November 3, 1949

Place of Birth: Salisbury, Rowan, North Carolina, United States

Date of Death: December 14, 2006

Place of Death: Twentynine Palms, San Bernardino, California, U.S.

Ethnicity: African-American, distant Irish and likely Scottish

Mike Evans was an American actor and writer. He is known for playing Lionel Jefferson on the series All in the Family and The Jeffersons. He also co-created the series Good Times, with Eric Monte.

Mike was the son of Annie Sue and Theodore Lillington “Theo” Evans, who were born in North Carolina. A photo of Mike and his mother can be seen here. He and his family moved to Los Angeles, California, when he was a teenager. Mike had two children.

Mike’s paternal grandfather was Theodore Evans (the son of Ananias Evans and Alvernia Pool). Theodore was born in Lenoir, North Carolina. Ananias was born in North Carolina, the son of Jonas Evans and Pennia Herring. Alvernia was born in North Carolina, the daughter of Thomas Poole and Argent Parrott.

Mike’s paternal grandmother was Lillian Bingham (the daughter of Lillington H. Bingham and Henrietta Browne). Lillian was born in North Carolina. Lillington was born in Salisbury, North Carolina, the son of Henry Bingham and Rosanna Lillington. Henrietta was born in Rowan, North Carolina, the daughter of William Brown and Margaret.

Mike’s maternal grandfather was The Rev. John Timothy Murdock (the son of The Rev. Sidney Murdock and Eugenia/Jenny Chambers). The Rev. John was born in Statesville, North Carolina. The Rev. Sidney was born in Statesville, the son of Andrew Murdock. Eugenia was born in Mecklenburg, North Carolina, the daughter of Henry/Jordan Caldwell/Chambers, a slave, and of Tishie Moore. Jordan was the son of his master, Andrew Caldwell; Andrew was of Irish, and likely Scottish, descent. Jordan was later sold to a slave master named Pinckney Brown Chambers. He sometimes said that his mother was an Irish indentured servant; however, it is unlikely that an Irish/white person was sold into slavery at the time, and more likely that his mother was a Black/mixed-race slave. Mike’s great-great-grandfather Jordan was listed as “mulatto” on the 1880 U.S. Census. He was active in local politics, and was referred to as “colored” and “Negro” in local newspapers of the time. Mike’s great-great-grandmother Tishie was also the daughter of a white slaveowner father and a black slave mother.

Mike’s maternal grandmother was Cora Lee Greenlee (the daughter of Joseph Greenlee and Sina Murphy). Cora was born in Marion, North Carolina. Joseph was born in North Carolina, the son of Alexander Greenlee and Jane Peyton.

Sources: Genealogy of Mike Evans – https://www.familysearch.org

Article about Mike’s maternal great-great-grandfather, Henry/Jordan Caldwell/Chambers, including a picture – https://wiseguys2015.com

Mike’s maternal great-great-grandfather, Henry/Jordan Caldwell/Chambers, on the U.S. 1880 Census – https://www.familysearch.org