Train Robber's Daughter: The Melodramatic Life of Eva Evans, 1876-1970

by Jay O'Connell

Evans and Sontag were among the most notorious outlaws of the American West. Now Train Robber's Daughter presents for the first time the true story of Eva Evans, the teenage daughter of Chris Evans, whose life was just as dramatic as that of her train robbing father. From her first-hand accounts of the manhunt for her father; her romance with his bandit partner, John Sontag; her career on the stage, portraying herself in a popular blood and thunder melodrama; and her surprising admission, at the end of her life, of her father's guilt, this meticulously-researched biography tells a gripping story that not only entertains, but is a valuable contribution to California history.

302 pages, Perfect Paperback

First published February 18, 2008

Reviews

[Claudia Mundell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a little slow and dry in places, but overall it was interesting to read. I had never heard of Chris Evans and John Sontag as train robbers...I guess because they worked in California. But they were as notorious as Jesse James and the Dalton Gang here in the Midwest.This book hits on the relationship between the train robber and his daughter more than the robberies. Evans was such a family man and the family was tight knit bunch...intersting to watch the relationships.....