Evelyn Alexander
by Marcus Titus
Evelyn is a well known woman in the state of Alaska. She has received many awards,
among them: Doyons 1998 Elder of the Year and AFNs 1999 Elder of
the Year.
Evelyn was born to Little Charlie and Agnes Charlie of Minto on December 25, 1916, at Old Minto. Her father was raised in Rampart until he was ten or eleven years old. Her siblings are: Amelia, Gloria, Rosie, Bessie, Detoria, Linda, and Miney. Evelyn and her sisters grew up in Old Minto with their parents. They were taught many Native traditions such as their Athabascan language, how to hunt and provide for one another, how to respect Elders, animals, and mother nature. They were also taught many superstitions, "When I was young we werent allowed to eat fresh blueberries or moose meat." Evelyn married Jim Alexander of Nenana in 1935. They were married by Bishop Bentley in Old Minto. Together they had two children, James Jr., who died at eleven months, and Floyd. They adopted six children; Glenn, Florine, Esau (Paul Esaus brother), Vernon, Dolores (Melvin Charlies sister), andAnna Marie (Fred Alexanders sister). They raised their children in Old Minto.
Evelyn attended school at Old Minto up to
grade two. Arthur Wright was her teacher and she remembers doing mostly arithmetic.
During the winter time they had to move out to hunt and trap. The family would
go to Tatalina, Washington, and to where Minto is now located. Evelyn says that
there were no jobs in those days so she trapped and helped her dad provide for
the family. She would help him build fishwheels and sleds. "Linda and I
stayed at fishcamp while everybody else went to a meeting. I was about 18 years
old. Linda cried, you know how the fishwheel turns, I run across, she thought
I might fall in. We moved the wheel by ourselves." She also helped her
mother make baskets, which they sent to Juneau. "I was really active. I
was a dog musher, health aide, midwife, and Sunday school teacher. I can only
remember delivering 67 babies. I delivered Lefty Jimmie in camp."
Evelyns hobbies include making birch bark baskets, going out camping and
hunting, doing bead work, making vests, slippers, gloves, and she also enjoys
crocheting and knitting.
"Im always for young people to have an education because I never had one."