W.P. Evans W.P. Evans, the founder of the Pioneer, was small of stature and swarthy of skin Born in Illinois to parents who were natives of Wales, Evans had begun his printing career at the age of fifteen in the office of the Greenville, Illinois Advocate After serving in the Civil War, he studied law and then practiced the profession for six months in St. Louis Mo. where he had become foreman of the St. Louis Democrat. In a series of moves he had worked westward. first as foreman of the state printing office in Des Moines, than as foreman of the Carroll Herald and later the Storm Lake Pilot. In March of 1872, he had been largely instrumental in establishing the stock company which founded the lda County Pioneer the same month. Also, he served as postmaster and two terms as county auditor.