evans was born on february 1878 in washington dc to frank l. evans, the descendant of a quaker family, and elizabeth j. grimes, the daughter of doctor gassaway sellman grimes. he grew up in front royal, virginia. he studied in france at the école des beaux-arts; among his fellow students were auguste rodin and augustus saint-gaudens. he also studied at the corcoran school of art under edith ogden heidel.