Anna ‘Mom’ Evert helps deliver Lancaster’s babies

One must remember that being a woman in the old West — including the Antelope Valley — was not easy. One of the most difficult events a female could experience was giving birth. Often, they were obliged to go into labor without any medical assistance. When midwife/nurse Anna Michaelis Wolff “Mom” Evert (1864-1947) settled in Lancaster, she was able to provide them with safe care and needed attention.

Born in Luxembourg, she and her husband, Nicholas “Nick” Evert (1860-1929), and their children, migrated to the U.S. in 1889. They were drawn to America nine years earlier, as one of Anna’s brothers had relocated here and they eventually decided to join him. Another of her brothers also accompanied them.

Crossing the sea took 11 days and then another nine days to reach the valley. They disembarked in Alpine Springs and took a carriage to her brother’s place in old Palmdale, where John Wolff was a saloon keeper. When the drought struck a few years later, the Wolff family moved four miles west to the Ana Verde area.

Soon after, the Everts moved to downtown Lancaster and purchased several lots. They also bought Tom Devereaux’s small wood-frame general store and saloon (built c. 1885/86), which was located on the southwest corner of Sierra Highway and Lancaster Boulevard.

This was one of the first downtown business structures. The Everts moved this building by several horses to the northeast corner of Lancaster Boulevard and Beech Avenue. The old store’s former location then had a new brick business building erected by Mr. Scherer.

Old Lancaster presented an array of opportunities for an ambitious woman like Anna, as she soon initiated several businesses in her relocated building, which became one of Lancaster’s most important business spots.

She began operating an ice cream store and a small laundry. However, in 1890, Lancaster lacked medical personnel. Although she had no special medical training, she had the gift of nursing the sick. She was able to fill this void by acting as a midwife, nurse and doctor substitute, as well as running a maternity home. She established Lancaster’s first hospital that operated from 1909 to 1921. She would also deliver babies at the Western Hotel and other nearby inns. As a result, this kindly practical nurse lovingly earned the moniker, “Mom Evert.”

During this period, Nick worked as a boot maker, owned a nearby mine and sometimes served as an election clerk. He also ran a saloon, but Anna’s displeasure with the saloon was a festering point and she made him get rid of it as soon as she could. Later, the two separated.

Mom’s medical work endeared her to the community and she once said that these were the happiest days of her life. Many of Lancaster’s residents made their entry into the world and countless others owed their lives to her.

Even today, some valley residents remember their parents, grandparents and other family members being delivered by her. For instance, one valley resident, Marvin Evert Barnes, always liked to say that he was named after the midwife who delivered him. And, Frances Lane’s father,

Frank, was also delivered by Mom Evert.

In addition to serving as the Evert family home, this building later contained the front offices for Pioneer Real Estate, Alice Rutledge’s “Antelope Valley Lands” real estate business and Dr. James T. Arwine’s medical practice.

Now, Arwine’s office was always busy, however, while it was Mom who actually delivered most of the babies, Arwine signed their birth certificates. When he did deliver babies, he charged $15 for a home delivery in 1912 (about $400 today).

A few years later, Dr. Seth H. Savage also had an office at Mom Evert’s place, but when she became ill, he decided to build a residence, which

also became the town’s new hospital, as the four front rooms were devoted to patients.

Later, this building served as a small boarding house that was handled by Anna. It then became home to a men’s clothing store. The wooden building remained there until about 1945, when Mom sold the property for a new Bank of America building that was being constructed at the time of her death. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Lancaster Station has replaced these former establishments.

During the last few years of her life, she had been in poor health, but her condition became critical the last two weeks of her life. She died in Lancaster Community Hospital. Anna, “Mom Evert,” is buried at Lancaster Cemetery along with other family members.