Leah Adelaide Avery (1822 - 1897)

Born 20 Dec 1822 in Burke County, North Carolina, United States of America

Ancestors

Biography

Leah Adelaide Avery, born December 20, 1822 at Swan Ponds, Burke County, North Carolina, was the sixth child of Isaac Thomas Avery (1785-1864) and Harriet Eloise (Erwin) Avery (1795-1858).

She was a librarian, and was referred to in the following newspaper article in The Carolina Mountaineer, April 28, 1883: New library in Morganton town hall, sponsored by the Morganton Library Association, with Miss Adelaide L. Avery, librarian, and yearly membership of $2.00.” 1905 - Money was being collected for a library in Drexel. 1921 - The Library Extension Department of the Morganton Woman’s Club agitated for a public library and in 1923 opened a one-room library on the second floor at 125 West Union Street.

She remained unmarried.

Leah Adelaide Avery died January 20, 1897. Her grave is in Forest Hill Cemetery, Morganton, Burke County, North Carolina ^[1].

Obituary

The Morgantown (sic) Herald, Feb 4, 1897 page 3 In Memorian (sic)

" On Wednesday evening, Jan 20th, Miss Adelaide L Avery, one of the oldest and most highly esteemed residents of Morganton, passed away quietly to her rest after a long and trying illness, which for the last six months, entirely confined her to bed. She was the granddaughter of Col Waightstill Avery of Revolutionary fame, and the eldest daughter of Col Isaac Avery and Harriet Erwin, and was born at their home, Swan Ponds, Dec 20, 1822. But, although in her seventy fifth year, her great mental and social activities, as well as the natural vivacity of her temperament always made her appear much younger. Ever personally interested in all that was likely to promote the progress and welfare of the community in which she lived, kind, generous and just in all her dealings, her death must long be felt as a general loss. She was an earnest Christian, delved to the church of which she was a member, and ever ready to do her part in the Master’s work. Her bright, genial nature gained her many warm friends, but only those who knew her best could fully appreciate the worth of a character in which the most striking traits were a sincerity incapable of compromise and the most conscientious faithfulness to duty. Of her truly might it be said. “Well done good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord” “Another dear one taken A little sooner house The Savior marked her failing strength And gently whispered, come.

How faithful she served Him, The Master knoweth best, Her work was done - In tender love He bade His servant rest.

Ours all the loss and sorrow Hers the eternal gain, We would not have her linger here In weakness and in pain.

Bur sorely we shall miss her, And feel each day anew No other ever can fill her place So kindly, good and true. “ ~~ A FRIEND"

Slaves

At her father's death Miss A. L. Avery received a number of enslaved persons as an inheritance.^[2]

• Harry age 36
• George age 34
• Angeline age 34
• Jane age 18
• Sophia age 15
• Tom age 17
• Lilly age 8
• William age 7
• Edward aeg 5
• Frank age 5
• Rachel age 2
• Romes age 7 mos
• Lucy age 7 mos
• Jacob age 20
• Isaac age 18
• Anthony age 66
• Ab age 62
• Elisha age 9
• Joseph age 29
• Emmonds age 16

Sources

1. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #106101341
2. ↑ Chambers Family Papers, 1816-1918 https://finding-aids.lib.unc.edu/02828/#folder_12#1 Volume 2: Family record book, 50 pp. Manuscript volume, apparently written by Pinckney Brown Chambers, 1845-1865, continuing and correcting entries in Volume 1.
   • Folder 12: Volume 2: Family record book, 50 pp.: Scan 45