Willoughby Francis Avery (1843 - 1876)

Born 7 May 1843 in Burke County, North Carolina

Ancestors

Husband of Martha Caroline (Jones) Avery — married 7 Nov 1866 in Morganton, North Carolina

Husband of Ann Zilloma (Atkinson) Avery — married 4 Feb 1875 in Johnston Co., North Carolina

Descendants

Died 24 Nov 1876 at age 33 in Burke County, North Carolina, USA

Biography

Willoughby Francis Avery, born May 7, 1843 at Swan Ponds plantation, Burke County, North Carolina, was the sixteenth and final child of Harriet Eloise (Erwin) Avery (1795-1858) & Isaac Thomas Avery (1785-1864).

While attending the University of North Carolina, per the Avery genealogical records, He left college in 1861, joined a cavalry company of North Carolina troops; was later commissioned lieutenant in the regiment commanded by his brother, Col. Clarke Moulton Avery; was made captain of Company C ; was wounded at Sharpsburg in 1862 ; at Gettysburg in 1863; at Spottsylvania in 1864, and barely escaped death. After the war, he became an editor at Asheville, N. C. ; then he took charge of a daily paper at Charlotte, N. C. ; finally established a paper in Burke County, N. C. He was an able and brilliant writer and a man of great influence.^[1]. According to the caption in his grave memorial, he served the confederacy with Co. I, 33rd NC Infantry Regiment ^[2].

Willoughby F. Avery married, first, on Nov 7, 1866 at Morganton, N. Carolina, Martha Caroline "Mattie" Jones. [She was born on Apr 18, 1843, a daughter of Gen. William Jones and Sarah (Lenoir) Jones. She died in Jul 1868 near Swan Ponds, N. Carolina]. They had one child:

1. Carrie Patterson Avery, b. 29 Sep 1866; died young

He married, second, on Feb 4,1875 in Johnston County, North Carolina, Lora Atkinson. [She was born there on Nov 3, 1853, a daughter of Elijah Atkinson and Polly Ann (Peacock) Atkinson. Following Willoughby's death in 1876, Lora married Henry Pearce and resided at Selma, NC.] They had one child, born in Johnston County, N. Carolina:

1. Willoughby Moulton Avery (1876-1934), b. 2 May 1876

Willoughby F. Avery was the publisher of a local (Asheville) newspaper called the Blue Ridge Blade.

Willoughby Francis Avery died 24 Nov 1876. His grave is in First Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Morganton, Burke County, North Carolina.

Slaves

When his father died W. F. Avery received a number of enslaved persons as an inheritance.^[3]

• Andrew age 40
• Sarah age 34
• Emma age 22
• Jerry age 19
• Chiram? age 14
• Clefton age 12
• Hosiah age 9
• Harrieth age 6
• Jimmy age 4
• Phifer age 2
• Alfred age 37
• Celia age 29
• Delphia age 3
• Lizzie age 6
• Ann age 8
• David age 74
• Dick age 67
• Sidney age 17
• Mily age 10

Sources

1. ↑ [1]
2. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #7331050
3. ↑ 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