Avary data base
Data Base Introduction
WELCOME TO THE AVARY DATA BASE
Introduction by Craig M. Kilby
Ever wonder where you came from? Do you get confused on how all
these Avarys are related? This database can help you. It is indexed
to the name you select on the index, which will take you to the
tree. The best place to start is probably with yourself.
You will note that the database you are about to access is out of
date, and contains erroneous information. For example, beginning
with Yeo1, we now know he was born in 1673 (see text below). We also
know that his 2nd wife's father was George Harbin, not Henry Harbin.
We are working on an update to this database, and on improvements to
the format. If you have additions or corrections, please send them
to Mary Avary Whittier. The database will be updated and uploaded
periodically.
Surnames IndexDatabase
1. Yeo1 Avory (1673-1760)
Our story begins with Yeo1 Avory (the "1" in superscript behind his
name means first generation). His surname is usually spelled AVORY
in the old records in Virginia, and the name is consistently spelled
AVERY in England.. This may alarm some people. It should not. The
"AVARY" spelling is purely an invention of Yeo's three grandsons in
Virginia and their later descendants in the South. (John, Charles &
William). Thankfully, the AVARY spelling has been a surprisingly
consistent clue for modern day researchers.
Yeo1 was christened 3 July 1673, in Stratton Parish, Cornwall,
England "son of John Avery". In Cornwall, we find members of the Yeo
and Avery families related. The 1635 will of Jane Yeo (widow of
Richard Yeo) names, among others, her grandson Yeo Avery. This Yeo,
first of the name, was the the father of John Avery (b. 1641) and
the grandfather of Yeo Avery (b. 1673). It must be stressed at this
point that research in Cornwall is just beginning.
The first record of Yeo Avory in America is in Richmond County,
Virginia, in 1707, when he and his wife RUTH leased some land to one
William Lymus. A lack of records for him in the New World prior to
this date suggests he was in fact the immigrant. We have no record
of how he obtained this land.
Ruth died shortly after this lease agreement. In June 1710, Yeo
Avory married Elizabeth Harbin, a daughter of Hannah and George
Harbin (d. 1696-1698). George Harbin was the first of Hannah’s four
husbands.
We have many records for Yeo and Elizabeth in Richmond County until
1722. They lived on the north side of the Rappahannock River in
Sittenbourn Parish. Then they “disappear” for ten years and next
appear in 1732 when Yeo Avory patented 400 acres of land in Prince
George Co., Virginia (which in 1734 became part of the newly formed
Amelia County).
Where were they in the mean time? There are two possibilities. One
is that upon the creation of King George County in 1721 from
Richmond County, they became residents of King George County. If so,
however, there are no records of them there. A second, more likely
possibility, is that they had already moved to Prince George County,
whose records are more or less destroyed. When Amelia County was
formed in 1734, Yeo's land fell within the new county, and here
comes Yeo Avory again, leaving plenty of records behind him until
his death in 1760. His will there names son George Avary and a
grandson Charles Avary.
2. George2 Avary (c1715-1801)
Yeo had only one known child, and that was George2 Avary. So it is
through George that we are all related. In 1775, his wife was
recorded as Elizabeth, but we do not know her family name.
George was born ca 1715 in Richmond Co., VA, moved with his father
to Amelia County, and then, in 1775, moved to Brunswick Co., VA
where he died in 1801. His will named three sons and two daughters.
The two daughters were Mary and Elizabeth. We know that Mary married
a man named Wilkins and that Elizabeth married Matthew Jackson who
lived, after 1771, in Mecklenburg County, VA. We have a lot of
information on Elizabeth’s children, but virtually nothing on Mary
Avary Wilkins, except that she had one daughter, Elizabeth, who
married a Sanford.
The "Three Avary lines" refer to the three sons of George2 and his
wife Elizabeth. They were:
John3 (c1738 - 1818) who m. Phebe (maiden name not known) and
moved first, in 1770, to Mecklenburg Co., VA and then, in 1789, to
Richmond Co., GA, on the west bank of the Savannah River which
later became Columbia County. His will was proved there in 1818.
Charles3 (c1742-1825) who m. Martha Morriss. He lived for a while
in Amelia Co., then to Brunswick Co., VA and eventually with most
of his children to Greenville Co., SC. His will was proved there
in 1825. This is by far the largest Avary line, Many descendants
later went to Georgia, Alabama and Texas.
William3 (c1744-1794) who m. Hannah Clay. He died in 1794 in
Amelia Co., leaving his widow Hannah, and 11 children, many of
them under age. Two of his sons moved to Columbia Co., GA. One
seems to have moved to Greenville Co., SC. Other children went
west, to western Virginia and Kentucky.
The author/originator was Mary Avary Whittier.
- Source Notes
- Son testament cite son fils George et son petit fils Charles
- Source/Citation References (2)