THE PETER AVERY FAMILY
From page 164 of Roots of Roane County, by Snyder E. Roberts (1981)
Revolutionary War soldier, Peter Avery, has had his name perpetuated by its use on Roane County maps as the name for Avery's Branch and Avery's Trace. Avery Branch empties into Big emery on the west side opposite Harriman Junction the Southern Railway. Old-timers may remember Oak Grove School and Riggs Chapel on, or near, the branch. Historic Avery Trace passed through Big Emery Gap, turned left along Clifty Creek to Crab Orchard.
In 1903, Capt. McElwee wrote an article for the American Historical Magazine entitled "The Old Road." A few excerpts from the article:
"A company of men was organized in Washington District as provided for in the Act, and with Peter Avery, a hunter well-skilled in woodcraft as a guide, a blazed trace was marked through the wilderness between the two designated points (Clinch Mountain and Bean's Lick)."
One of the whereas items specified, "the levelest and most direct way having regard to the most convenient passage of mountains, fords and rivers."
The road from South West Point to post Oak to Kimbrough's Gap to Crab Orchard laid out later (about 1800) "was called the Walton Road which distinguished it from the old NC Road sometimes called the Avery trace. The Walton Road intersected the old NC Road near the present town of Crossville."
AVERY TRACE
Avery Trace crossed Little Emery, passed along the general route of old Oliver Springs-Harriman highway, thence through the Big emery Gap in Walden Ridge, west along the present highway by Oakdale High School to Crab Orchard, thus by-passing the formidable heights of Walden Ridge above Rockwood. This route was used by many Middle TN settlers. These settlers were generally escorted by guards, or patrols, supplied by Adair's Station located north of Knoxville at present Lynnhurst Cemetery. The road passed Powell Station, Menefee Station (on Clinton Highway), by present Karns School, to Clinch River near Edgemoor, thence to Poplar Creek and to Little Emery.
The early Peter Avery family line has been researched by John H. Avery of Colorado Springs, CO since 1914. He obtained much information on his line from the authors of "The Groton Avery Clan" although the two seem to be separate lines. Madison Noble, a great grandson of Peter Avery, as supplied information from the Allen Avery Bible in AL. Mrs. Carl Gravelle of Orinda, CA, and Mrs. Joel (Jane Gray) Buchanan of Oak Ridge, TN also contributed.
Peter Avery was born May 26, 1739 and was baptized in the Dutch reform church at Poughkeepsie, NY. He died in Roane County in 1816. He enlisted in Capt. Isaac Terbush's company in Dutchess County, NY on June 21, 1761. Peter was described as being 22 years of age, fair complexion, gray eyes, fair hair, and a cordwainer (leather worker) by trade. He married (6-20-1788) Mary Yaple (1758). McElwee lists Peter Avery as a non-pensioner Rev. War soldier. No record of his Rev. War service has been found, but no doubt he saw service against the Indians, and probably in specialized services, such as scouting.
Several of Peter and Mary's children probably were born in Ulster Co. NY, but the family does not appear in the NY state census for 1790. It is not known when he arrived in TN, nor his place of residence when he was chosen in 1787 to blaze the Avery Trace.
He was living in Blount County, TN in 1798 as attested by a deed (Book A, p. 23) from him to his daughter, Tabitha. The 1801 petition to erect Anderson County contains the names of Peter and Joseph Avery. The relationship to Joseph is not known. In 1802, "the first road considered by the Anderson County Court to be built was to be from the ford at Cole Creek to the lower Anderson line between Peter Avery's house and the foot of Walden Ridge." (near, or in Oliver Springs)
Peter Avery's name first appears in Roane records as surety for the marriage of Becky Avery to Thomas Conway on August 4, 1803, and his name is included in an 1805 tax list. A Roane 1815 voting list contains Peter's name and his sons: David, John, James, Peter, Jr., and Allen. Peter Avery's main tract of 230 acres was bought from Hugh Dunlap (D, p. 230). It adjoined Solomon Geron, Walden Ridge, another Avery tract, and Stephen Center. Peter and his sons owned smaller tracts--one of which was evidently on Avery Branch and may have had a grist mill on it. In 1815, Peter Avery, Sr. sold (E, p.484) his 300-acre tract to his son, John. (This tract was later acquired by Solomon Geron who willed it to his seventeen slaves)
Evidently, Peter Avery, Sr. married, secondly NANCY—at an unknown date because in the October Session 1816 of Court, "Nancy WOOLEY, formerly the wife of Peter Avery deceased" was making a final settlement with the Court of Peter’s estate. Nancy was evidently much younger than Peter, Sr.
Peter Avery and MARY YAPLE had the following children:
TABITHA AVERY (1779) m JOHN FRYER in 1799 Blount Co. TN. They were living in Roane in 1814, but moved to White County, TN. Their children were: Mary (1801-1873) who mar. Maj. William Green; Sarah (1803-1856) who mar. Judge Thomas Green; Elizabeth (1807-1895) mar. James H. Doyle; Emaline (1816-1834); William (1812-1849) to MO; Agnes (abt 1832); Roseanna
NICHOLAS AVERY (1780) received several land grants in White County, TN where several brothers followed.
PETER AVERY, JR. (1782) was in Roane 1805 through 115.
ELIZABETH AVERY (1784)
JOHN AVERY (1788) to MO
DAVID AVERY (1790) to AR
HENRY AVERY (1793-1845) married ELIZABETH GREEN (1798-1846). Henry fought in the War of 1812. He was a preacher and a teacher, and a highly respected man. He was in Roane and White counties, in AL, and to MO by 1830. Henry and Elizabeth had the following children: Ponsonby G. (1820-1863); William L. (1822); Robinson L. (1824-1889); Thomas F. (1827-1843); Nancy A. (1830); Susan J. (1832-1910); Argus C. (1836-1911); James M. (1838-1903
JAMES AVERY (1796)
REUBEN AVERY (1789 - died in Little Rock)
JANE AVERY (1802)
ALLEN AVERY (1805 - 1859 Attala, AL) married (1827) SARAH MCBRAYER (1809-1890). They lived in AL, and owned the Avery Bible. Allen and Sarah's children were: Luvina A.; Ridonic A; Francis M; Josephine C; Rufus T.; Lucita E; Nancy U; Adonirum J; Ann W.
Apparently all of the Peter Avery descendants had left Roane County by 1830. While living on Emery River in Roane County, the Averys were closely associated with the THOMAS and KEZZIAH AVERY GREEN family.
Tourism web site on Avery Trace, with map [but not Roane part :-( ] http://www.wwns.com/usatowns/tn/counties/clay/tourism/avery/avery.html