AVERILL, Norman S 1833 - 1911

AVERILL, WELLS, STEVER

Posted By: Richard K. Thompson (email)
Date: 1/2/2011 at 20:21:13

Fairfield Ledger
Fairfield, Iowa
February 8, 1911

Was a former Fairfieldian.

Norman S. AVERILL, who died at Los Angeles, Cal., the 28th ult., was for many years a resident of Fairfield. He was born at Bethany, N.Y., in 1833 (sic. May 1833), lived for a time in Indiana and then came to Fairfield, in the '60's, where he was a member of the mercantile firm of WELLS, STEVER & AVERILL. This firm occupied a large double front room on the east side of the square, where McElhany's department store is now located. Mr. AVERILL removed to California in 1878 and lived for a time on a ranch near Garden Grove. Later he took up his residence in Los Angeles and served as deputy in various county offices until 1894. He was then elected secretary of the board of education, a position he held at the time of his death and whose duties had filled most admirably. The Los Angeles Times says: "He was personally acquainted with nearly every teacher in the public schools and beloved of them all because of his fatherly interest in their personal welfare aside from the duties which the office imposed upon him."

Mr. AVERILL had been ill only a day or two, with what was supposed to be a light attack of la grippe, and his condition was not thought to be serious. He was suddenly taken worse and passed away within fifteen minutes. Mrs. AVERILL and one son, G.E. AVERILL, survive the husband and father. The body was interred in Los Angeles Wednesday.

*Transcribed for genealogy purposes. I am not related to the person(s) mentioned.

Note: Buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California. Born May 1833 and died on January 28, 1911. Survived by his wife, Anna Sophia WELLS AVERILL and a son, George E. AVERILL. They, and a son John M AVERILL who died in an accidental drowning in 1882, are all buried in this same cemetery. A three year old daughter, Gertrude, died in 1871 and is buried in the Evergreen Cemetery in Fairfield, Iowa.