Avery, A. S.

AVERY

Posted By: Joyce Hickman (email)
Date: 11/11/2007 at 22:12:18

A. S.

(From the 1883 History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, by J. H. Keatley, p.172, Minden Twp.)
A. S. Avery, farmer, P. O. Neola, was born in Orange County, Vt., in August, 1841. His father, Christopher Avery, was a farmer, born in Vermont in April, 1805, and has lived in his native State all of his life. The mother of our subject was born in Vermont in June, 1805. They have lived together for fifty-five years, and are the parents of nine children, four of whom are living. The old folks are still living in their native State. Our subject is the only one of the children living in this State. After receiving a common-school education, he was admitted to the New Hampton College, in New Hampshire, which he attended for two years and a half. In the fall of 1867, he started West, stopping in Wheatland, Clinton County, this State. He was book-keeper in the dry goods house of M. S. Rogers & Co. until the following spring, when he went to Missouri Valley Junction, Harrison County. He was then appointed agent for the American Mercantile Union Express Company, which position he held for five years. He next engaged in the general merchandise business, which he followed until 1878, when he closed business and went to Colorado on account of ill health. He came to this county in the spring of 1880, and purchased 200 acres of land east of and adjoining the town of Neola. The land was new, but is now in a good state of cultivation, well fenced, with a fine house, which our subject erected. He is at present giving his attention to stock-raising. During our late civil war, our subject was Second Lieutenant of the Fifteenth Vermont Volunteer Infantry, but, owing to ill health, he was compelled to return after serving nine months. He was married, in Missouri Valley, Harrison County, this State, in 1872, to Mary Mann, born in New York in September, 1852. She is the daughter of Calvin and Sylvia (Newell) Mann. her father is a mechanic, born in New York in 1815; moved to Michigan, and then to Wisconsin, and finally to Missouri Valley, where he settled in 1867, and followed his trade till about 1872, when he went to Nebraska, where he now lives. Her mother was born in Vermont about 1820. She was married in 1843, and has raised five children, three of whom are living. Mr. and Mrs. Avery have one child, Hazen L., born in June, 1876. Our subject was Recorder and a member of the Council of Missouri Valley Junction. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and is at present Worshipful Master of the lodge of Neola. He is a non-professor in religion, and in politics is a Republican.