James Avery

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Captain James Avery (c. 1620–1700), son of Christopher Avery

Joanna Greenslade (say 1623–1697)

James Avery was born about 1620. [1, 199–200] He was buried on 20 April 1700. He married first Joanna Greenslade on 10 November 1643 in Gloucester. [1, 199–200][2, no last name] He married second as her third husband Abigail Ingraham on 4 July 1698. [1, 199–200] Abigail married first Samuel Chesebrough.[1, 199–200] Samuel, the son of William and Anna (Stevenson) Chesebrough was baptized on 1 April 1627 in Boston, England and buried on 31 July 1673. [1, 199–200] Abigail married second Joshua, the son of Robert Holmes, on 5 or 16 June 1675.

On 20 April 1700 Manasseh Minor wrote in his diary, “capt Jams Avary was beryed.” [3, 44].

Thomas Minor wrote in his diary that on “16 [June 1675] … the widow Cheesebrough was maried,” [4, 130]

Joanna Greenslade was born say 1623. She was buried on 8 October 1697.

On 13 October 1697 Manasseh Minor wrote in his diary, “Capt Avarys wife was buryed.” [3, 25].

James appears to have come to New England with his father and they went to Gloucester on the peninsula of Cape Ann on the east coast of Massachusetts by 1645. James first appears in the records when he, said to be of Gloucester, took the freeman’s oath on 1: 11: 1645 in Salem. He was on grand juries at the Essex county court in Salem on 25: 10: 49 and 25: 4: 1650. [5]

When the minister at Gloucester, Mr. Blinman was engaged to be a minister at Pequot (later called New London), some of his congregation moved there with them and on 19 October 1650 grants were made in Pequot to eight men from Gloucester. The Gloucester party’s land was in the rear of the town plant, “beyond the brook and ministry lot.” The lots were six acres each and James received one. The position was felt to be inconvenient and dreary and the soil was hard to cultivate. James did not arrive in Pequot until 1651. He was later given a swampy meadow called Little Owl Meadow not far from the town plot on the north side of the millbrook. [6, 67, 71, 72, 95]

James was an early resident farmer in the part of Pequot that became south Groton. He received grants in 1652 or 1653 but lived in the town plot with his family until about 1655. [6, 96–96]

The Indian neighbors of the planters at Pequot were the Mohegans. In 1657 the Narragansetts invaded the Mohegans territory and the sachem Uncas fled and took refuge in a fort at the head of the Nahantick River. Lieutenant James Avery and others broke up the resulting siege and the Narragansetts departed, not wanting a fight with the English. [6, 127]

On 15 June 1659 James was one of three men appointed by the court in Connecticut to lay out 1,500 acres for John Winthrop at the head of Pocatanack Cove for the furtherance of a plantation at Quinibange. On 9 October 1662 the court ordered the town constables to collect the corn owed as tax and to convey it to Ensign Avery and two others. On 8 October 1663 the court appointed Ensign James Avery to be a commissioner in New London. He was reappointed on 12 May 1664. [7, vol. 1, 338, 385, 426]

On 26 February 1665 it was voted in New London that Lieutenant Avery and James Morgan be chosen messengers to fetch up the new minister Mr. Bradstreet. James was a deputy on 14 May 1668. He was on a committee to lay out a highway between Norwich and Mystic. Mr. Bradstreet’s church records began on 5 October 1670 when he listed the 24 church members, including Lieutenant James Avery and his wife. [6, 138, 143, 143][7, vol. 2, 83]

After 1666 for 15 or 20 years the town commissioners were “almost invariably” Messrs. Avery, Wetherall and Palmes. In military affairs, after the death of Major Mason, Fitz-John Winthrop took the lead and next to him were Palmes and Avery. [6, 180]

Messrs. Wetherall and Avery visited Uncas on 28 June 1675 to see how he stood in regard to Philip and returned apprehensive that he was in league with him. James served throughout King Philip’s War. He was in command of 40 Indians from Stonington, New London and Lyme. He served in the Swamp Fight at Narragansett that left nearly a thousand enemy Indians dead. [1, 181,188, 200]

Betty, an Indian woman taken captive in King Philip’s War was given to Captain James Avery. He sold her to Charles Hill. [6, 427]

On 12 May 1681 the Court of Elections appointed Captain James Avery, Mr. Witherspoon, Captain Mason and Mr. Nehemiah Palmer to seek out a tract of land that might be suitable for Momohoe and the Pequots with him. On 14 May 1685 the Court appointed Lieutenant Thomas Leffingwell, Captain James Avery, Nehemiah Palmer or any two of them to lay out the parcels of land given to the Pequots in New London or Stonington. In June 1688 James Avery and Cary Latham met with Uncas to agree upon a boundary line. [6, 165][7, vol. 2, 78; vol. 3, 169]

James gave deeds to his homestead farm to his four sons in in February 1693/4. [6, 332]

Children of James Avery and Joanna Greenslade, the births of the first three are recorded in Gloucester. Births of the first nine recorded in New London as the children of James and Joan. Hannah’s record says she was not born in New London. [2][8]

i. Hannah Avery was born on 11 or 12 October 1644 in Gloucester. She died on 22 August 1721 in Stonington. She married Ephraim Minor.

ii. Captain James Averywas born on 15 December 1646 in Gloucester. He died on 22 August 1748. [1, 199–200] He married Deborah, the daughter of Edward Stallion, on 20 February 1669 in New London. [8] She died on 27 March 1727. [1, 199–200]

On 1 September 1703 Manasseh Minor wrote in his diary, “Capn Avary went out with his men.” On 26 September he wrote, “Capn Avery came home with his army & 10 prisoners.” [3, 63]

On 4 April 1704 Manasseh Minor wrote, “Captain James Avery went away with the Indians.” [3, 67]

iii. Mary Avery was born on 19 February 1648 in Gloucester. She married Joseph Minor on 28 October 1668. Joseph was the brother of Mary’s sister Hannah’s husband.

iv. Captain Thomas Avery was born on 6 May 1651. He died on 5 January 1737. [1, 199–202] He married first Hannah, the daughter of Thomas Minor on 22 October 1677 in New London. [8] He married second Hannah Bulkley of Stonington on 11 March 1693 in Wethersfield. [8] She married first Edward Bulkley. [1, 199–202]

Thomas was an Indian interpreter and a soldier in King Philip’s War. [1, 202]

On 20 March 1703/4 Manasseh Minor wrote in his diary, “news that Thomas Avrys house was burnt.” [3, 97]

On 20 January 1706/7 Manasseh Minor wrote in his diary, “Captt Tho Avry came h(blott).” [3, 63]

v. Captain John Avery was born on 10 February 1653. He married Abigail Chesebrough on 29 November 1675. [8] Abigail was John’s stepsister, the daughter of Samuel Chesebrough and John’s stepmother Abigail Ingraham. [1, 199–201] She was born on 30 September 1656. [1, 199–201] She was buried on 19 May 1719.

On 29 November 1675 Thomas Minor wrote in his diary, “John Averie was married,” [4, 133]

On 6 January 1706 Manasseh Minor wrote in his diary, “Capt John Avry came home.” [3, 82]

On 19 May 1719 Manasseh Minor wrote in his diary, “Capt John averys wife buryed” [3, 146]

Thomas moved to Montville. [1, 202]

vi. Rebecca Avery was born on 6 October 1656. She married William Potts of Newcastle, England on 5 August 1678 in New London. [8]

Thomas Minor wrote in his diary, “The .5th. day of Agust 1678 william pots and Rebeckah Avery was maried,”[4, 150]

vii. Jonathan Avery was born on 5 January 1658. He died in August 1681 in New London. He was buried on 15 September 1681. [8]

Thomas Minor wrote in his diary, “15 [Sept. 1681] Jonathan Avery was buried.” [4, 168]

viii. Christopher Avery was born on 30 April 1661 in New London. He died on 8 December 1683. [27]

Thomas Minor wrote in his diary, “.8. day [Dec. 1683] at Night Christopher Avery died.” [4, 181]

ix. Samuel Avery was born on 14 August 1664 in New London. He married Susanna, the daughter of William and Ann (Humphrey) Palmes of Swansey. [1, 199–201]

x. Joanna Avery was born in 1669 [1, 199–201]

Endnotes

1. Richard Anson Wheeler, History of the Town of Stonington (New London: Press of the Day, 1900).

2. Vital Records of Gloucester, Massachusetts: To the End of the Year 1849 (Topsfield: Topsfield Historical Society, 1923), vol. 1, vol. 2, vol. 3. James’s marriage record with only his first wife’s name, Joane, MVR, Gloucester, vol. 2, 28. Births of first three children recorded in Gloucester as the children of Jamea and Joane. Hannah is recorded as born 12: 8: 16__ and James is recorded as born 16 January 164__. MVR, Gloucester, vol. 1, 72.

3. Manasseh Minor, The Diary of Manasseh Minor: Stonington, Conn., 1696–1720 (n.p: published by Frank Denison Miner with the assistance of Hannah Miner, 1988).

4. Thomas Minor, Sydney H. Minor and George D. Stanton, The Diary of Thomas Minor, Stonington, Connecticut, 1653–1684(New London: Press of the Day, 1899).

5. George Francis Dow, ed., and Harriet S. Tapley, trans., Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, 9 vols., digitized books, Salem Witch Trials: Documentary Archive and Transcription Project (http://salem.lib.virginia.edu), vol. 1, 91, 180, 191.

6. Frances Mainwaring Caulkins, History of New London, Connecticut (New London: H.T. Utley, 1895).

7. J. Hammond Trumble, The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut, vol. 1 (Hartford: Brown & Parsons, 1850; vol. 2 (Hartford: F.A. Brown, 1852), vol. 3 (Case, Lockwood, & Co., 1859).

8. "Connecticut: Vital Records (The Barbour Collection), 1630–1870," database with images, AmericanAncestors.org > New London, 8–9.

Revised July 4, 2023