Avant Family History

Avent Generation 1

Col. Thomas Avent
b. 1671, Rouen, Normandy, France ^{(5, 6)} or Devonshire, England ⁽¹⁰⁾
d. Oct. 31, 1757, Albemarle Parish, Sussex County, Virginia

+ Elizabeth

John Avent
William Avent
Thomas Avent, Jr.
Sarah Avent
Mary Avent
Peter Avent

As a Huguenot, Thomas would have come from France as part of the exodus there. He would have lived in England for only a short time before moving to the colonies. As a Colonel for the Crown he would have received special consideration for land etc.

The English were especially open at that time to recieve Huguenots because of the high quality occupations they brought with them from France, replacing the many that England had lost to over expansion. There were even Huguenot churches in London which were tolerated at the time of strict Protestant restriction to the Church of England.

Huguenots are synonimous to the Presbyterians of Scotland, as both had their teachings from Calvin, the difference being the Scots had John Knox as their leader." ⁽⁵⁾

Thomas Avent is said to be listed in David C. A. Agnew's Protestant Exiles from France Chiefly in the Reign of Louis XIV, Vol. II, p. 175. However, a scan of that particular page uploaded to archive.org does not contain a reference to Thomas Avent. This bears further research.

Additional sources of information about Thomas Avent make no reference to Huguenot heritage and indicate that Thomas had a direct paternal line in England — his father, John Avent, b. 1642, Marlborough, Devon, England; and his grandfather, John Avent, b. 1617, Devon, England. ⁽¹⁰⁾

Abner Thomas Avent is believed to have emigrated to Virginia in the year 1701.

"On 3 May 1739 he [Thomas Avent] made oath before the Brunswick County Court that he had been 38 years in Virginia [Brunswick Co. Court Orders 1:241], and he appears as Thomas "Avon" on a list of Surry County tithe tables taken 10 June 1702 [John Bennett Boddie, Colonial Surry (Baltimore, 1966), p. 205]. ⁽⁷⁾

Thomas Avent's arrival in Virginia may have been linked to actions of a man named John Nickolls.

"He also spent some time in NC. On 17 July 1716 Thomas Avent, weaver, acknowledged sales of land to Jacob Coleson, Robert Green and Richard Moore, his wife Elizabeth, through her attorney in fact Robert Hicks, renouncing dower [Chowan Co. Deeds B(1):19-20].

"Although Thomas Avent had been in Virginia more than ten years, on 16 December 1714 John Nickolls, gent. obtained a patent for land in Prince George County for transporting several persons, including Thomas Avent.

"Because these patents may have been sought years after the transportation took place, it is possible that Nickolls was in fact responsible for bringing Thomas event in 1701, in which case the two men may have had a connection in England. ⁽⁷⁾

Col. Thomas Avent served as a judge, sheriff, and Justice of the Peace in Sussex County, Virginia. As such, he was called upon by Gov. Spottswood and his Council asked Avent to investigate some troubles with the native Indians. Avent wrote this letter as a report of his investigation. The following transcript refers to local Indians tribes named Saponys and Cotobers. Notes in parenthesis have been added by the transcriber, Steve Avent. The Virginia Historical Society has dated the letter below as written in 1727. ^{(8, 9)}

Sir:

The 27th of September John Carter brought negro Cofey to my hous as he says by your order for me to examine Conserning what the Saponys have tould him about the white people(,) which I have don(e,) and he tels me that great george tould him that John Sareano and a fellow called ben harrison was gon(e) to the Cotobers to fetch on hundred of them to com(e) and see why their Indians was put in prison(,) and if Captn Tom was hanged they would carrey there wives and children over roanoak river and then the would drive the white people and negros as far as James river(,) and he says that Tony Mack tould him that if pyah was hanged he and the Cotobers would com(e) and take revenge of the english(,) and he says that Sapony Tom tould him if his son Harry Irvine was hanged they would kill you and three or four more gentelmen and the goe of(f,) and he says that rich tould him the wee had noe busnes (business) to com(e) to the fort armed to consern ourselves about there killing one another(,) but we were like a sow that had lost her pigs would ralley for a little time and then have don(e), but when they began a war with the english they never would have don(e,) this from

Yr humble srvt (servant) to command

"The will of Thomas Avent of Albemarle Parish, Sussex County, dated 21 September 1756 and proved 18 November 1757 [Sussex Co. Wills A:80], devises land to his son William Avent in Sussex County and in Northampton Co NC and also appoints him an executor.

"It appears that William Avent did not long outlive his father; his will, dated 22 April 1760 and proved August 1761 [Northampton Co. Wills 1:56] named as executors his wife [identified as Sarah Avent in the probate act], William Ragland [his son-in-law] and Joseph Avent.

"His daughter Rebecca was bequeathed two Negro slaves - she was well under age. That Sarah, wife of William Avent, was a daughter of Joseph Massie of nearby Brunswick County, appears from the will of the latter, dated 19 August 1760 and proved 26 May 1761 [Brunswick Co. Wills 3:368], which leaves her a Negro boy named Ned. Sarah (Massie) Avent and Amey (Massie) Avent, wife of Peter Avent, were sisters, but while Peter and not Amey Avent is named in the estate accounting returned 24 June 1765 [id. 3:431], Sarah and not William Avent is named because Peter was alive while William was already dead. ⁽⁷⁾

Up One Gen.

Avent Generation 2

John Avent
b. abt. 1705, Albemarle Parish, Surry/Sussex County, Virginia
d. 1755, Sussex County, Virginia

+ Margaret Soloman

Mary Avent
Benjamin Avent, + Lucy Grizzard, Jan. 19, 1786
Elizabeth Avent, b. Mar. 13, 1738 or 1739, d. 1820; + (first name unknown) Massie
Thomas Avent, Jan. 12, 1742 or 1743; + Rebecca (surname unknown)
John Avent, b. Mar. 16, 1744 or 1745
William Avent, b. Apr. 15, 1748, d. 1821
Peter Avent, b. Feb. 4, 1749 or 1750, d. 1780
James Avent, b. Nov. 19, 1752

William Avent
b. abt. 1706, Surry County, Virginia
d. Aug. 17, 1761, Northampton County, Virginia ⁽⁴⁾

+ Sarah Massie, Northampton County, Virginia, daughter of Joseph Massey and Elizabeth Rives
b. 1710, Surry County, Virginia
d. 1785-1790, Northampton County, Virginia

Mildred Avent
Ursula Avent
Thomas Avent, b. 1736
John Avent, b. 1736
Joseph Avent, b. abt. 1740
Gilly Avent
Sarah Avent, b. 1744
William Avent, b. 1748
Rebecca Avent, b. 1753

Avent Generation 2 continued

Up One Gen.

Avent Generation 3

Mildred Avent

Ursula Avent

Thomas Avent
b. 1736 ⁽⁴⁾
d. abt. 1781, Edgecombe County, North Carolina

+ Rebecca Stevens, daughter of Jerimiah Stevens of Nash County, North Carolina

Abner Avant
Angelica Avent
John (Jonnie) Avent
Elizabeth Avent
William Avent
Mary Avent
Amos Avent
Allen Burton Aven
Rebecca Avent
Ruina (Runiah) Avent

In 1765 Thomas Avent and his brother John moved their families from Virginia to Buckhorn Falls on the Cape Fear River in Chatham County, North Carolina. ⁽²⁾

Between 1765 and 1769 the Avent brothers, Thomas and John, had established a ferry for crossing the Cape Fear River, and that location became known as Avent's Ferry.

"My dad was born on a farm not 5 miles from Avent's Ferry - I've been down there many times to the site and can tell you exactly where it is. NC Rt. 42 goes through Fuquay-Varina and Corinth and crosses the Cape Fear River.

"Where it crosses the river is the site of the ferry, which ran until 1928, the year the bridge was built.

"My dad's oldest brother, born in 1906, told me how as a boy he remembered hearing travelers ring the bell, which summoned the ferry keeper to the ferry.

"I'm not aware of any photos of the ferry, but it was probably just a small flat barge, towed across the river with a cable."
— Steven Avent, Feb. 1999

The ferry near the Pee Dee Trail

"It is of interest to note that the Pee Dee Trail from Virginia to South Carolina is shown as having crossed the Cape Fear near Avent's Ferry on Humber's map of the North Carolina Atlas."
— Glenn Longest Bray, Feb. 1999

Avent Generation 3 continued

Up One Gen.

Avant Generation 4

Abner Avant
b. 1875 - 1879, North Carolina
d. 1822, Smith County, Tennessee

+ (First name unknown, perhaps Mary) Ward, daughter of Joe Ward
d. 1807, Nash County, North Carolina

Polly Avant
Rebecca Avant
Benjamin Avant
Elizabeth Avant
Patsy Avant
Peggy Avant

+ Mary Brady, daughter of Bazdel Brady
b. bef. 1775, Nash County, North Carolina

Nancy Avant
Thomas Avant

The change in the surname spelling from Avent to Avant first appears with Abner, though not consistently.

1820 Federal Census, Smith County, Tennessee, household number 70: 1 m. 10<16, 1 m. 26<45 [Abner], 1 f. <10, 3 f. 10<16, 1 f. 16<26, 1 f. 45-

Avent Generation 4 continued

Up One Gen.

Avant Generation 5

Polly Avant

+ Nathan Evans

Elizabeth Evans, b. Mar. 9, 1822, Tennessee, d. Sep. 18, 1868, Titus County, Texas; + Christopher Williams, b. Jan. 19, 1815, Tennessee, d. 1878, Titus County, Texas
Abner A. Evans, b. abt. 1814; + Hester A. Patterson, Feb. 15, 1848

Benjamin Avant
b. Oct. 6, 1800, North Carolina
d. Jan. 15, 1875, Gonzales County, Texas

+ Margaret (Peggy) Fite, Jan. 27, 1823
b. June 15, 1805, Alexandria, DeKalb County, Tennessee
d. Aug. 14, 1891, Cheapside, Texas

William Carroll Avant
Elizabeth Avant
Nancy Avant
Polly Saline Avant

Margaret Fite was the daughter of Leonard Fite b. Feb. 1, 1760, Greenwich Township, Sussex County, New Jersey, d. Mar. 22, 1842, Hillview Cemetery, Alexandria, DeKalb County, Tennessee; and his wife Margareth A. Cross b. Apr. 12, 1761, Oxford, Sussex County, New Jersey, d. Nov. 1, 1864, Wilson County, Tennessee
"Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVVP-74F9 : 13 December 2015), Leonard Fite, 1842; Burial, Alexandria, DeKalb, Tennessee, United States of America, Hillview Cemetery; citing record ID 21468247, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
"United States Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers, 1818-1872," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24Q-L5NG : accessed 21 November 2018), Leonard Fite, 04 Mar 1831; citing Tennessee, United States, NARA microfilm publication T718 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1962), roll 8; FHL microfilm 1,319,388.
census: 1840 DeKalb/TN; 1830 Smith/TN; 1820 Smith/TN

Avent Generation 5 continued

Up One Gen.

Avent Generation 6

William Carroll Avant
b. Oct. 28, 1829, DeKalb County, Tennessee
d. Jan. 12, 1904

+ Nancy Williams, 1848
b. 1822, DeKalb County, Tennessee

Matthew Avant, b. 1842, d. 1944; + Nannie Reynolds, Oct. 5, 1890; their issue: Bonnie, Walter, Falta, Jack and Virginia ⁽¹³⁾
Martha H. Avant, b. 1845
Adelia [Delia] Avant, b. 1847
Cassus M. Avant, b. 1848
William J. Avant, b. abt. 1851
Alvin Avant, b. 1856, DeKalb County, Tennessee
Lucian B. Avant, b. 1855
Parilee Avant, b. 1858
Araminta Avant, b. 1859

Elizabeth Avant
b. Jan. 6, 1825
d. Jan. 6, 1901, Tennessee

+ Thomas H. W. Richardson
b. 1820, Tennessee

William Benjamin Richardson
John Cross Richardson
Thomas Lee Richardson, b. Feb. 20, 1865, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee

Nancy Avant
b. Mar. 20, 1827, DeKalb County, Tennessee
d. May 18, 1874, buried Wrightsboro Cemetery, Gonzales County, Texas

+ 1) Richard Forester, 1843
b. July 18, 1822, Tennessee
d. May 25, 1855, buried Wrightsboro Cemetery, Gonzales Co TX

Priscilla Forester, b. 1844, Tennessee; + Joseph Hunter, June 3, 1882, Gonzales County, Texas
Amanda Forester, b. Apr. 1850, Tennessee; +John L. Woods, Apr. 6, 1869, Gonzales County, Texas
John Frazier Forester, b. Mar. prob. aft. 1850, Tennessee

+ 2) Daniel Boone Dillard, Nov. 10, 1856, Gonzales County, Texas
b. Jan. 21, 1819, Cooper County, Missouri
d. Apr. 5, 1977, buried Wrightsboro Cemetery, Gonzales, Texas

See Children in the Dillard line.

Polly Saline Avant
b. Apr. 30, 1829, Liberty, Tennessee

+ W. C. Youngblood

Abner Avant
b. Feb. 1, 1831, Smith County, Tennessee
d. Aug. 21, 1901, buried Aug. 23, 1901, Wrightsboro Cemetery, Gonzales County, Texas

+ 1) Alethia (Elitha) Elder, Feb. 5, 1856
b. May 20, 1839, Georgia
d. Aug. 20, 1878; buried Wrightsboro Cemetery, Gonzales County, Texas

Mary Elizabeth Avant, b. June 23, 1857, Gonzales County, Texas, d. Jan. 19, 1930; + Marion George Lowry, 1875, b. Nov. 27, 1853, d. Feb. 22, 1937
Ella Tigner Avant, b. May 22, 1860, Gonzales County, Texas, d. May 5, 1937, buried Wrightsboro Cemetery, Gonzales County, Texas; + John Franklin Laird, Dec. 16, 1880, Gonzales County, Texas, b. Jan. 25, 1851, Upshur, Texas, d. Mar. 29, 1919, buried Mar. 31, 1919, Wrightsboro Cemetery, Gonzales County, Texas
Abner Mather Avant, b. Mar. 25, 1862 Gonzales County, Texas, d. July 29, 1925; + Ida C. Johnson, May 14, 1883, Gonzales County, Texas, b. Jan. 16, 1865, d. Apr. 1, 1934
Robert Fletcher Avant, b. 1865, Gonzales County, Texas, d. Oct. 29, 1951, buried Dilley Cemetery, Dilley, Frio County, Texas; + Florence Annie James, Oct. 5, 1887, Gonzales County, Texas, b. Jan. 18, 1876, Texas, d. Oct. 30, 1951, buried Dilley Cemetery, Dilley, Frio County, Texas
Benjamin Franklin Avant, b. 1868, Gonzales County, Texas, d. Aug. 28, 1923, Avant, Osage County, Oklahoma; + Rosa Rogers, b. July 8, 1877, d. July 8, 1946
Eula Avant, b. Sep. 1, 1872, d. September 2 1956; + Charles Lee Lowry, b. Jan. 25, 1873, d. May 28, 1928

+ 2) Mattie Davie, June 4, 1883, Gonzales County, Texas
b. Apr. 16, 1852
d. Sep. 7, 1935, buried Wrightsboro Cemetery, Gonzales County, Texas

Walter Mathis Avant, b. May 8, 1887, Gonzales, Gonzales County, Texas, d. Aug. 8, 1949; + Lula Mae McLelland, Feb. 15, 1920

Martha Ann Avant
b. Feb. 9, 1833, DeKalb County, Tennessee
d. Feb. 15, 1913, buried Blanco Cemetery, Blanco County, Texas

+ 1) William Dolphin Bass
b. Oct. 14, 1830, Wilson County, Tennessee
d. Dec. 29, 1869, buried Samples Cemetery, Gonzales County, Texas

William Dolphin Bass was a 3rd Lieutenant in the Volunteer Militia Company known as the Wilson Rifles. He was killed in a family dispute over land. James Monroe Avant and Pleasant Avant, brothers-in-law to William Dolphin Bass, were both charged with the murder. They were found not guilty.

+ 2) Robert Gill, Dec. 2, 1872, Gonzales County, Texas
b. Mar. 22, 1807
d. June 29, 1897, buried Blanco Cemetery, Blanco, Texas

Robert A. Gill, b. Jan. 29, 1876, Blanco County, Texas, d. Nov. 16, 1879, Blanco County, Texas

+ 3) Joseph Bird, Jan. 3, 1900, Johnson City, Blanco County, Texas

Nathan Avant
b. Jan. 19, 1835, Smith County, Tennessee
d. Nov. 23, 1903, buried Hallettville Cemetery, Lavaca County, Texas

+ 1) Leah Rachael
b. 1837
d. 1881, Buried Mossy Grove Cemetery, Lavaca County, Texas

Carrie N. Avant, b. Dec. 1876, d. 1880, buried Mossy Grove Cemetery, Lavaca County, Texas

+ 2) Marietta Heath, Apr. 28, 1861, Lavaca County, Texas
b. Texas

Ella C. Avant
Ada Dora Avant, + John P. Daily, Nov. 17, 1881, Lavaca County, Texas
Marietta Avant
Benjamin Avant
Theodore Avant

+ 3) Mary Mayo, Dec. 2, 1869
b. May 17, 1844
buried Provident Cemetery, Lavaca County, Texas

Benjamin Avant
Theodore Avant

Pleasant Avant
b. May 5, 1837, DeKalb County, Tennessee
d. May 25, 1904, Sedan, Gonzales County, Texas, buried Wrightsboro Cemetery, Gonzales County, Texas

+ Matilda W. Hunter
b. June 9, 1845
d. Dec. 5, 1927, buried Wrightsboro Cemetery, Gonzales County, Texas

John Henry Avant
Nannie Avant
William Avant
Ella Avant
Jefferson Avant
Emma Avant
Lee Avant
James Avant
Lela Avant

James Monroe Avant
b. May 12, 1838, DeKalb County, Tennessee
d. Jan. 5, 1903, buried Wrightsboro Cemetery, Gonzales County, Texas

+ Mary Caroline Ferguson, Oct. 13, 1877, Gonzales County, Texas
b. Mar. 7, 1852, Arkansas
d. Oct. 25, 1908, Texas, buried Wrightsboro Cemetery, Gonzales County, Texas

Elizabeth Avant, b. Sep. 26, 1878 d. Sep. 1956, Texas; + Angus Riley, Aug. 6, 1902, Gonzales, Gonzales County, Texas
Mary Leona Avant, b. May 11, 1881 d. Nov. 23, 1978, Texas; + Thomas J. Parks, b. Dec. 27, 1879 d. July 1963
Bertha Matilda Avant, b. 1883 d. Mar. 3, 1953, Gonzales County, Texas; + James Millard Sloan, Oct. 23, 1901, Gonzales, Gonzales County, Texas, b. Nov. 3, 1883, Texas, d. Feb. 6, 1963, Pilgram, Gonzales County, Texas, buried Pilgram Cemetery, Gonzales County, Texas
Henry C. Avant, b. June 20, 1886, d. Jan. 1972; + Lizy May Burnett, b. June 21, 1892, d. Apr. 1973
Oscar Lee Avant, b. Sep. 30, 1888, d. Nov. 24, 1888, buried Wrightsboro Cemetery, Gonzales County, Texas
Sarah Alice Avant, b. Feb. 9, 1890, Gonzales County, Texas, d. Apr. 5, 1890, buried Wrightsboro Cemetery, Gonzales County, Texas
Frank Leslie Avant, b. July 15, 1891, Gonzales, Gonzales County, Texas, d. July 1963; + Neva Roberts, b. Oct. 6, 1900, d. Jan. 9, 1990
George Avant, b. 1895 d. 1938; + Winnie Bagley, b. May 24, 1898, d. Mar. 1987

Sarah Ann Melissa Avant
b. Nov. 10, 1844, Dekalb County, Tennessee
d. Jan. 7, 1919, Nixon, Gonzales County, Texas, buried Cheapside Cemetery, Gonzales County, Texas

+ Mansel Mathis Elder, May 21, 1866, Gonzales County, Texas
d. Apr. 22, 1883

Henry Blanton Elder
George Tigner Elder, b. June 9, 1868, Cheapside, Gonzales County, Texas, d. Jan. 27, 1948, Gonzales County, Texas; + Colla Downs, b. Jan. 10, 1868, d. May 18, 1951, buried Leesville Cemetery, Gonzales County, Texas
John Fletcher Elder, b. 1870, Gonzales County, Texas, d. Aug. 14, 1929, Nixon, Gonzales County, Texas, buried Cheapside Cemetery, Gonzales County, Texas
Benjamin Elder
James Mathis Elder, b. Oct. 10, 1873, Cheapside, Gonzales County, Texas, d. Dec. 14, 1958, Gonzales County, Texas; + Ella Clark, Nov. 13, 1895, Gonzales County, Texas, d. bef. Dec. 1985, Texas
Margaret Pamela Elder
Arthur Elder
Lizzie May Elder
Nathana Avant Elder, M.D., b. July 8, 1881, Gonzales County, Texas, d. Jan. 1, 1961, Gonzales County, Texas, buried Nixon Cemetery, Gonzales County, Texas; + Kate Terry, June 4, 1904, Cheapside, Gonzales County, Texas, b. Dec. 28, 1880, d. Nov. 4, 1974, Nixon, Gonzales County, Texas, buried Nixon Cemetery, Gonzales County, Texas
Dora Mansel Elder

John Mann Avant
b. July 29, 1846, DeKalb County, Tennessee
d. Oct. 11, 1864, in Civil War, buried Wrightsboro Cemetery, Gonzales County, Texas

John Mann Avant was a Private in the Volunteer Militia Company known as the Wilson Rifles.

Up One Gen.

Avent Generation 5 cont.

Nancy Avant

Elizabeth Avant

Patsy Avant

+ Anderson

Rebecca Avant
b. 1806, North Carolina
d. 1863, Willow, Dallas County, Arkansas

+ Moses Fite, 20 Dec 1821, Liberty, Dekalb County, Tennessee
b. 6 May 1797, Alexandria, Dekalb County, Tennessee, son of Leonard Fite Sr. and Margareth (Crose) Fite

Benjamin Cross Fite
Lemuel Moses Fite

Peggy Avant
b. 1806, North Carolina

Thomas Avant
b. 1809, Tennessee
d. 1860-1870, Montgomery County, Arkansas

+ Judith Fite, daughter of John Fite and Nancy Smith
b. 1803, Tennessee
d. 1860-1870, Montgomery County, Arkansas

Abner Avant, b. 1831, Carroll County, Tennessee
John Wessie Avant, b. 1834, Carroll County, Tennessee, + Martha Lorance
Isabella M. Avant, b. 1834, Carroll County, Tennessee, + Theorick M. Lanear
Mary Jane Avant, b. 1838, DeKalb County, Tennessee, + John W. Wright
Moses Marshall Avant, b. Dec. 1839, Dekalb County, Tennessee, d. 1910, Montgomery County, Arkansas, + Millie Caroline "Tinnie" Lamb, Oct. 23, 1860, b. Mar. 22, 1843, North Carolina, d. bef. 1914, buried Avant Cemetery, Montgomery County, Arkansas; their children: Maryann Judith Avant, Nancy Ellen Avant, Child Avant, John W. Avant, Mary Avant, Thomas Reuben Avant, Delania Avant, Sarah Letha Avant
Nancy Avant, b. 1845, Dekalb County, Tennessee

Up One Gen.

Avent Generation 4 cont.

Angelica Avent
b. June 9, 1766

+ John James, Sep. 20, 1787, bond in Sussex Co VA

John (Jonnie) Avent
b. Mar. 19, 1768, Albemarle Parish, Surry/Sussex County, Virginia

+ Susanna

Elizabeth Avent
b. Dec. 30, 1769, Albemarle Parish, Surry/Sussex County, Virginia

+ 1) Presley Garner
b. Nov. 26, 1757?
d. July 10, 1837

+ 2) Abraham Sheppard

Elizabeth Sheppard, + John Jefferson Hampton
Jemimma Sheppard, + Seay

William Avent
b. Apr. 5, 1772, Albemarle Parish, Surry/Sussex County, Virginia

Mary Avent
b. Mar. 21, 1774

+ John C. Cooper, Feb. 15, 1795, Sussex County, Virginia, by Rev. Drewry Lane

Amos Aven
b. 1775, North Carolina
d. 1885

+ Matilda Rogers
b. 1780
d. 1885

John W. Aven
Elijah Aven
Mary Aven
Thomas A. Aven
James Stanford Aven
William Fern Aven
Chesley Nelson Aven
Eliza Aven
B. T. Aven
Ferney C. Aven
Green Rogers Aven
Elijah M. Aven

Note with Amos the change in the surname spelling from Avent to Aven.

Allen Burton Aven
b. 1779, Nash County, North Carolina

+ Barshheba Truelove, daughter of Timothy and Lucy Truelove

Timothy Allen Aven
Rebecca Aven
Elizabeth Aven
Sidney Jane Aven

Rebecca Avent

+ Benjamin Harris, Jan. 20, 1801, Southampton County, Virginia, by Rev. Robert Murrell, Sr.

Ruina (Runiah) Avent

+ John B. Cole, Feb. 25, 1801, by Rev. Robert Murrell, Sr.

Up One Gen.

Avent Generation 3 cont.

John Avent
b. 1736 ⁽⁴⁾
d. Dec. 10, 1821, Chatham County, North Carolina

+ Mary (surname unknown)
d. Mar. 3, 1801

William Avent
Sally Avent
Martha Patsy Avent
Elizabeth Avent
Nancy Avent
Rebecca Avent
Polly Avent

In 1765 John Avent and his brother Thomas moved their families from Virginia to Buckhorn Falls on the Cape Fear River in Chatham County, North Carolina. By 1769 they had established a ferry for crossing the Cape Fear River, and that location became known as Avent's Ferry ⁽²⁾

Avent Generation 3 continued

Up One Gen.

Avent Generation 4

William Avent, Rev.
b. Aug. 8, 1775, Chatham County, North Carolina
d. Dec. 15, 1841, Chatham County, North Carolina, buried John Avent Cemetery, uphill from Avent's Ferry, Chatham County, North Carolina

+ 1) Silva Drake, Nov. 7, 1799, daughter of William Drake and Sallie Moore

Sallie Avent

+ 2) Martha Hill Hicks, Sep. 29, 1807, daughter of George Hicks and Temperance

Thomas Avent

+ 3) Esther Watts Clegg, Jan. 22, 1812, Chatham County, North Carolina, daughter of Thomas Clegg and Bridget Polk, a cousin to James K. POlk, 11th President of the U.S.A.
b. Feb. 23, 1791, Chatham County, North Carolina
d. Jan. 2, 1858, Chatham County, North Carolina

Martha Avent
John F. Avent
Mary Glover Avent
William AventP
Louise "Louiza" Jane Avent
Harriet Primrose Avent
Isaac Watts Avent, Rev
Permelia Avent
Bridget Ann Avent
Henry Evans Avent
Joseph Carson Avent
Ann Elizabeth Avent

In the early 19th century Rev. William Avent founded Buckhorn Methodist Church in Corinth, Chatham Co NC. hurch still stands, and its vesibule displays the tombstone of Rev. William Avent.

Three of the 12 children of William and Esther Watts Clegg became Methodist ministers. Rev. Isaac Watts Avent was the one who remained in North Carolina. ⁽²⁾

Up One Gen.

Avent Generation 3 cont.

Joseph Avent
b. abt. 1740 ⁽⁴⁾
d. abt. 1850, Washington County, Georgia ⁽⁴⁾

+ Julie Ann (surname unknown)

Joseph Avent
Benjamin Rush Avent

Gilly Avent
b. Northampton County, North Carolina

Sarah Avent
b. 1744, Sussex County, Virginia>
d. 1793, Chatham County, North Carolina

+ William Ragland

Anne Ragland, b. 1754, Northampton County, North Carolina, d. Sep. 1832
John Ragland
Thomas Ragland
Fredrick Ragland, + Mary Barham
Elizabeth Ragland, + Peter Farrar
Robert Ragland, b. 1770, Chatham County, North Carolina, d. Aug. 6, 1836, Merriweather County, Georgia; + Elizabeth Stiles, b. abt. 1780, d. aft. Aug. 6, 1836, Merriweather County, Georgia
Mary Ragland, + Adam Finch
Dinah Ragland
Bridget Ragland
Celia Ragland
William Ragland, + Sarah Williams
Sarah Ragland, + Richard Mintor

In 1765 William Ragland and Sarah Avent moved their family to Buckhorn Falls on the Cape Fear River in Chatham County, North Carolina. Sarah's older brothers, Thomas and John Avent, also moved their families to that area then.

William Avent
b. Apr. 15, 1748
d. 1811, Nash County, North Carolina

+ Sarah Ward

Benjamin Avent, b. 1786
James Avent, b. 1790, d. abt. 1832, Nash County, North Carolina, + Martha Gardner
Elizabeth Avent, b. 1798, + Presley Gardner
William Avent, b. 1799
Fanny Avent, b. 1801
Frances Avent, b. 1801
Nancy Avent, b. 1801
Thomas Ward Avent
Mary Avent
Rebecca Avent, + Nathan Powell, b. Sep. 10, 1768, Edgecomb County, North Carolina, d. abt. 1818
Pricilla Avent, + Kimball

Rebecca Avent
b. 1753, Northampton County, North Carolina
d. 1814, Chatham County, North Carolina

+ Seth Cotton, abt. 1769

Avent Cotton, b. 1793, d. 1866; + Winifred Goodwin, Dec. 12, 1815, Wake County, North Caroina, daughter of William Goodwin and Winifred Threadfill
John Cotton
Gabriel Cotton, d. abt. 1828
William Cotton
Polly (Mary) Cotton
Elizabeth Mary Cotton, + Carpenter
Sally Cotton
Richard C. Cotton, + Margaret Ann Aliston, May 2, 1815
Rebekah Cotton, b. 1796, + Edmond Cox

Up One Gen.

Avent Generation 2 cont.

Thomas Avent, Jr.
b. abt. 1712, Surry County, Virginia
d. aft. 1752, Northampton County, North Carolina

+ Ursala

Mary Polly Avent
Usley Avent
Amy Avent
Winny Avent

Sarah Avent
b. abt. 1713, Surry County, Virginia

+ William Fox, Brunswick County, Virginia, son of Henry Fox

Lucy Fox, +William Robinson
Mary Claiborne Fox, +Thomsas Johnson
Elizabeth Fox, +John Rives
Noona Fox
William Fox, d. Nov.7, 1789, Greensville Co VA, +Patsey Rives
John Fox, + Mildred (surname unknown)

Mary Avent
b. 1715, Surry County, Virginia

+ Thomas Vinson

Peter Avent
b. 1720, Surry County, Virginia
d. abt. 1779, Northampton County, Virginia

+ 1) Amy Massie, June 3, 1743

Eliza Elizabeth Avent; b. Sep. 12, 1752; d. aft. 1811; + Rev. Andrew Baker, b. abt. 1769, d. Sep. 24, 1815, Lee Co VA, buried in Clark Cemetery near Johnsville, son of Andrew "Esquire" Baker and Mary Molly Bolling
William Avent
Isham Avent
Joseph Avent, d. 1801, Cumberland County, North Carolina
Thomas Avent
Sarah Avent, d. Cumberland County, North Carolina
Lucy Avent, + Timothy Truelove
Mourning Avent
Rebecca Avent, + Henry Senter
Lucretia Avent

+ 1) Mary Tomlinson

Top of Page

Sources

Connie Welch, legacy website circa 1998
Glenn Bray, email exchanges circa 1998
"Some Southern Colonial Families, Vol. 1 & 3 " by David Avant, Jr.
Steven Avent, gedcom file exchange Dec. 1998
Avent Genforum, Glenn Longest Bray, Feb. 24, 1999, referencing Marriages of Some Virginia Residents - 1607-1800 by Wulfeck, which references Orange County, VA Families Vol 3 by Brockman
Avent Genforum, Barbara Mead, Feb. 26, 1999, referencing Andrew Baker and his Descendants by Frieda Sims Nelson.
Cotton Genforum, Hikaru Kitabayashi, Dec. 11, 1999
Steve Avent, New Kent, Virginia, circa. 1998
Virginia Historical Society, document # iH Mss 2AV345a1
Avent Family History, Steve Avent, webmaster
legacy Rootsweb post by Nelda Percial, May 21, 2006, now decommissioned
Find A Grave
Jane Hackemeyer, email of June 4, 2020

last update: Aug. 20 2023