John Morgan Avery

Biography

John attended the Williston Seminary in Easthampton, MA approx. 1864-1866.
Alumni notes from the Seminary state as follows: "left the Classical Class middle year; since 1868 in lumber trade."

According to "The History of Grand Rapids Michigan", by Albert Baxter, p. 428-9 John entered into a partnership in the lumber trade with Thomas Stewart White in 1868 under the name of White & Avery.

A very interesting original letter written by John exists through descent and is still with the family. It was written two days after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln to his father Noyes L. Avery describing his feelings and local responses in the aftermath the event. A scan of this original document is included in the source document section of John's profile.

THE GROTON AVERY CLAN, Vol. I, by Elroy McKendree Avery and Catherine Hitchcock (Tilden) Avery, Cleveland, 1912. p. 467

From the Surviving Letters Project

1862

• Transcribed Letter from Hettie to her cousin John Morgan Avery (1847-1873). dated September 28, 1862. Scan of ORIGINAL LETTER

1863

• Transcribed Letter from Noyes Latham Avery (1815-1901) to his son John Morgan Avery (1847-1873). Postmarked Grand Rapids MI, March 26, 1863. Scan of ORIGINAL LETTER
• Transcribed Letter from Noyes Latham Avery (1815-1901) to his son John Morgan Avery (1847-1873). Postmarked Grand Rapids MI, March 30, 1863. Scan of ORIGINAL LETTER
• Transcribed Letter from Noyes Latham Avery (1815-1901) to his son John Morgan Avery (1847-1873). Postmarked Grand Rapids MI, December 26, 1863. Scan of ORIGINAL LETTER
• Transcribed Letter from John Morgan Avery (1847-1873) to his father Noyes Latham Avery (1815-1901) and step-mother Elizabeth Dougherty (1820-1875), written at New York City December 27, 1863. Stationary embossed with Aurora Cayuga Lake Academy seal, 1798 where John was attending school. Includes a first person account of the funeral procession of Brig. General Michael Corcoran in New York City. Scan of ORIGINAL LETTER

1864

• Transcribed Letter from Helen Louise Avery (1850-1918) to her cousin John Morgan Avery (1847-1873). Postmarked Farmer NY, May 11, 1864. Scan of ORIGINAL LETTER
• Transcribed Letter from Helen Louise Avery (1850-1918) to her cousin John Morgan Avery (1847-1873). Dated Farmer, NY, August 23, (1864 by inference). Scan of ORIGINAL LETTER
• Transcribed Letter from John Morgan Avery (1847-1873) to his father Noyes Latham Avery (1815-1901) written at East Hampton MA, September 11, 1864. Scan of ORIGINAL LETTER

1865

• Transcribed Letter from Frances Brownell Avery (1846-1928) to John Morgan Avery (1847-1873), Postmarked New Haven, CT, January 14, 1865. Scan of ORIGINAL LETTER
• Transcribed Letter from Noyes Latham Avery (1815-1901) to his son John Morgan Avery (1847-1873). Postmarked Grand Rapids MI, March 30, 1865. Scan of ORIGINAL LETTER
• Transcribed Letter from John Morgan Avery (1847-1873) to his father Noyes Latham Avery (1815-1901). Postmarked Easthampton MA, April 17, 1865 – two days after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Scan of ORIGINAL LETTER
• Transcribed Letter from John Morgan Avery (1847-1873) to his father Noyes Latham Avery (1815-1901). Written in Easthampton MA, June 8, 1865. Scan of ORIGINAL LETTER
• Transcribed Letter from T. Foote to John Morgan Avery (1847-1873), Postmarked Grand Rapids MI, August 26, 1865. Scan of ORIGINAL LETTER.
• Transcribed Letter from Noyes Latham Avery (1815-1901) to his son John Morgan Avery (1847-1873). Postmarked Grand Rapids MI, November 9, 1865. Scan of ORIGINAL LETTER
• Transcribed Letter from Francis Amasa Walker (1840-1897), to Noyes Latham Avery (1815-1901), discussing disciplinary action for Noyes' son John Morgan Avery (1847-1873), who was a student attending the Williston Seminary Institute at the time, written November 13, 1865. Scan of ORIGINAL LETTER.

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Transcribed Letter from John Morgan Avery (1847-1873) to his father Noyes Latham Avery (1815-1901) Postmarked Easthampton MA, April 17, 1865 – two days after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.

N. L. Avery Grand Rapids Mich.

Easthampton April 17th

Dear Father,
I received your long looked for letter Saturday afternoon. I acknowledge the receipt of [such]. I am boarding at the hotel this term, still keep the room in the Seminary.

Last Saturday morning about 10 am we were horrified with the news that Abraham Lincoln President of the United States had been assasinated [sic] in a theater the evening before. And Wm. H. Seward Sect’y of State attacked in his bed and nearly murdered. When I read the terrible news I could not realize it. It did not seem possible that the spirit of the rebellion had made such demons of men. But evil is. They have carried their threat with execution, “that they would never be ruled by Lincoln”. I hardly know what to say about it. I can think about it better. I will say this however, That [men], the leaders of this rebellion, and they are the instigators of this foul murder, will never be received back into the Union, they will at least be banished from all civilized communities. If they are not hung, which I think is the most probable, It is their just deserts.

Such a crime as they have committed has no parallel in the history of the world. It is the most dastardly, inhuman, cowardly and yet the greatest crime that man or men could be guilty of.

The pulpit in the church yesterday was covered with the Stars & Stripes draped in mourning. In the afternoon Dr. Seelye preached a very good sermon on the sad calamity which has befallen the nation. And in the evening they had a meeting to pray for the country and an expression of the views of the people on the great crime which had been committed. The ministry said that it was high time that northern copperheads at home were shut up, and he was glad they were shutting them up, he said he would shut the mans mouth up that insulted the government in his presence.

Saturday [noon] we heard there was an Englishman that clapped his hands over the news, we went down to the hotel, and he took it all back. But he lied, He did not take it back, But said he did not clap his hands. Steve Goodman then turned him out of the hotel and in the afternoon they made him leave town. I felt sorry for him after all as he was an old man.

But I am in for cleaning out the Copperheads, and shutting them up completely. I am well with the exception of the [ indecipherable ].

I hope you are well, tell mother to write once a week and tell me all of the news, love to all,

Your Son John M. Avery

fine weather here now.