USA > Connecticut > New London County > Ledyard > History of the town of Ledyard, 1650-1900 > Part 6
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*This was erected by Frederic Bill, of Groton.
77
THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR-1775-1783.
On the south parapet is the embrasure where Montgomery died by Lambert Latham's pike; near it is his grave. Capt. Amos Stanton of the continental army happened to be at home at the time on a furlough, and went into the fort that morning as a volunteer. He was an experienced soldier, and far superior in military ability to any man present at the council of war held early in the day. He wished to meet the enemy at the landing and skirmish with them through the woods, handling his men so that they would seem more than they were. The constantly ar- riving militia and volunteers could thus be given an opportunity to swell the number of fighters, while the enemy were held in check. It was the plan followed with success at Concord, Lexing- ton, Norwalk and other places. But as it was, the speedy arrival of the British prevented the assembling of more than 160 men.
"Though the Connecticut coast had been terrorized by war ships that patroled the Sound, New London had thus far escaped in spite of the stronger reasons for destroying it than attached to any other place. British and tories hated the town. It was a stronghold of the privateers that played such havoc with English merchant marine, and helped to bring the war to its close. 'Two hundred and fifty vessels in the West India trade, with cargoes amounting to $10,000,000, were captured in a single year.' 'In the year 1777 alone only 40 English vessels out of 200 engaged in the African trade escaped the American cruisers.' For the in- surance of a single vessel for a single voyage more than 50 per cent. was paid in England. Most of these privateers went out from the harbors of Essex County in Massachusetts and New London County in Connecticut. At the end of the war the port of Salem counted a privateer force of 4,000 men and 1,280 guns. The New London force was as strong till weakened by Arnold's raid. In the single year 1779, 18 prizes were taken into that port. A few weeks before the event of which we write, the Hannah, laden with an unusually rich cargo, was brought into New Lon- don by the Minerva. This prize, valued at $400,000 was prob- ably the richest that the American privateers had ever taken. It is thought that this seizure was the immediate cause of Arnold's raid.
78
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LEDYARD.
"In New London was a fabulous amount of accumulated store; but the enemy enjoyed no plunder, and were able to destroy but a small fraction of this booty. The privateers and 12 other vessels, having taken on board their stores and plunder, went up the river out of danger. The forts were not even destroyed, owing to the haste of the enemy and the watchfulness of the Americans. Arnold's orders had been to burn the bar- racks of Fort Griswold and blow up the magazine. When leav- ing the enemy laid a train of powder and fired it. This was put out by those who had dropped among the slain to save their lives. The Italian historian, Botta, says: 'This expedition was but a piratical inroad, absolutely without utility.'
"This was probably, also a move on the chessboard of war. Washington and Clinton were playing a game between York- town and New York, with advantages in Washington's favor. Some doubt the theory that Arnold's raid was to draw off Wash- ington from New York, which Clinton supposed was the real objective point of the expedition to Virginia; but suggest that Clinton thought a severe blow against New London would delay reinforcements from that region. It has always been believed that Clinton hoped to secure this as an advantageous base of operations from which to attack New England. The obstinate resistance at the fort, the militia that were rallying like hornets, the threatening attitude of the inhabitants, and the non-appear- ance of the sympathizers that they expected to see, warned the enemy that the place was untenable.
"While the British failed largely to accomplish their declared object, they destroyed a large amount of private property. Ship- ping that did not go up the river was burned, with most of the wharves and warehouses. The Hannah, the immediate cause of all this trouble, was destroyed, with her cargo. Arnold pretended to aim only at the destruction of privateers and public property. He professed great regret for the burning of the towns, but strong evidence supports the personal malice theory. One hun- dred and forty-three buildings were destroyed in New London, including the homes of 97 families; in Groton 12 houses and 9 other buildings. The British lost over 220 men, killed and missing."
.79
THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR-1775-1783.
MEN OF LEDYARD IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
Ichabod Babcock,
William Noyes,
Daniel Stoddard,
William Latham,
Robert Stoddard,
Nehemiah Gallup,
William Forsyth,
Thomas Roach,
Joshua Bill, Ralph Stoddard, John Packer, Vine Stoddard,
Andrew Gallup,
Asa Lester,
Thomas Smith,
Nathan Lester,
Zebanah Williams,
Phineas Bill.
KILLED IN FORT GRISWOLD.
Capt. Samuel Allyn,
Joseph Moxley,
Capt. Simeon Allyn,
Corporal Luke Perkins, Jr.,
Belton Allyn,
Elisha Perkins,
Benadam Allyn,
Luke Perkins,
Corporal Andrew Billings,
Asa Perkins,
Andrew Baker,
Elnathan Perkins,
Samuel Hill,
Simeon Perkins,
Sergeant Rufus Hurlbutt, Moses Jones,
Capt. Amos Stanton, Sergeant John Stedman,
Lieut. Joseph Lewis,
Corporal Nathan Sholes,
Ensign John Lester,
David Seabury,
Corporal Simeon Morgan, Thomas Miner,
Lieut. Henry Williams, Joseph Wedger.
CHAPTER IX.
The Second War with England-18 12-15.
OUR second war with England, like the first, was occasioned by England's fault; and both of them resulted disastrously to her-advantageously to us. Previous to this second war Eng- land had been accustomed to assume and maintain "the right of search" in regard to our vessels upon the high seas. Under the cover of this so-called right she would board and overhaul American vessels wherever found-take from them able-bodied men, upon the claim that they were deserters and press them into her naval service. In this way many grievous wrongs were committed. American citizens, engaged in legitimate pursuits, were seized and hurried away into the service of England. This nefarious business was carried on for many years. At length it was felt by our rulers, and perhaps by a majority of the people, that it should be endured no longer. The result was the War of 1812-15. The fighting in this war was mostly done at sea ; and, in the great majority of cases, with brilliant achievements on the part of the American Navy. The battle of New Orleans on Jan. 8, 1815, under the leadership of Gen. Andrew Jackson, was a triumphant conclusion of the war-fought, though it was, after the terms of peace had been agreed upon. This war was not very popular in Connecticut, though the Connecticut sailors went into it most heartily, hoping thus to avenge the injuries that the mother country had heaped upon them by her "right-of- search" proceedings. The people of the State generally were not in favor of the war for the reason that a law, recommended by the President and adopted by Congress, to the effect that "the seamen, ships and merchandise of the United States should be detained in port to preserve them from the dangers which
81
THE SECOND WAR WITH ENGLAND-1812-15.
threatened them upon the ocean," interfered very seriously with their trade to foreign ports. Still there was no open revolt, and the State as such co-operated in carrying on the war till a fav- orable conclusion was reached. Large numbers of men were called out from Groton and adjoining towns for the defense of Stonington, when bombarded by a British fleet in Aug., 1814. Almost every man in North Groton, liable to bear arms, went into the service. Though no man was killed, there were two at least who had a very narrow escape, viz., William Avery and Joseph Geer. By direction of the officer in charge, they had gone down to the beach with an ox-team to draw away a field-piece that was lying there to prevent it from falling into the hands of the enemy. While engaged in this work a cannon ball, fired from one of the British ships, passed over the backs of their oxen, and within a few feet of their own heads, and near where Gurdon Bill, who was doing sentry duty, stood. Mr. Bill was, at the time of this attack, in Stonington, engaged in teaching school, and while not a member of the military company, yet was summoned by the officer above-named to the duty assigned as above. Shortly after the incident referred to a boat-load of British troops started for the shore, with a view, doubtless, to reconnoiter as they landed, and while forming, a company of minute men concealed behind a stone wall near by, opened fire and being taken completely by surprise the enemy went pellmell for their boat, and in doing so quite a number lost and dropped their guns which were picked up by our men. Mr. Bill securing one, which was always kept by him as a trophy of the battle, and is now in the possession of Mr. Frederic A. Bill, of Springfield, Mass.
Early in the war the squadron of Commodore Decatur, con- sisting of three ships, was chased into New London harbor by a greater force of British war-ships, and for two years Decatur's ships lay in the Thames within a few miles of Norwich, the British ships remaining off the mouth of the harbor and so closely blockading its approaches that no vessels could enter or leave without risk of capture. While lying in the Thames the gallant Commodore took measures to defend himself should the
6
82
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LEDYARD.
British attempt to ascend the river and attack him. He built a fortification on the top of a high hill just north of Gale's Ferry, and mounted cannons upon it in positions which would render it well-nigh impossible for any British vessel to proceed northward much above New London. That old fortification is still extant, though in quite a dilapidated condition. It is in the form of a tri- ..... angle. One side, fronting eastward, is 130 feet, more or less, in length. An- other, fronting toward the south- west, and lying FORT DECATUR. nearly at right angles with the river, is about 110 feet long. The remaining side, parallel with the river, is about 90 feet long. The fortification has long borne the name of Fort Decatur. On its north-west corner is a huge granite boulder, five or six feet high, bearing this inscription:
THIS BOULDER WAS MARKED BY THE BELTON ALLYN SOCIETY C A. R. OF GALE'S FERRY AS BEING THE NORTH BOUNDARY OF FORT DECATUR THAT WAS ERECTED IN THE YEARS 1813 AND 1814 TO PROTECT DECATUR'S FLEET FROM THE BRITISH
FEB. 28, 1898.
CHAPTER X. The Civil War of 1861-5.
THE Civil War of 1861-5 was between the great loyal Nortli on one side and the "solid South" on the other. It was precipi- tated by the South in their secession from the Union, and this with the view of riveting more firmly the chains of slavery. It was entered upon and prosecuted by the North primarily for the purpose of preserving the integrity of the nation. It resulted in the overthrow of slavery, the emancipation of three millions of bondmen, and the re-establishment of the nation upon a much broader and firmer foundation than that upon which it had previously rested. The cost of the war in treasure and blood was immense. In the South it was perfectly overwhelming. In the North the strain was so severe that it was felt in every fiber of the nation's life. Every portion of the country, from the largest city to the smallest town, had a share in it about as large as it was able to bear. How large the share of Ledyard was will ap- pear in part in the long list of volunteers engaged in the conflict. A granite shaft, in memory of the fallen, stands on the "Com- mon," in front of the church at the center of the town, and dedi- cated on July 4, 1873, and was the gift of Ledyard Bill. The services of the dedication were held in the church where Gov. Wm. A. Buckingham, and Col. Hoyt, speaker of the House of Representatives, delivered addresses, followed by remarks by Col. John T. Wait and others, Mr. Bill first making delivery of the monument to John Brewster, Esq., Chairman of the Selectmen. The committee in charge of the arrangements for the day con- sisted of Hon. Henry Larrabee, Edmund Spicer, Esq., and Rev. Charles Cutting. At the close of the exercises, a picnic dinner was served by the ladies of the town to several hundred people.
The address of Gov. Buckingham, on this occasion, was ac-
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LEDYARD.
counted by his friends to have been among the very best of all his efforts during his public life.
VOLUNTEERS FROM LEDYARD, 1861-5. First Connecticut Cavalry.
Cook, William T., Lieutenant .*
Knapp, Henry E., Private, Co. B.
Lamb, Franklin A., Commissary Sergeant, Co. B.
Brown, Daniel H., Private, Co. C.
Egan, Michael, Private, Co. C. Brown, Elias S., First Lieutenant, Co. G.
Whipple, Daniel, Sergeant, Co. G .*
Whipple, Samuel S., Sergeant, Co. G.
Bolles, Orrin S., Corporal, Co. I .*
Chapman, Daniel, Private, Co. L.
Brown, Ferdinand, First Sergeant, Co. M.
Turner, Isaac D., First Sergeant, Co. M.
Eighth Infantry.
Lamb, Samuel S., Private, Co. G.
Tenth Infantry.
Allyn, Asa, Private, Co. H. Bromley, Lyman W., Private, Co. H .* Eleventh Infantry.
Satterlee, Dwight, Assistant Surgeon.
Rogers, Samuel C., Private, Co. H.
Smith, George A., Private, unassigned.
Twelfth Infantry. Avery, Horace, Private, Co., D. Ball, Cephas, Private, Co. D. Turner, Henry, Private, Co. D. Allyn, Stanton, First Lieutenant, Co. K. Avery, Alexander W., Sergeant, Co. K.
*Enlisted in other towns, according to Catalogue
85
THE CIVIL WAR OF 1861-5.
McCracken, Charles T., Sergeant K. Stoddard, Orrin E., Sergeant, Co. K. Ball, Frederick N., Corporal, Co. K. Ball, John G., Corporal, Co. K. Clarke, Thomas J., Wagoner, Co. K. Ball, Grosvenor, Private, Co. K .* Clark, Edwin, Private, Co. K. Comstock, Charles H., Private, Co. K .* Peckham, Adin R., Private, Co. K. Perkins, Albert M., Private, Co. K. Perkins, Charles L., Private, Co. K. Pratt, Gurdon, Private Co. K .* Reynolds, William H., Private, Co. K. Cold, George, Private, unassigned.
Thirteenth Infantry. Smith, William, Private, Co. I.
Fourteenth Infantry. Wagner, Henry, Private, Co. C. Lull, Oscar S., Private, Co. E. Dart, John N., Private, Co. H. Perkins, Prentice A., Private, Co. H. Thomas, George, Private, Co. I. Allyn, Stephen D., Private, Co. K. Allyn, William R., Private, Co. K .* Dyetch, Jacob, Private, Co. K. Hasler, Henry, Private, Co. K. Maynard, Erastus A., Private, Co. K. Babcock, George W., Private, Co. K.
Eighteenth Infantry. Caswell, Guilford, Private, Co. F. Mastin, James W., Private, Co. F. Sweet, William H., Private, Co. F.
*Enlisted in other towns, according to Catalogue.
86
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LEDYARD.
Twenty-first Infantry.
Bailey, Thomas L., Corporal, Co. C. Wilcox, Chauncey F., Corporal, Co. C .* Gallup, Francis E., Private, Co. C. Latham, Ira C., Private, Co. C .* Maynard, Augustus E., Private, Co. C. Meech, George F., Private, Co. C. Peckham, Benjamin B., Private, Co. C. Green, Gurdon, Private, Co. E. Moxley, Solon R., Private, Co. F.
West, William R., Corporal, Co. G.
Lamb, Warren A., Private, Co. G .* Main, John L., Private, Co. I.
Twenty-sixth Infantry.
Gray, Montgomery, Private, Co. B.
Johnson, Henry, Private, Co. B.
Lamb, Noyes, Private, Co. B.
Avery, Timothy A., Second Lieutenant, Co. D.
Moffitt, Arden, Second Lieutenant, Co. D.
Tuttle, Erastus R., Sergeant, Co. D.
Chapman, Ephraim A., Corporal, Co. D. Lee, Denison P., Corporal, Co. D. Miller, George, Corporal, Co. D.
Allyn, James A., Private, Co. D.
Allyn, Denison, Private, Co. D.
Allyn, Nicholas, Private, Co. D. Ball, Henry J., Private, Co. D.
Bromley, Isham, Private, Co. D. Chapman, William E., Private, Co. D. Christie, Edwin L., Private, Co. D. Christie, Jonathan L., Private, Co. D. Crouch, William W., Private, Co. D.
Farrelly, Peter, Private, Co. D. Frink, Thomas H., Private, Co. D. Maynard, Appleton J., Private, Co. D.
*Enlisted in other towns, according to Catalogue.
87
THE CIVIL WAR OF 1861-5.
Mitchell, John N., Private, Co. D.
Murfit, Ray, Private, Co. D. Myers, Elias E., Private, Co. D. Palmer, Moses N., Private, Co. D. Slater, Rudolph, Private, Co. D. Smith, William, Private, Co. D. Stoddard, Simeon A., Private, Co. D.
Whipple, Austin, Private, Co. D. Gray, Stephen, Private, Co. K. Sawyer, Peter, Private, Co. D.
Twenty-ninth Infantry-Colored.
Fisher, Isaac J., Private, Co. K. Hoxie, Noyes J., Private, Co. K. Jones, John M., Private, Co. K. Lawrence, Amasa, Private, Co. K. Lee, George, Private, Co. K.
Thirty-first Infantry-Colorcd.
Peckham, Albert A., Private, Co. B.
Enlisted in Regular Army.
Spicer, Allen, Third Artillery.
Turner, Henry, Fourteenth Infantry, Co. E.
Morgan, Frank, Fourteenth Infantry, Co. H. Morgan, Simeon, Fourteenth Infantry, Co. G.
Members in Navy.
Ball, Justin. Gallup, Christopher M., "Landsman." Allyn, Gurdon L. Bailey, Latham A. Ball, Guilford.
Brown, Latham A.
Satterlee, Charles A. Stoddard, Ebenezer M.
Enlisted in other States.
Ball, Thomas, New York. Gallup, Simeon, Rhode Island.
CHAPTER XI. Family Histories and Genealogies.
THE ALLYN FAMILY. (BY THOMAS LATHAM).
THE Allyns of Ledyard are undoubtedly of English descent. A coat of arms, at present in possession of Gurdon F. Allyn, of Salem, Conn., has an accompanying description which con- tains the names of John Allyn, of Utoxeter, in the county of Stafford, Francis Allyn, of London, and also the names of Richard Allyn, Thomas Allyn and William Allyn.
History informs us that a certain William Allyn was a Pro- testant Martyr of Walsingham, England, during the reign of the "Bloody Mary." We are told that for refusing to read the "Book of Sports," and for refusing to follow the cross in pro- cession he was condemned to death, was permitted to go to the stake untied, where he was chained and stood quietly without shrinking, until he died, one year after John Rogers suffered martyrdom at Smithfield.
I.
Robert Allyn, who was born in 1608, emigrated to Salem, Mass., in 1637. He united with the church in 1642, and moved to New London in 1651. He was one of the company who first purchased the Town of Norwich, and he obtained a grant of a large tract of land on the Thames River, including "Allyn's Point." where he died, in 1683, aged 75 years.
His children were John, m. Elizabeth Gager. Sarah, m. George Geer. Mary, m. Thomas Park,
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FAMILY HISTORIES AND GENEALOGIES.
Hannah, m. Thomas Rose.
Deborah, m. John Gager, Jr.
II.
John Allyn, who was born about 1640, married Elizabeth Gager, daughter of John Gager, of "New Norridge," Dec. 24, 1668. He died in 1709, leaving an estate valued at £ 1,278, to be divided between his only son, Robert, and only daughter, Elizabeth, wife of Thomas Waterman. His inventory named three farms and a trading post on the Thames river.
Among his household effects were a silver tankard, cup, tumbler and whistle, a gold ring, a wrought cushion and a lignum-vitæ mortar and pestle.
III.
Robert, son of John Allyn and Elizabeth Gager, married Deborah Avery, Jan. 26, 1691.
Their children were
I. Elizabeth, b. Nov. 20, 1693, m. Jonathan Williams.
2. John, b. Jan. 10, 1695, m. Joanna Miner, 1726.
3. Robert, b. Jan. 25, 1697, m. Abigail Avery, 1725.
4. Ebenezer, b. Feb. 29, 1699, m. Mary Thurber, 1726.
5. James, b. Feb. 29, 1699, m. Althea Avery, 1729.
6. Christopher, b. April 12, 1702, died March 26, 1703.
7. Samuel, b. May 26, 1704, m. Hannah Avery, 1731.
8. Christopher, b. July 26, 1706.
9. Lucy, b. July 29, 1708, died unmarried.
10. Nathan, b. Oct. 5, 1711, m. Jane Purl.
II. Deborah, b. -, m. Jonathan Lester.
IV.
Ebenezer Allyn, born Feb. 29, 1699, married Mary Thurber, April 27, 1726. He died April 21, 1760. She died Nov. 16, 1780.
Their children were
I. Ebenezer, b. Jan. 25, 1727, died same date.
2. Mary, b. Nov. 26, 1727, died young.
90
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LEDYARD.
3. Son, b. Sept. 6, 1729, died Nov. 5, 1729.
4. Deborah, b. Oct. 1, 1730, died April 19, 1731.
5. Lucy, b. Feb. 14, 1732, m. James Avery, 1749.
6. Mary, b. July 4, 1734, m. Thos. Lester, 1754.
7. Priscilla, b. June 24, 1736, m. John Allyn.
8. Rebecca, b. May 3, 1738, m. Ezekiel Turner. 9. Ebenezer, b. March 28, 1740.
10. Thomas, b. June 23, 1742, m. Lucy Avery, 1762.
II. Rufus, b. Aug. 17, 1745, m. Hannah Billings, 1766.
12. Amos, b. Feb. 21, 1748, m. Elizabeth Morgan.
V.
Thomas Allyn married Lucy Avery, Nov. 30, 1762. Their children were
I. Thomas, b. Sept. 20, 1763, died May 20, 1849.
2. Lucy, b. March 16, 1766.
3. Eunice, b. Aug. 7, 1768.
4. Joshua, b. July 22, 1770.
5. Cyrus, b. May 22, 1772, died Oct. 25, 1774.
6. Anna, b. Jan. 13, 1775.
7. Phebe, b. Oct. 17, 1778, died June 12, 1786.
VI.
Thomas Allyn, son of Thomas and Lucy Avery Allyn, born Sept. 20, 1763, married Susannah Morgan. He died May 20, 1849. She died June 20, 1850.
Children :-
Isaac A., died Nov. 27, 1802, aged 17 years.
Cyrus, b. Feb. 14, 1786, died Jan. 12, 1840.
Susannah, died March 16, 1839, aged 50 years.
Lucy, married Edmund Stoddard.
Prudence, died Dec. 30, 1814, aged 23 years.
The Susannah, who died in 1839, was the first wife of Guy C. Stoddard.
91
FAMILY HISTORIES AND GENEALOGIES.
VII.
Cyrus, son of Thomas and Susannah Morgan Allyn, born Feb. 14, 1786, married Mary Morgan. He died Jan. 12, 1840. She died June 12, 1869.
Children :-
I. Cyrus Morgan, b. March 27, 1816.
2. Sidney, b. May 12, 1817, died April 15, 1890.
3. Caroline, b. Oct. 9, 1818, died Oct. 13, 1820.
4. Susan Mary, b. Feb. 10, 1820, died Oct. 12, 1896.
5. Thomas Avery, b. Dec. 5, 1821, died Feb. 8, 1895.
6. Theophilus Morgan, b. Nov. 23, 1823.
7. Charlotte Maconda, b. Oct. 6, 1824.
8. John Hobart, b. Sept. 30, 1827, died March 29, 1887.
9. Byron, b. Feb. 2, 1830, died Nov. 25, 1830.
IO. Byron, b. Oct. 31, 1831, killed Nov. 16, 1881.
II. Jeannette Dwight, b. April 2, 1834, died Aug. 22, 1875.
12. Prudence, b. March 20, 1836.
VIII.
Thomas A. Allyn, who died in 1895, had three wives. His first wife, who died in 1862, left one son, Cyrus, who in A. D. 1900 is in possession of a farm at Allyn's Point, which has been owned by nine succeeding generations of Allyns. The names of the owners, in the direct line of succession, is as follows :
I. Robert, original grantee, who died in 1683.
2. John, who died in 1709.
3. Robert, who married Deborah Avery.
4. Ebenezer, who married Mary Thurber.
5. Thomas, who married Lucy Avery.
6. Thomas, who married Susannah Morgan.
7. Cyrus, who died in 1840.
8. Thomas, who died in 1895.
9. Cyrus, present owner in 1900.
92
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LEDYARD.
THE AVERY FAMILY.
THE Averys of Ledyard and neighboring towns are de- scendants of James Avery, who was born in England about 1620, and who, with his father Christopher, came to this country with Gov. Winthrop's Company in 1630. They lived at first in Bos- ton or Salem, afterwards in Gloucester. About 1650, James, with his wife, who was Joanna Greenslade, of Boston, and his three oldest children, moved to New London. They constituted a portion of quite a party from Cape Ann, including Rev. Richard Blimnan, the pastor of the church in Gloucester, who became the first pastor of the First Church in New London.
James Avery built the famous "Avery Hive" on Poquonnoc Plain in 1656, and moved thither with his family. In 1684 the church edifice in New London, being no longer large enough to accommodate the congregation, was sold to James Avery. He took it down, moved the materials to Poquonnoc, and with them made a large addition to his house. The house, thus enlarged, was occupied by him and his family, and also by a regular line of his descendants from generation to generation, till it was set on fire by a spark from a passing locomotive on the railroad, July 20, 1894, and burned to the ground. A bronze statue of James Avery, mounted upon a column of Scotch granite, now marks the spot where it stood.
In their earlier generations in this country the Avery families were very large-from ten to fifteen children generally in each of them. While a goodly number, bearing the name, still reside within a few miles of the spot where the old Hive stood, others have scattered off in all directions ; and Groton Averys, or their descendants, may be found in almost every town in New London County and every State of New England; also in New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Wiscon- sin, Nebraska, North Carolina, Louisiana, Oregon, California and other States and Territories.
The majority of them have been farmers with moderate means and limited aspirations. Some, however, have become the owners of large farms, and been withal very enterprising and progressive. John J. Avery (1776-18-), of Groton, had a well-
93
FAMILY HISTORIES AND GENEALOGIES.
tilled farm of 700 acres, covering the ground now occupied by that charming summer resort, Eastern Point. Robert Stanton Avery (1771-1846), of Preston, had a farm of 250 acres, which included a large part of Avery's Plains, so-called. He was the first man in Preston to own a wagon, and the first to use a cast- iron plow; the first to introduce into his neighborhood Merino sheep from Spain and blooded stock from England. Dwight Avery (1828 -- ), of Norwich Town, is an extensive market- gardener, running his spacious greenhouses with their ap- pendages in connection with a large milk farm. One of the many who have gone West, and become farmers on a much broader scale than any who have settled down in the Nutmeg State, is Phineas O. Avery (1838-). After enlisting in the Fourth Illinois Cavalry and serving his country over three years in the Civil War, he settled in Humbolt, Nebraska ; and in 1866 owned 800 acres of fine farming land, all under cultivation, 300 head of Hereford cattle and 30 horses.
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