Family of Christopher Avery

(This person can be viewed within the Melton/Sharp Ancestry Chart by clicking here)

 

 

1.  CHRISTOPHER2 AVERY  (CHRISTOPHER1)1 was born 1590 in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England, and died March 12, 1669/70 in New London, New London Co., Connecticut.  He married MARGERY STEPHENS Abt. August 16, 1616 in Ipplepen, Devonshire, England, daughter of EDWARD STEPHENS and MARGARET UNKNOWN.  She was born Abt. 1590 in Abbots Kerswell, England, and died 1643 in Newton Abbott, England.

 

Notes for CHRISTOPHER AVERY:

THE GROTON AVERY CLAN, Vol. I, by Avery & Avery, page 27 through 42.

 

"The Dinghy", Vol. 3, Number 3, June-July, 1990, page 29.   Gives his marriage date as 26 Oct 1616.

 

  Sources: Groton Avery Clan; The Averys of Groton; Clockmakers and Craftsmen of the Avery Family in Connecticut; Genealogical and Biographical Record of New London; Babcock and Allied Families by Louis E. de Forest; New England Marriages Prior to 1700; Savage; Virkus; Immigrants to America Before 1750; Saturday's Children, A History of the Babcock Family in America; Founders of

Early American Families; Savage; AF.

   The Groton Avery Clan and an untitled book in the FHL: Christopher Avery was a kersey (wool fabric) weaver. His wife stayed in England. No reason recorded. Marriage recorded Aug. 16, 1616, in church registry at Exeter, Devonshire. He  was in trouble several times in Massachusetts and Connecticut for "living from his wife." He could have had a brother named John.

   He and son James came to America together, either in 1630 with John Winthrop or in 1631 with John Winthrop Jr. James and Junior became great friends. Father and son went to Gloucester, MA. James later moved to Pequot (later New London), in 1650.  His father joined him in 1665. Thomas Minor's diary records that Christopher Avery was buried March 12, 1679.

 

   Clockmakers and Craftsmen of the Avery Family in Connecticut:

Christopher's marriage was recorded Aug. 26, 1616. It also says he was first mentioned in the early records of Gloucester, Mass., in May 1642.

   The Averys of Groton: The Avery family is very old in Cornwall, and the Christopher Avery branch may have originated there. He was a selectman at Gloucester in 1646, 1652 and 1654. At a court in Salem he took the freeman's oath on June 29, 1652; was chosen and sworn clerk of the (train?) band and constable & clerk of the market. On Aug. 8, 1665, he purchased a house, orchard and lot from Robert Burrows in New London. Here he claimed exemption from watching and training because of his age (June 1667) and was made a freeman of the colony in October 1669.

   Genealogical and Biographical Record of New London, CT: Christopher Avery Jr. moved to Boston in 1658 from Gloucester and served as a selectman there and also in New London.

   Ancestral File: He was born in Salisbury, England, about 1586 and married about Aug. 26, 1616, but better accounts dispute this origin, including a genealogical record written in 1800 by the Rev. David Avery. Also, Devon was the center of the kersey wool industry in England.

   N.E. Marriages Prior to 1700: Christopher Avery received a marriage license Aug. 26, 1616 in England.

   De Forest: Christopher Avery, born about 1590 in England; buried 12 March, 1679. Married in 1616. Exeter Cathedral record says, "26 Aug 1616 Christopher Averye of Ipplepen and Margery Stephens of Abbotts Kerswell." Came to America in the company of his son James and settled in Cape Ann (later Gloucester), MA., where he owned land in 1642. In 1642, 1647 and 1653 he was brought before the court for living absent from his wife. A 19 Oct. 1654 court record reads:

"Christopher Avery being fined 20 li. at Ipswich court for liuing from his wife, uppon his pet to this court, being aged & poore & having used means to pcure his wife hither, his fine is remitted." In 1646, 1652 and 1654 he was chosen one of five men "for the ordering of all towne affaires." Made a freeman

in 1652 and also appointed clerk of the train band and clerk of the market. He removed to Boston in 1655 and later joined son James in New London, where he bought a house, lot and orchard. He became a freeman in 1669.

   Immigrants: Christopher Avery, born about 1590, son of Chrispher Avery of Newton Abbot, Devonshire. Buried 12 March 1679, New London. Probably came to America in the ship Arabella (should that be the Arbella??); settled in Gloucester, MA; was a weaver; selectman, 1646, 52, 54; took freeman's oath in Salem 29 June 1652; sold land in Gloucester and moved to Boston where he purchased a house 18 March 1658; removed to New London and made a freeman of the colony of Connecticut in Oct. 1669. Married Margery Stevens (sic), of Abbot's Kerswell, daughter of Edward and Margaret Stephens of Kingswear.   Marriage license dated 16 Aug. 1616, Ippleden, Devonshire.

   Saturday's Children: Christopher Avery, sailed to New England on the Arbella in 1630. His point of origin was Devonshire, and his destination was Gloucester, Mass. [If he came in 1630, it could well have been on the Arbella.   If he and son James came in 1631 with John Winthrop Jr., the ship could have been the Mary and John, as cited in an advertisement for books run in the NEHGS Nexus.]

   Founders: Christopher Avery, Gloucester, MA, 1642; Boston 1655, New London 1665; buried New London 12 March 1679. Weaver. Selectman.

   Virkus: The Avery family originated in Cornwall. Christopher was bordn in 1590.

 

 

Notes for MARGERY STEPHENS:

THE GROTON AVERY CLAN, Vol. I, pages 27 through 29.

 

   Groton Avery Clan, p.28, 29, says parents could have been Edward and Margaret Stephens of Kingswear, Devonshire.     AF gives the approximate birth date.

 

 

More About CHRISTOPHER AVERY and MARGERY STEPHENS:

Marriage: Abt. August 16, 1616, Ipplepen, Devonshire, England

     

Child of CHRISTOPHER AVERY and MARGERY STEPHENS is:

              i.   JAMES AVERY, b. 1620, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England; d. Abt. 1694, New London, New London Co., Connecticut; m. (1) JOANNA GREENSLADE, November 10, 1643, Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts; b. Abt. 1623, Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts; d. Aft. 1693, New London, New London Co., Connecticut; m. (2) ABIGAIL INGRAHAM, July 04, 1698; b. January 12, 1632/33, Bristol, Bristol Co., Rhode Island; d. 1715.