Merchant and Postmaster, Galena, Ill., was born in Jo Daviess County, Ill., April 16, 1835, the son of William and Phebe (Reed) Avery, the former born in Chenango County, N. Y., August 15, 1807, and the latter in Middletown, Delaware County, N. Y. His maternal grand- parents were Aaron and Sally (Goff) Reed, who were natives, respectively, of Pittstown, Rensselaer County, N. Y., and Towanda, Bradford County, Penn. On the paternal side Major Avery is a descendant of Capt. James Avery, who was one of the founders of the Avery family in America, born in England about 1620, came to America with his father, Christopher Avery, and lived at Gloucester, Mass. Abraham Avery, a grandson of James Avery, was a blacksmith by trade, became a line officer under Gen. Washington, and many of his family and near relatives were soldiers in the Revolutionary War. A number of them were killed in the battle of Groton Heights, defending New London, Conn., against the attack of Benedict Arnold.

This Abraham Avery, the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born at Stonington, Conn., May 20, 1754, married Mary Packer, and their son, Elias Packer Avery. born at Guilford, Vt., August 16, 1781, married Sally Covill, born in New York in 1783. Elias Packer Avery and William Avery, the grandfather and father of Major Avery, were pioneer settlers in Northwestern Illinois, and were both soldiers in the Black Hawk War of 1832. George Smith Avery grew, up on a farm in Jo Daviess County, was educated in the common schools and at Mt. Morris Seminary, and, in April, 1861, enlisted for three months' service in Company F, Twelfth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, the first company organized in Jo Daviess County, going to the front with the rank of First Sergeant. In September of the same year he enlisted in Company I, Third Missouri Cavalry for three years' service, was soon after elected First Lieutenant; in July, 1862, was promoted to the rank of Captain and, in September, 1864, to that of Major of the regiment. He was honorably discharged at the muster-out of his command in March, 1865, after a service of over three years in the Western Army, participating in all the campaigns and engagements of the Seventh Army Corps.

After the close of the war he engaged in farming which he continued until 1876, when he was elected Clerk of the Circuit Court of Jo Daviess County, serving continuously in that capacity twelve years. He has also served as President of the Board of Education for the city of Galena, and. at the present time (1904) is Postmaster of the city. On June 7, 1863, Major Avery was married to Elizabeth Little, born in Oneida County, N. Y., and educated at Mt. Morris and Aurora Seminaries, Ill., and they have the following named children: William Cuyler, George Wynne, Agnes Rae, Elizabeth Florence, Alexandra and Marie Ione. In religious faith Major Avery is a Methodist, and in political relations a Republican; is also a member of the Grand Army of the Republic (in which he is Past Commander of his Post), and of the Loyal Legion of the United States, Commandery of the State of Illinois.

History of Jo Daviess 1904 - Contributed by Dori Leekley