Individual Details

Daniel Avery is often seen in the family of David & Sarah Avery of Pepperell, Middlesex Co, MA, and the more records I read, the more this does seem likely. This lineage is in the Ancestral File of the LDS Church with no substantiation and I have found no source for his date of birth as given there.

The earliest extant church records in Pepperell are from the Church of Christ and can be seen on LDS Film #868604, Item 3 - they begin as early as 1742. Transcriptions of these records are also in printed form and occur on the Internet but there are errors in the transcripts based on the film. These filmed records have the baptisms of four of the children of David and Sarah Avery, all on 14 Jun 1771, and one of those children certainly was a Daniel. [This child has been transcribed as David, but it's quite clear on the film as Daniel.] Their mother was received into the church a few months earlier on March 17th - there is a number following each person received which appears to possibly be their age and Sarah Avery's is 35. There are death records for an unnamed infant son in the year preceding the baptisms and a seven-year-old daughter soon after, followed by baptisms of two more children. Two more sons were later baptized. Sarah's transfer to the church and dismissal are both recorded.

There is also a list of those soldiers of Pepperell who participated in the Battle of Bunker Hill and the list does include David Avery. The record of the deceased son is the earliest date any Avery is found in the Pepperell Church records. I have seen no record of a marriage for David Avery and Sarah and must have taken place back in Townsend. Sarah Avery was dismissed to the church in Jaffrey on 28 Aug 1783. Jaffrey is in Cheshire Co, NH and I did find a David Avery living there in the 1790 census.

Another part of this mystery is a New Hampshire marriage record for Daniel Avery and Sally Sargent, said married by Laban Ainsworth, Clergyman, at Jaffrey NH, probably in 1794. If true, the family was still in New Hampshire as late as 1794. The Clerk of Jaffrey, T. P. Wellman, attested to the marriage record 4 Sep 1905 - many years after the event.

I have been unable to find a town of the name of Mannesville in Bradford County, Pennsylvania which is where it's said he married - which is disputed by the marriage record above and birth places of the older children. There is a Minerville [or Miners Mills] in Bradford Co on some old maps. Neither do I know how or why Daniel Avery got from Massachusetts to New York to Pennsylvania. It is true that it is not far from Otsego County, NY to Bradford Co, just south of the NY/PA border. At the time of this marriage, the area now known as Bradford Co was in fact Luzerne Co. or Lycoming Co. and he seems to have been in New York by 1800. The 1790 census did show the man who was likely Daniel's father-in-law, Lemuel Sargent, living next to David Avery in New Hampshire, placing the two families near each other for their children to get acquainted and marry.

The frequent moves of Daniel as reported are somewhat of a mystery. Born in Massachusetts, married in Bradford Co PA which was not yet Bradford but Luzerne [I think this is wrong and he actually married in New Hampshire, moving to New York soon after, at least the 1st 5 children born in "Oswego" Co NY but at the time they were born it was Oneida Co [this place seems to have been confused with Otsego Co which is much nearer PA and where Daniel Avery was found in 1800 and Otsego is cited as the county birthplace of son William in his Patriarchal Blessing - Oswego seems to be another error]; then several of the later children born in Bradford Co PA. By 1820 the family was in Franklin Co OH. By 1838 Daniel was taxed in Schuyler Co IL. Here is a summary of locations I have determined:
Baptized in Pepperell, MA 1771
Census in Jaffrey, Cheshire Co NH 1790
Probable marriage in Jaffrey NY 1794
Census in Otsego, NY 1800
Census in Ulster, Lycoming Co PA [which would become part of Bradford Co, 1810]
Deed, signed with wife Sally, 1812, Bradford Co PA - also on Tax List that year
1813 Tax List, Ulster Twp, Bradford Co, Daniel Avery, Carpenter
1814 Tax List, Ulster Twp, Bradford Co., Daniel Avery, moved out of town
Census in Perry,Franklin Co OH 1830 [local history says he came in 1820 - Franklin Co was formed 1803 from Ross and new territory]
Tax roll in Schuyler Co IL 1838
Census in Schuyler Co IL 1840


A town meeting in 1774, Westmoreland PA, names Christopher Avery as a selectman. He also served as a Justice of the Peace. He is also found on a list of "pioneer" citizens.
There is a tax list for Luzerne Co PA, 1799, online - it includes a Christopher Avery only. One Solomon Avery left a Will dated in 1799 - WB A, p.27. A Cyrus Avery is found there in the census of 1800 and continues to have records in Luzerne Co for several years - he was a shoemaker.
WorldConnect files online indicate that Christopher & Solomon were brothers, sons of Humphrey Avery of Groton, New London, CT. Cyrus was a son of Solomon. Christopher Avery was killed in 1778 during the Revolution in the Valley of the Wyoming, PA, apparently without issue. The Christopher Avery appearing in 1799 was a different man of the same name. There is nothing to connect these Avery families with that of Daniel - they seem not to have used the names David or Daniel for their sons, although Solomon Avery did have among his sons a Stephen and an Ebenezer.

There are two Daniel Averys in New York in 1800 - one in Otsego Co and one in Oneida Co. This Daniel would have been age 32. The Daniel in Otsego is between 26-45; the one in Oneida is 45+ with another male of 26-45 so could be this Daniel with an older male living with him. Both of these households have 2 males and 1 female under 10 which would be the case of this Daniel with children Stephen, Daniel Jr & Mary by 1800. The key to solving this mystery seems to be the neighbors:
1800 Census. Milford, Otsego, NY
Lemuel Sargeants [father of wife of Daniel]
1m -10, 1m 26-45 [but may have tried to smudge out], 1m +45. 1f +45
Lemuel Sargeants Jr followed:
1m -10, 1m 26-45. 1f 10-16, 1f 26-45
two names down was
Daniel Avery: 2m -10, 1m 26-45, 1f -10, 1f 26-45
A John Avery was also present in Otego, Otsego Co NY - he had 2m -10, 1m 26-45, 1f 16-26. I don't know if this is possibly Daniel's brother John.

In 1810, the only Daniel Avery is in Lycoming Co PA (part of which became Bradford that year]. He would be 42 that year but is listed as 45+. There are 7 children in the household which is almost right; the ages are somewhat incorrect
Ulster Twp, Lycoming Co PA.
Daniel Avery: 4m 10-16, 1m 16-26, 1m over 45. 2f -10, 1f 10-16, 1f 26-45
Ebenezer Avery: 1m 26-45. 1f -10, 1f 26-26.
[Finding Ebenezer living here is a bit of support for Daniel as Son of David & Sarah Avery of Pepperell, given that they indeed had a son Ebenezer, born about 1771]

There is a website "Tri-Couties Genealogy & History" by Joyce M. Tice
http://www.rootsweb.com/srgp/jmtindex.htm
which has much information about the counties of Bradford & Tioga in PA and Chemung Co NY.
This site does point out that Ulster Twp was a detached part of Lycoming Co in 1810 and became part of Bradford Co.
Bradford Co was formed from parts of both Lycoming and Luzerne Counties.
Early Taxpayers of Ulster Township in 1812 included Christopher Avery and Daniel Avery.
Links furnish additional information on the Christopher Averys. There were apparently two of them, neither ever married. The earlier Christopher died in 1788. The second Christopher Avery served as a private in the Revolution under Capt Williams in Col. Webb's Regt of the CT line from 1781 until the close of the War. He came to Sheshequin PA about 1792 along with his brother-in-law Judge Gore. He received a pension and died 3 May 1830, age 71, and is buried in the Gore cemetery.

Early Deeds & Mortgages of Tioga Co PA: 1806-1812.
p.285 Daniel Avery and wife Sally of Ulster, Lycoming Co to Thomas Overton of Ulster; land formerly deeded to Samuel C. & Mary Pleasants. [no date]
p.290 Silas Burrel, Ulster Twp, Bradford Co, land in Tioga Twp to Thomas Overton adj. to Sarah Vaughan, Daniel Avery, Alvin Bacon and Judith Josephson. Samuel Gore, JP, Bradford Co. 13 Nov 1812.

From the Illinois, Public Land Purchase Records, 1800-1990, database on Ancestry.com:
A Daniel Avery, 26 Dec 1817, Vol 807, p.301, Section 35, Township 6S, Range 3 W, Meridian 4.
160 acres. This was his bounty for the War of 1812 - he had been a private in Finks Company of the 13th Regt. The location of the land is now in Pike Co, Illinois. Pike Co was actually not formed until 1821, but in 1825, Schuyler was formed out of a formerly very large Pike Co. Investigation of Finks Company reveals that John L. Fink was from New York City - his company was headquartered at Sackets Harbor, NY. Fink was taken prisoner at the Battle of Queenstown on Lake Erie, released in 1814. Since this Daniel Avery was living in Ohio in 1810 - this is obviously a very different, and likely younger Daniel Avery.

Tax records, Bradford County. The tax assessor was required to create a list of "Poor Children" The list was the named of parents who could not afford educate their children; the County then paid. The lists were to contain the parent's name and the names of children between the ages of 5 and 12. [I wonder - did not the list include all the taxpayers but itemize those whose children were in need of support?]
There is no way to know if the following is this Daniel - or his son Daniel - or even an entirely different and unrelated Daniel Avery.
1813 - Ulster Twp - Daniel Avery, carpenter
1814 - Ulster - Daniel Avery - moved out of town
1817 - Burlington - Daniel Avery 7a improved; 153 unimp. 2 oxen, 3 cows
1818 - Burlington - Daniel Avery - 1 cow
1819 - Burlington - Daniel Avery - 7a imp; 153 unimp.
then there is a decided gap in the records and when the Averys show up again, they are in Granville Township and there is no Daniel
1833 [prob 1832] - Edward Avery - 1 horse, 1 cow
1833 - Edward Avery - 1 cow
1835 - Hezekiah Avery 1 cow
1836 - Edward Avery - remove
1836 - Hezekiah Avery - 37 unimp acres - transferred from James H. Nelson [he married Henrietta Nelson about 1828, 1829 - believe James was his brother-in-law - she was in these lists as an 8 year old in 1820]
1837 - Hezekiah Avery
1838 - Hezekiah Avery - 3a imp, 25 unimp, 1 cow
1839 - Hezekiah Avery - 3a imp, 25 unimp, 1 cow
1840 - Hezekiah Avery
1841 - Charles & William Avery

1820 Census. No Daniel Avery found in PA.
In 1820, the census for Franklin Co Ohio is lost.


By 1830 the index shows Daniel, Daniel Jr. & Stephen all in Franklin Co - so this is definitely the right family. William and family may have been living with them - he had married in that county in 1828.
Daniel Avery was in Perry, Franklin Co Ohio:
1m 15-20 [Pelatiah was 19], 2m 20-30 [Chancy probably still at home, no marriage record found - he would be about 29, William was married but age 27 - older sons Stephen & Daniel Jr in their own residences], 1m 60-70 [Daniel himself]. 1f -5 [William & Margaret's daughter Sarah born 1829], 1f 10-15 [Sally was about 13], 1f 15-20 [Mariah was 18], 1f 20-30 [William's wife Margaret would have been about age 22 - the older daughters in the family were already married], 1f 50-60 [Sarah Sargent Avery was about 58]

Daniel Jr was also in Perry:
1m -5, 1m 5-10, 1m 30-40. 1f -5, 1f 5-10, 1f 20-30
Stephen Avery was in Norwich, Franklin Co Ohio:
1m -5, 1m 5-10, 2m 10-15, 1m 30-40. 1f -5, 1f 5-10, 1f 30-40.

Ohio County & Family Histories, 1780-1970 [Genealogy.com]: HISTORY OF FRANKLIN, PICKAWAY COUNTIES, OHIO.
p.493-494 "Daniel Avery came from Pennsylvania in 1820 and settled in Perry township near the Scioto River on land now owned by Mr. Matthews. He remained but about two years, when he moved on land owned by Joshua Davis. From there he went to Worthington and in about 1829 settled two miles south of Hillard. In 1834 he went to Illinois. He was a carpenter, and helped to erect many buildings in Norwich. His son, P. S. [Pellathin] Avery, lived in Washington township from 1836 to 1840. In the latter year he bought a farm northwest of Hilliard with a clearing of about fifteen acres, made by Alfred Latham, who had a lease of the land, then owned by J. S. Britton. Mr. Avery has cleared and improved the land."
p.496 P. S. Avery was one of the first officers of the Norwich Lodge, #385, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, chartered and instituted on 25 Jun 1867.
p.153 Sylvester Avery [son of P. S.] was a Private in Company I, of the 133rd Regt, National Guard of Ohio [Civil War]. The Regiment of 917 men was mustered out 6 May 1864 and ordered to West Virginia to destroy the Richmond & Petersburg Railroad. They were mustered out 20 Aug 1864 at Camp Chase.

By April of 1837, many family members moved to Schuyler Co IL. Daniel Jr. was there by 1834 when he bought lands at Public Sale.

Schuyler Co IL DB E, p.482
15 Apr 1837 Daniel Avery and wife Margaret sold to Daniel Avery Sr and Chancy Avery for $150 the NE 1/4 of the NE Quarter, Section 1, T1N, R3W.
Signed: Daniel Avery Jr, Margaret Avery.
Acknowledged and dower released on the same day.

1838 Tax Roll of Schuyler Co includes Daniel C., Chancy, Stephen and William Avrie.

Listed in the 1840 Schuyler Co IL Census, p.112 following William Avery is Daniel Avery. He has 1m 30-40 and himself 60-70 [born bet 1770-1780], and one female 60-70.

1841 Assessor's Book from Schuyler Co:
Congressional lands: Congress claimed much of the land that became the Military Tract in Illinois and the Western Reserve lands of Ohio. Some of these lands were given as payment to soldiers from the Revolution. Sale of these lands was also a source of much needed income.
Listed as holding Congressional lands in 1841:
Woodstock Township;
Daniel Avery, Jr. had the West 1/2 of the NW Quarter of Section 6, Twp 1N, Range 2W (80 acres)
Daniel Avery, Sr., had the NE Quarter of the NE Quarter of Section 1, Twp 1N, Range 3W (40 acres)
Schuyler Co Illinois Early Land Records, 1841; published by the Schuyler Co Historical Museum, 977.3475 R2s, Family History Library.

Early Mormon Missionaries
https://history.lds.org/missionary/individual/daniel-avery-1768?lang=eng
Daniel Avery
July 1843–1843
Age Called: 75
Schuyler County, Illinois
Called: 3 July 1843
End Date: 1843
Mission type: Proselytizing
Marital Status: Married
Called From: Illinois, United States
Notes: He was called on a short mission to preach the gospel and disabuse the public mind with regard to arrest of Joseph Smith.
Historical Department journal history of the Church, 3 July 1843, p. 1.
Early Church Information File, FamilySearch, images 4722 - 4741.


Membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 1830-1848
Name: Avery, Daniel (Source: Book of Patriarchal Blessings Index
Volume: 3 Page: 109 Temple Index Bureau )
Gender: Male (Source: Book of Patriarchal Blessings Index
Volume: 3 Page: 109 Temple Index Bureau)
Birth Date: 30 Jun 1768 (Source: Nauvoo Temple Endowment Register 1845-46) Birth Place: Cheshire County, , NH, USA (Source: Temple Index Bureau) Father: Avery, David
Mother: ________, Sally
Spouse: (Avery), Sally
Children: Temple Index Bureau
Child-Number: 1 Avery, Daniel
Date: 7/1/1798 Name: Birthdate: Place: The database is comprised of a 50-volume list created by Susan Black about people who were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1830 to 1848 and who lived in the United States, Canada or Great Britain. The database was compiled using more than 300 primary and secondary sources on early Latter-day Saints, but it does not necessarily include every member of the Church who lived during the time period.

Daniel was not present for the 1850 Census in Schuyler Co as expected since he's said to have died about 1848.


I have not listed a son Hezekiah, although he will be found in many online databases as a son of Daniel & Sarah Sargent Avery that died at Nauvoo. I believe he was not their son. He was not listed as one of their ten children in a county history book article about grandson Philander Avery. Hezekiah lived in Bradford Co, PA with the family of his wife, Henrietta Nelson. His family was in Ohio at the time he would have married her - either he returned in his late teens to Bradford which seems highly unlikely, or was never part of Daniel & Sarah's family.

Strangely enough there was another older Hezekiah Avery who lived in Bradford Co. He served in the War of 1812 as a Private and could not have been the same person. He is listed as being from Troy, which was the area where Ebenezer Avery and family lived. Ebenezer may have been Daniel Avery's brother. There well may be a family connection even though Hezekiah was not a son of Daniel Avery.

Hezekiah is said to have been killed in the Morman uprising at Nauvoo, which is apparently not true either, as researchers among his descendants report that he died of cholera in Exeter, Scott Co, Illinois, and was buried in a mass grave with other victims. He died in 1844 which was the same year as the tragedy at Nauvoo so wrong assumptions have been made. By 1850, his wife Henrietta was head of her household in Utah Territory. The last child born was John Nelson Avery, born 2 May 1844.

Birth	30 Jun 1768	Pepperell, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Baptism	14 Jun 1771	Church of Christ, Pepperell, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Marriage	1 Nov 1794	Jaffrey, Cheshire County, New Hampshire - SARAH "Sally" Sargent
Death	Abt 1848	Schuyler County, Illinois

Spouse	SARAH "Sally" Sargent (1772 - 1840)
Child	Stephen AVERY (1796 - 1849)
Child	Daniel AVERY Jr. (1797 - 1851)
Child	Mary "Polly" AVERY (1799 - 1850)
Child	Chancy AVERY (1801 - )
Child	WILLIAM AVERY (1803 - 1867)
Child	Anna "Nancy" AVERY (1804 - 1870)
Child	Elizabeth "Betsy" AVERY (1807 - 1883)
Child	Pelatiah S. AVERY (1810 - 1891)
Child	Mariah Avery (1813 - 1844)
Child	Sarah "Sally" AVERY (1817 - 1849)

Father	DAVID AVERY (1737 - )
Mother	SARAH [Avery] (1736 - )
Sibling	Ruth AVERY ( - )
Sibling	Abigail AVERY ( - )
Sibling	Elisabeth AVERY ( - )
Sibling	David AVERY ( - )
Sibling	Sarah AVERY ( - )
Sibling	Ebenezer AVERY ( - )
Sibling	John AVERY ( - )