Amos Avery, son of Amos Avery and his wife Irene (nee Kingsbury), was born on May 22, 1757 and he died on September 16, 1837. He served in the Revolutionary War. The record of men from Connecticut in the Military and Naval Service during the War of the Revolution, 1775-1783, was edited by Henry P. Johnston, AM. in 1889. In the list of the men who marched from towns in Connecticut for the relief of Boston in the Lexington Alarm in April of 1775 was the name of Amos Avery, Sergeant, from Coventry, who was in the service for three days.
The Third Regiment, raised by Gen. Israel Putnam on the first call for troops by the legislature at a special session in April-May of 1775, was recruited from Windham County, with one company from New London County. They marched in May to the camps forming around Boston and were stationed during the siege in Putnam’s Center Division at Cambridge until the expiration of their term of service on December 10, 1775. In July, the Regiment was adopted as Continental. A detachment of it was engaged at Bunker Hill. A few men also joined the Quebec Expedition. In the re-enlistment of troops for service, this regiment was re—organized with Benedict Arnold, then before Quebec, as Colonel. In the 10th Company under Capt. Israel Putnam, Jr., Amos Avery of Coventry was a second lieutenant, commissioned on May 1 and discharged in December of 1775.
In the record of Connecticut men in the Military and Naval Service during the War of the Revolution, state regiments under Generals Spencer and Wooster were organized in 1776-1777 in Rhode Island and Connecticut. In November of 1776, the Assembly voted to raise four state battalions to join the Continental Army near New York to serve until March of 1777. These battalions did not march out ofthe state at that time but remained in part on the Westchester border under Gen. Wooster or went to Rhode Island under Gen. Spencer, who was assigned to command in that state in December of 1776. In the 3rd Battalion, Roger Enos was Colonel; Samuel Gale, Lieutenant Colonel; Amos Wilcox, Major; Josiah Hammond, Captain; John Hough, 1st Lieutenant; Amos Avery, 2nd Lieutenant; and Gamaliel Ripley, Ensign.
The dates of enlistment of Amos Avery were from May 1, 1775 to January 1, 1776 and from January 1, 1776 to May 20, 1777. He was engaged in the following battles: Bunker Hill, New York, Long Island, White Plains and Rhode Island. The proof of service ofAmos Avery is in the records of the Bureau of Pensions, Washington, DC. His residence at the time of enlistment was given as Coventry, Windham County, Connecticut and later as Providence, Rhode Island.
Amos Avery often told of preparing breakfast one day during the Revolution War after good luck foraging, when Gen. George Washington came along and asked him what he was going to eat. Amos replied: “Ham and eggs;” which pleased Gen. Washington, who promptly joined him, as he had for many other meals before.
After the War, Amos Avery took up the occupation of cabinet maker. In 1820, while residing at Richmond, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, he applied for a pension, giving his date of birth as May 22, 1757 and his place of birth as Norwich, New London County, Connecticut. His claim was allowed. In it, he referred to his wife, Abigail, two of his daughters, Nabby and Harriet, and two of his sons, Ephraim and Louis, and also to a grandson, Carlos Avery, twelve years of age.
Amos Avery married Abigail Loomis on OctOber 24, 1782. Eight children were born to them: Amos, born April 30, 1783; Irene, born February 22, 1787 (died 1810); Nabby, born December 19,1788; Polly, born March 3, 1791; Loray, born October 28, 1793; Harriet, born August 3, 1797; Ephraim Kingsbury, born December 18, 1799; and Louis, born February 22, 1802.
References and Notes
Whiteley, Sara Ethel Stevens. “Genealogy of the Avery-Stevens Clan,” 1929.