Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

line). They were the parents of eight
children, of whom six attained mature
years : Sally, married Amos Hoadley,
of Westville, New York, both deceased
Samuel, deceased ; Silas, a resident of
Manchester, New Hampshire ; Hiram, deceased
; Emily, married James Rogers,
both deceased, and resided in Vermontville,
New York ; Joel E., of whom fur-
ther ; and
in infancy.
;
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Hoel (twins), the latter dying
Joel E. Avery, son of Robert and Maria
(Estabrook) Avery, was born in Burke,
Franklin County, New York, November
15, 1848. As a boy of fourteen years he
was employed for a year in a saw mill in
the Adirondack woods, and when but
seventeen years of age was in charge of a
gang of twenty-six men. In 1870 he
moved to Granby, Connecticut, and
worked for three years on a farm, then
moving to Hartland and residing there
for twenty-three years engaged in general
farming and stock raising. He returned
to Granby for three years still as a farmer,
and in April, 1899, he located in New
Britain, establishing in milk dealing on a
small scale. His operations have steadily
widened and now, the oldest milk dealer
in the city, he has four regular routes.
His business is conducted under the name
of Joel Avery & Son, and has five em-
ployees in addition to Mr. Avery and his
son. Mr. Avery continued in the work of
delivery in person until about four years
ago, and he is still active in collecting the
farm supply from local dairymen. Mr.
Avery is held in high regard in the busi-
ness fraternity of New Britain, and there
is no man of aflfairs in the city in whose
word greater dependence is placed. He
has never been attracted to public office,
but in private life has lost no opportunity
to contribute to the progress of the common
good. He is the possessor of a medal
174
made from captured German cannon,
which was awarded by the United States
Government for efficient participation in
the Liberty Loan campaigns. Mr. Avery
is probably the only member of the Wes-
leyan Methodist denomination now in
New Britain.
He married Ella F., daughter of Luther
A. and Nancy (Woodruff) Parker. Nancy
Woodruff was a daughter of Alanson
Woodruff, of Avon. Mr. and Mrs. Avery
have a son, Edward C, the only one of
their children to reach maturity.
Edward C. Avery, son of Joel E. and
Ella F. (Parker) Avery, was born in Hartland,
Connecticut, March 3, 1882. He was
educated in public schools and for four
years thereafter was in the employ of P.
and F. Corbin, of New Britain. The following
nine months were spent with the
Union Manufacturing Company, and he
was then for two years on the road in the-
atrical work. His voice had attracted the
attention of an old singing master of New
Britain, who gave him his first instruc-
tion, and he later studied under A. Leo-
pold, a well known voice culturist of
Hartford, developing a second bass voice
of unusual quality and strength. While
on the road he was a member of a local
quartet which appeared in every State of
the Union, and at engagements in all of
the large cities. Tiring of the irregular
life of theatrical and concert work, with
the attendant inconveniences and discom-
forts of constantly travelling, he left the
stage and took a commercial course in
Huntsinger's Business College at Hart-
ford. Later he became associated with
his father in the milk business, and on
May 13, 1906, the present partnership was
formed. Mr. Avery has relieved his father
of many of the arduous responsibilities of
their prosperous business and has con-
tributed a full share to its upbuilding.