Rev. William Avent

William married Esther Watts Clegg on 22 Jan 1812 in Chatham Co., North Carolina. Esther (daughter of Thomas A. Clegg and Bridget Polk) was born on 23 Feb 1791 in Chatham Co., North Carolina; died on 2 Jan 1858 in Chatham Co., North Carolina. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Eliza J. Avent was born in 1820.
2. Rev. Isaac Watts Avent was born on 8 Sep 1823 in Chatham Co., North Carolina; died on 18 Jan 1900 in Buckhorn Township, Harnett, Co., North Carolina; was buried in Cokesbury Methodist Church Cemetery, Cokesbury, Harnett Co., North Carolina.
3. Henry Evans Avent was born on 27 Feb 1829 in Chatham Co., North Carolina; died on 18 Jul 1901 in Chatham Co., North Carolina.
4. Bridget Ann Avent was born on 20 Feb 1827 in Chatham Co., North Carolina; died on 31 Dec 1827 in Chatham Co., North Carolina.
5. Joseph Carson Avent was born on 22 Nov 1830 in Chatham Co., North Carolina.
6. Ann Elizabeth Avent was born on 4 Apr 1832 in Chatham Co., North Carolina; died in 1855 in Chatham Co., North Carolina.
7. Martha Avent was born on 27 Nov 1812 in Chatham Co., North Carolina.
8. John F. Avent was born on 22 Mar 1814 in Chatham Co., North Carolina.
9. William Avent was born on 28 Nov 1817 in Chatham Co., North Carolina.
10. Louiza Jane Avent was born on 25 Sep 1819 in Moore Co., North Carolina; died after 1880.
11. Harriet Primrose Avent was born on 5 Dec 1821 in Chatham Co., North Carolina; died on 18 Aug 1888.
12. Parmelia Avent was born on 25 Mar 1825; died on 26 Nov 1826.
13. Mary Glover Avent was born on 2 Sep 1815 in Chatham Co., North Carolina; died on 2 Sep 1893 in Chatham Co., North Carolina.

William married Martha Hill Hicks about 1796. Martha was born about 1777. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

William married Silva Drake in 1799. Silva was born about 1779; died in 1801. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

[Historical marker]

Avent Ferry site, Highway NC 42 at the Cape Fear River, Chatham Co., NC.
The National Society Colonial Dames, Sir Walter Raleigh Chapter gave the marker as its 50th Anniversary Project.

The inscription says

"AVENT FERRY 1775-1926. Established 1775 by John Avent (ca 1740-1821). Vital to commerce and travelers crossing the Cape Fear River from Colonial times until 1926 when first bridge was built."

John married Mary Cary about 1758. Mary was born in 1740 in Northampton Co., North Carolina; died on 4 Mar 1801 in Chatham Co., North Carolina. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

William married Sarah Massie between 1727 and 1735. Sarah (daughter of Joseph Massie and Elizabeth Washington Lanier) was born in 1710 in Albemarle Parish, Sussex Co., Virginia; died in 1785 in Northampton Co., North Carolina. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

[REGISTER OF ALBEMARLE PARISH, SURRY AND SUSSEX COUNTIES]
1739-1779, Gertrude R. B. Richards, 1958, p. 164, 214.

Death recorded in the Albemarle Parish register 1739-78, p. 164, that he died in Sussex Co., 31 October 1757, age 86. His son, William Avent being the informant.

[Barbara Baker Mead]

Per "Andrew Baker and his Descendants" by Frieda Sims Nelson:
Thomas Avent was born in Rouen, Normandy France in 1671 and died Oct 31, 1751 in Sussex, VA. He came to America in 1698 with the Huguenot Migration. Went first to England. Married Margaret Elizabeth Gooch, daughter. of Claiborne Gooch, son of Wm. Gooch and Ursula Claiborne, who was the granddaughter of Wm. Claiborne, Colonial Sec. of VA and governor of Maryland. Thomas Avent was a Colonel in the Colonial Wars, a large land owner, Justice of the Peace of Surry Co., VA from 1728 to 1741. Thomas is listed in Agnew French Protestant Exiles Vol. II, p. 175; Schooners Hess members of Original Regiment. The Avent Bible is on file with the National Huguenot Society of USA; R. A. Bruce, History of VA, Vol. 5,p. 438; Huguenot Society of London; Denizations and Naturalization of Aliens in England 1509-1603;Societe De L'Histoire du Protestantisme Francais Index A-G. The VA historical Mag. gives a history of the Avents. Also books: "McDowells and Connections" by John McDowell, 1918 and "Avents and their Kin" by Mamie Lee Avent Parker and Claude Hunter Moore 1961.
Hope this helps,
Barbara Baker Mead, gggggggggranddaughter of Thomas Avent, through his Grand daughter. Elizabeth

["The Avent/Avant Family"]
by Mrs. LaVerne Avant Carter 2207 Lionel Lane, Albany, Georgia 31702 dated Sept 20, 1970.

... Col. Thomas Avent.... was married to Margaret Elizabeth Gooch, the daughter of William Gooch and Ursula Claiborne Gooch. Col. Thomas Avent was the first Avent known to come to America... he was serving as a Colonel in the English Army... sent here with a regiment of English soldiers under his command to protect the white colonies against invasions by the Indians...His will listed the following children. William Avent, Peter Avent, Thomas Avent son of John Avent deceased, Mary Avent Vincent, Sarah Avent Fox, and someone named Athaliah Casiah Norris. He died in 1756. The will is recorded in Will Records of Sussex County, Virginia.

Glenn Longest Bray, Descendant of Harriet Primrose Avent.

[Mary H. Williams]

Colonel of the Militia in Sussex Co. Virginia records (Court Orders 1:212, 14 July 1755).
had patents for over 5000 acres of land in VA
Owned land in NC
Will of Thomas Avent, September 1756, Sussex County, VA, probated, 1757, Will Book A., p. 80. Devises land to his son, William Avent in Sussex Co., VA and in Northampton County, NC and also appoints him an executor. It appears that William Avent did not long outlive his father.
REGISTER OF ALBEMARLE PARISH, SURRY AND SUSSEX COUNTIES, 1739-1779, Gertrude R.B. Richards, 1958, p. 214.
SOME COLONIAL AND REVOLUTIONARY FAMILIES OF NORTH CAROLINA, VOL. 1, Marilu Burch Smallwood, Washington, NC, 1964, pp. 7-9, 15, 21.
Thomas Avent was Justice, Surry County, Virginia 1741, and a Captain of the Militia: REGISTER OF ANCESTORS, THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF THE COLONIAL DAMES IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, Richmond, 1979, p. 3.
VA. Records, 3 May, 1739...Thomas Avent refers to his importation "from Great Britain 38 years ago" (ie in 1701) and in which he states further that he has never before received the benefit of the Act of Assembly which allows 50 acres of land for every person imported from Great Britain. This record causes us to reflect that Thomas Avent must have imported himself from Great Britain and paid his own passage, as otherwise he would not have been entitled to 50 acres of land. Since John Nicholls listed him as one of his headrights in the 1714 patent, Thomas Avent must have made another trip back to England after 1701 and before 1714, and it seems very possible that he may have been an agent of factor for John Nichols since he was living on his plantation.
Death recorded in the Albemarle Parish register 1739-78, p. 164, that he died in Sussex Co., 31 October 1757, age 86. His son, William Avent being the informant.[Gregory Family Tree 2.FTW]

[Bakers of Harnett County.FTW]

[REGISTER OF ALBEMARLE PARISH, SURRY AND SUSSEX COUNTIES]
1739-1779, Gertrude R. B. Richards, 1958, p. 164, 214.

Death recorded in the Albemarle Parish register 1739-78, p. 164, that he died in Sussex Co., 31 October 1757, age 86. His son, William Avent being the informant.

[Barbara Baker Mead]

Per "Andrew Baker and his Descendants" by Frieda Sims Nelson:
Thomas Avent was born in Rouen, Normandy France in 1671 and died Oct 31, 1751 in Sussex, VA. He came to America in 1698 with the Huguenot Migration. Went first to England. Married Margaret Elizabeth Gooch, daughter. of Claiborne Gooch, son of Wm. Gooch and Ursula Claiborne, who was the granddaughter of Wm. Claiborne, Colonial Sec. of VA and governor of Maryland. Thomas Avent was a Colonel in the Colonial Wars, a large land owner, Justice of the Peace of Surry Co., VA from 1728 to 1741. Thomas is listed in Agnew French Protestant Exiles Vol. II, p. 175; Schooners Hess members of Original Regiment. The Avent Bible is on file with the National Huguenot Society of USA; R. A. Bruce, History of VA, Vol. 5,p. 438; Huguenot Society of London; Denizations and Naturalization of Aliens in England 1509-1603;Societe De L'Histoire du Protestantisme Francais Index A-G. The VA historical Mag. gives a history of the Avents. Also books: "McDowells and Connections" by John McDowell, 1918 and "Avents and their Kin" by Mamie Lee Avent Parker and Claude Hunter Moore 1961.
Hope this helps,
Barbara Baker Mead, gggggggggranddaughter of Thomas Avent, through his Grand daughter. Elizabeth

["The Avent/Avant Family"]
by Mrs. LaVerne Avant Carter 2207 Lionel Lane, Albany, Georgia 31702 dated Sept 20, 1970.

... Col. Thomas Avent.... was married to Margaret Elizabeth Gooch, the daughter of William Gooch and Ursula Claiborne Gooch. Col. Thomas Avent was the first Avent known to come to America... he was serving as a Colonel in the English Army... sent here with a regiment of English soldiers under his command to protect the white colonies against invasions by the Indians...His will listed the following children. William Avent, Peter Avent, Thomas Avent son of John Avent deceased, Mary Avent Vincent, Sarah Avent Fox, and someone named Athaliah Casiah Norris. He died in 1756. The will is recorded in Will Records of Sussex County, Virginia.

Glenn Longest Bray, Descendant of Harriet Primrose Avent.

[Mary H. Williams]

Colonel of the Militia in Sussex Co. Virginia records (Court Orders 1:212, 14 July 1755).
had patents for over 5000 acres of land in VA
Owned land in NC
Will of Thomas Avent, September 1756, Sussex County, VA, probated, 1757, Will Book A., p. 80. Devises land to his son, William Avent in Sussex Co., VA and in Northampton County, NC and also appoints him an executor. It appears that William Avent did not long outlive his father.
REGISTER OF ALBEMARLE PARISH, SURRY AND SUSSEX COUNTIES, 1739-1779, Gertrude R.B. Richards, 1958, p. 214.
SOME COLONIAL AND REVOLUTIONARY FAMILIES OF NORTH CAROLINA, VOL. 1, Marilu Burch Smallwood, Washington, NC, 1964, pp. 7-9, 15, 21.
Thomas Avent was Justice, Surry County, Virginia 1741, and a Captain of the Militia: REGISTER OF ANCESTORS, THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF THE COLONIAL DAMES IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, Richmond, 1979, p. 3.
VA. Records, 3 May, 1739...Thomas Avent refers to his importation "from Great Britain 38 years ago" (ie in 1701) and in which he states further that he has never before received the benefit of the Act of Assembly which allows 50 acres of land for every person imported from Great Britain. This record causes us to reflect that Thomas Avent must have imported himself from Great Britain and paid his own passage, as otherwise he would not have been entitled to 50 acres of land. Since John Nicholls listed him as one of his headrights in the 1714 patent, Thomas Avent must have made another trip back to England after 1701 and before 1714, and it seems very possible that he may have been an agent of factor for John Nichols since he was living on his plantation.
Death recorded in the Albemarle Parish register 1739-78, p. 164, that he died in Sussex Co., 31 October 1757, age 86. His son, William Avent being the informant.

Thomas married Margaret Elizabeth Gooch between 1700 and 1702 in Northampton Co., Virginia. Margaret (daughter of William Gooch and Ursula Claiborne) was born in 1685 in Scotts' Comfort, Charles Co., Maryland; died between Jul and 18 Aug 1756 in Suffolk, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Joseph married Elizabeth Washington Lanier about 1709. Elizabeth was born about 1690; died in 1761 in Brunswick Co., Virginia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]