White County ArArchives Biographies.....Blount, Avery M. 
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Robert Sanchez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00027.html#0006574 July 29, 2009, 8:25 pm

Source: See Additional Comments Below
Author: S. J. Clarke (Publisher, 1922)

AVERY M. BLOUNT.
    Avery M. Blount, attorney at law at Searcy, is a representative of one of
the old American families. His great-grandfather, Jesse Blount, held the office
of high bailiff in England but due to his sympathy with the American struggle
for independence he resigned his position and made his way to the colonies,
after which he enlisted in the American army, was promoted to the rank of
lieutenant and served throughout the Revolutionary war, giving valiant aid to
the cause of liberty. He remained a resident of the new world, becoming the
founder of the family on this side the Atlantic. His son, Jesse Fields Blount,
was born in Rhode Island and removed to Virginia. He was a teacher by profession
and organized an academy in West Tennessee. He served as justice of the peace
and was a man of prominence and influence in his community. His liberal
education, his high standards and his sterling worth made him a forceful factor
for good in the community in which he lived. He was at one time a slave-owner
but becoming convinced of the injustice of this method he freed his slaves. He
made extensive investments in land in Tennessee and he sold each of his slaves
forty acres, giving them their freedom when their land was paid for. The greater
part of his life was devoted to educational work and he made valuable
contribution to progress and advancement throughout his life. He married a Miss
Hyatt, who was reared in Pennsylvania and both died in Tennessee, his death
occurring at the beginning of the Civil war. They were the parents of Addison L.
Blount, who was born in West Tennessee and became a contractor and builder. He
worked on railroad construction on the Illinois Central in the rebuilding of the
roads after the Civil war. Through experience he learned engineering and
removing to Arkansas he settled near Marianna, in Lee county, where he became
overseer of a plantation. At a later date he bought land in St. Francis county
near Palestine and continued to devote his attention to agricultural pursuits
for five years, his place being mostly given over to the cultivation of cotton.
Due to the condition of his health he removed to Harrison county, where he
engaged in prospecting and in 18S5 he came to White county, purchasing land on
the Bayon des Arc creek near Searcy. Some time afterward he sold most of his
land but continued thereon until he retired from active business life and took
up his abode in Searcy. In young manhood he wedded Louise Brown, also a native
of West Tennessee and a daughter of John Brown, who was a distant relative of
John Brown, the apostle of antislavery. Her father was a native of North
Carolina and owned slaves that he later freed. On leaving North Carolina he
removed to West Tennessee and had become a resident of Indiana prior to the
Civil war. He was a millwright by trade and engaged in the construction of
several mills in West Tennessee, making most of the machinery by hand. His death
occurred while the Civil war was in progress. He had married Eliza Wood, a
native of Alabama and after his demise she returned to Tennessee with her family
and departed this life in that state. It was her daughter, Louise, who became
the wife of Addison L. Blount and to this marriage there were born eight
children, four of whom are living: Robert Lee, a farmer of Armstrong Springs,
Arkansas; Benjamin F., who follows farming at Rosebud, Arkansas: John B., an
accountant of Canada; and Avery M. Those who have departed this life are:
Walter, who died in 1907 at the age of thirty-three years, up to which time he
had been associated with his father in the development of the home farm; Albert,
who died in 1903 at the age of twenty years; and two children who died in
infancy. The death of the father occurred in 1920, when he was seventy-two years
of age.   The mother is still living, at the age of sixty-nine years.

    From the foregoing it will be seen that Avery M. Blount is descended from
ancestry whose outstanding characteristic has been loyalty to their honest
convictions and fidelity in following the principles in which they believed.
Avery M. Blount was born in White county, September 6, 1888, and his life has
been in harmony with that of the ancestral record. He pursued his education in
the public schools and in Batesville Business College and afterward studied
stenography and accepted a position of that character. He did stenographic work
and studied law in the office of W. D. Davenport and also pursued a
correspondence course in law through the La Salle Extension University of
Chicago. He was admitted to the bar in the circuit and chancery courts and in
1919 was admitted to practice before the supreme court. He entered upon general
practice, in which he continues and he also has farm and timber lands in
Arkansas, from which he derives a good rental. Actuated by a laudable ambition
he has made steady progress in his professional career and his success has come
as the result of thorough study, close application and marked devotion to the
interests of his clients. His entire time is given to his law practice and to
his real estate interests.

    Mr. Blount was married to Miss Grace D. Burkett, a native of Ohio, and they
enjoy the warm esteem of an extensive circle of friends in Searcy and the
surrounding country. Mr. Blount belongs to the Ancient Order of United Workmen
and the Modern Woodmen of America and in the latter organization is now state
clerk, having been elected to the office in 1921, in 1917 and again in 1919. He
was a district delegate of the order to the national convention and he has also
served as clerk of the local lodge. In politics he is an independent voter,
exercising his right of franchise as seems to him is beneficial to the community
at large. He ever seeks the welfare and progress of his community and cooperates
in all plans and projects which he believes will prove of public benefit.


Additional Comments:
Citation:
Centennial History of Arkansas
Volume II
Chicago-Little Rock: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company
1922



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