Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Avery, John 1884 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Marilyn Ransom mlnransom@chartermi.net June 29, 2010, 8:27 pm The Ionia Standard, Friday, July 4, 1884 Mr. Avery was born in Litchfield county, Conn., on the 27th day of March, 1797. Of nine children he was the 2nd son of Abel Avery and his wife Elizabeth Jennings, and of the entire family W. B. Avery Esq., of Washington, D.C., is now the sole survivor. He was a brother of Abel Avery who built the old Eagle hotel in this city, and who is in the early history of this county and for a long term of years was so well known throughout Grand river valley. Twenty-six years ago the deceased removed from his native state to this city, then but a village, and engaged in buying and selling lands. Subsequently he acquired a large farm at Prairie Creek and for years cultivated it and carried on the dairy business and while there was twice elected a justice of the peace for the town of Ionia. But increasing years and feebleness compelled him to retire from active life and during the last four years he and his wife have made their home with the son-in-law, Mr. Walton. Besides his widow, the deceased leaves surviving him, five children, Mrs. Walton, Mrs. C. A. Millard, of Detroit, Lyman B. Avery of Reed City, Mich., and Mrs. W. P. Johnson of Warren, Mrs. Charles Carter of New Preston, Conn. When an honest man dies only honest words should be spoken concerning him. Too frequently, when men die, who have secured wealth and high social position, laudatory language is both written and spoken with little regard for truth. They are but the silly tribute fools pay to bare money and place while the memory of true worth is silently passed by. But John Avery was an honest man and true words should be spoken of him. He was a frail, feeble appearing person and for many years looked as though but a breath of wind could bear him away, yet in his mental and moral make up, strong, self-poised, fixed in his opinions, always sincere, strictly honest in all his efforts and deal, loving the right, hating meanness, condemning it with words whose significance no man could mistake, and having no patience for bad conduct of bad men. Sincere and reliable himself, he could not and would not consider conduct separate from the man behind it, holding the former to be the true revelation of the latter, so he condemned square toed, the man himself. Yet he was retiring, never seeking publicity. Consequently only those who were well acquainted with him knew how good a man he really was. Simple and unostentatious in his life he despised sham religion, sham politics and sham people. For this reason, though a believer in Christianity, he never publicly professed his faith until a few years ago when at a meeting in the Baptist church he felt the time had come when he ought to speak out and declare his position, yet he never united with any church. He held Dr. Noble, a late rector of the Episcopal church in high regard, and several times, when the doctor administered Eucharist to a sick friend of the family, partook with them. He was confined to his bed most of the time last winter, suffering greatly at times; but at our last city election he arose from his bed, determined to go and vote, because he thought it his duty. He returned to go out no more. Since that time his sufferings from his disease have been intense, but he was never heard to complain. The impatient became patient, resigned and willing to depart. If a sincere Christian faith and a plain honest life have any worth, “Uncle” John Avery has entered into the better life. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/a/avery6254nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 4.0 Kb