Charles Thomas Avery (1883 - 1955)

Born 15 Jul 1883 in Lewisboro, Westchester, New York, United States

Husband of Mary Otelia (Petzolt) Avery — married about 31 Dec 1903 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, United States

Died 18 Jul 1955 at age 72 in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut, United States

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Biography

CHARLES THOMAS AVERY, son of Charles Madison Avery and Lillian Elizabeth Jane (Nunan) Avery, born in Lewisboro, Westchester County, New York, 15 July 1883; died in Stamford, Fairfield County, Connecticut, 18 July 1955, age 72; buried Fairfield Memorial Park, Stamford; married at St. John's Episcopal Parish, Stamford, December 31, 1903, Mary Otelia Petzolt; Episcopalian; farm laborer, fireman, railroad coupler, truck driver, molder. See below for sources.

Timeline.

(non-family contemporary events are indented.)

1883, Jul 15. Birth of Charles Thomas Avery in Lewisboro, Westchester County, New York.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]}

1900, Jun 14. The U.S. Federal Census for Stamford has the Avery family renting on South Main Street, New Canaan, Fairfield County, Connecticut. Head of household Charles M. Avery, age 45, born New York April 1855, married 20 years, farm laborer; wife Elizabeth E., age 37, born England February 1863, married 20 years, immigrated 1877; son Charles T., age 17, born New York July 1882, farm laborer; son Herbert M., age 15, born New York October 1884, at school; daughter Mildred J., age 12, born New York February 1888, at school; son James N., age 10, born New York June 1889, at school; son Arthur E., age 8, born New York August 1891; daughter Violet I., age 3, born New York November 1896; son Frank L., age 6/12, born Connecticut December 1899; brother-in-law John W. J. Nunan, age 32, born England August 1867, immigrated 1894, farm laborer.^[1]

1903, Dec 7. "Orville Wright travels 40 yards in the first successful powered flight, at Kitty Hawk in North Carolina." History World.. National Park Service.

1903, Dec 31. Marriage of Mary Otelia Petzolt and Charles Thomas Avery in Stamford, Fairfield County, Connecticut.^[2][4]

1904. The Avery family was living at 38 Woodland Place, Stamford.^[11]

1905. The Avery residence at 158 Ludlow Street, Stamford.^[11]

1906 – 1921. The Avery family living at George Petzolt's (wife Mary's brother) residence at 17 Cedar Street, Stamford.^[11]

1910, Apr 23. U.S. Federal Census. The Avery family renting at 17 Cedar Street, Stamford (living with Mary's brother George Petzolt's family). Head of household Charles Avery, age 27, laborer bronze factory; wife Mary, age 25; daughter Mary, age 5.^[2]

1910. The population of Stamford was 28,836. State of Connecticut.

1913, Feb 3. The 16th Amendment to the Constitution made income tax a permanent part of the United States tax system. Wikipedia.

1914 – 1918. World War I. "With five major European nations committed within a few days to hostilities, World War I begins." History World.

1917, Mar 6. The Connecticut Military Census of 1917 has Charles living at 17 Cedar St., he is a driver for Baer Brothers, former occupation was molder; married with three dependents; Height 5'-9", weight 185 lbs.^[7]

1918. The flush toilet gains in popularity in the United States after World War I, when American troops came home from England full of talk about a "mighty slick invention called the crapper." (The name derives from Thomas Crapper who was instrumental in the development of the modern flush toilet.) The History of the Flush Toilet.

1918, Sep 12. Charles' WWI Draft Registration has his home at 17 Cedar St., Occupation is Molder for W.A. Mills & Co., NOK: Mrs. Mary O. Avery; Blue eyes, dark hair, Medium height, medium build.^[8]

1919, Jan 29. Ratification of the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which banned the manufacture, transportation and sale of intoxicating liquors brought in the period known as the Prohibition. Prohibition ended with the ratification of the 21st Amendment to the Constitution in 1933 which repealed the 18th Amendment. History.com.

1920, Jan 26. U.S. Federal Census. The Avery family renting at 17 Cedar Street, Stamford (living with Mary's brother George Petzolt's family). Head of household Charles Avery, age 36, coupler railroad; wife Mary, age 34; daughter Mary, age 15; son Charles, age 6; son Arthur, age 2.^[3]

1922 – 1924. Charles and Mary were living with Amelia Petzolt (Mary's mother) at 18 Cedar Street, Stamford.^[11]

1925 – 1943. The Avery residence was at 39 Maplewood Place, Stamford.^[11]

1929, Apr 26. Death of mother Lillian Elizabeth Jane (Nunan) Avery in Stamford.

1930, Apr 15. U.S. Federal Census. The Avery family owning a home on Maplewood Place, Stamford, with a radio set. Head of household Charles Avery, age 46, driver trucking company; wife Mary, age 45; son Charles, age 16; son Arthur, age 12.^[4]

1935. The Averys were living in the same house as during the 1940 census, Maplewood Place.^[5]

1937, Jan. This is the first month that Social Security taxes were collected. Social Security.

1940, Apr 11. U.S. Federal Census. The Avery family owning a home on Maplewood Place, Stamford. Head of household Charles, age 56, highest grade completed 2d year of high school, truck driver; wife Mary, age 55, 8th grade; son Charles, age 25, 4th year high school, shipping clerk postage meters; son Arthur, age 22, 4th year high school, night watchman postage meters.^[5]

1940, Aug 23. Death of wife Mary Otelia (Petzolt) Avery at the Stamford Hospital, Stamford, Fairfield County, Connecticut.

1941, Dec 7. Japanese surprise attach on Pearl Harbor. Wikipedia.

1942, Apr 27. Date of Charles' WW II Draft Registration Card. Charles is living at 39 Maplewood Pl, NOK: Mrs. Mary Kanzler; Employer Getman & Judd; Height 5'-9", Weight 180 lbs., Blue eyes, Gray hair, Ruddy complexion.^[9]

1947, Jan 15. Death of father Charles Madison Avery in Stamford.

1948. Full-scale commercial television broadcasting. "Four television networks, (NBC, CBS, ABC, and DuMont), broadcasting over 128 stations, begin a full prime-time schedule (8 to 11pm, Eastern Time), seven days a week." Television in the US: History and Production.

1949. Charles removed to Bridgeport, Connecticut.^[11]

1953. Charles is living with his son Charles A. Avery at 39 Maplewood Place in Stamford.^[11]

1954. Charles is living with his son Charles A. Avery, at 76 Maple Avenue, Noroton Heights, Darien, Fairfield County, Connecticut.^[11]

1955, Jul 18. Death of Charles Thomas Avery in Stamford, Fairfield County, Connecticut.^[6][10] Charles was buried in the Fairfield Memorial Park, Stamford on 20 July 1955.^[10]

Charles Thomas Avery of 76 Maple Ave., Noroton Heights [part of Darien], died this morning after a lingering illness. Born in Lewisboro, N.Y., July 15, 1883, he had been a resident of Stamford for 60 years. He was formerly with the Getman and Judd Co, and was a charter member of the Turn-of-River Fire Dept., and a member of St. John's Episcopal Church.
Surviving are two sons, Charles A. and Arthur J. Avery; a daughter, Mrs. Alfred G. Kanzler; three sisters, Mrs. Lester Britto, Mrs. George Hoyt and Mrs. Stacey Hoyt; and a brother, Arthur Avery.
Funeral will be held Wednesday at 2 p.m. at St. John's Episcopal Church, with the Rev. Stanley Hemsley officiating. Interment will be in Fairfield Memorial Park. Friends may call at the Bouton and Reynolds Funeral Home, 545 Bedford St., today from 7 to 9 p.m. and Tuesday from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m.^[10]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} 1900 Census.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} 1910 Census.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} 1920 Census.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} 1930 Census.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} 1940 Census.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Connecticut Death Index, Charl T Avery, State File: 12242.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} Connecticut Military Census, Stamford, CT, 6 Mar 1917, No. 292238.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} World War I Draft Registration Cards, Stamford, CT. Serial No. 64, Order No. 905.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} World War II Draft Registration Cards, Stamford, CT; Charles Thomas Avery, Serial No. U150.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3} Stamford Advocate, Monday, 18 Jul 1955, p 14, Charles T. Avery.
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7} U.S. City Directories.

• 1900 United States Federal Census. New Canaan, Fairfield, Connecticut; Page: 18; Enumeration District: 0078.

• 1910 United States Federal Census. Stamford Ward 2, Fairfield, Connecticut; Roll: T624_130; Page: 14B; Enumeration District: 0112; FHL microfilm: 1374143.

• 1920 United States Federal Census. Stamford Ward 2, Fairfield, Connecticut; Roll: T625_179; Page: 19A; Enumeration District: 166.

• 1930 United States Federal Census. Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut; Roll: 260; Page: 7B; Enumeration District: 0207; FHL microfilm: 2339995.

• 1940 United States Federal Census. Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut; Roll: T627_500; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 1-193.

• Connecticut Death Index, 1949-2001 (Connecticut Department of Health, Hartford).

• Connecticut Military Census of 1917.

• Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com). Find A Grave: Memorial #137320911. This memorial includes a photograph of Charles' gravestone.

• Stamford Advocate. Stamford, CT: The Gillespie Bros., Inc., Publishers. Monday, 18 Jul 1955, p 14, Charles T. Avery. [Copies of this newspaper are available at the Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT and on genealogybank.com (pay site with free trial).

• U.S. City Directories (Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., Provo, UT, USA), Bridgeport, CT, Darien, CT, Stamford, CT.

• U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 (National Archives Microfilm publication M1509).

• U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 (4th Draft) (National Archives Microfilm publications M1936, M1937, M1939, M1951, M1962, M1964, M1986, M2090, and M2097).