Kentucky: A History of the State, Perrin, Battle, Kniffin, 8th ed., 1888,
Jefferson Co.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN AVERY, the founder in Louisville of one of the largest
plow factories in the world, was born in Aurora, New York, and was the son
of Daniel Avery, who emigrated to that place from Groton, Connecticut,
becoming one of the earliest settlers of Cayuga County.  He was a large
farmer and land owner, and represented his district two terms in Congress.
Benjamin F., the subject of this sketch, was the sixth in a family of
fifteen children, twelve of whom lived to middle or old age.  All received
an academic education, but the boys had to share the work of the farm. This
labor was distasteful to Benjamin, who begged permission to go to college.
His petition was granted, on condition that his expenses should be
deducted from the $1,000 which would be his portion on coming of age, in
accordance with his father's custom.  He accepted the condition and entered
Hamilton College, but at the end of the first year transferred his
connection to the Union College, from which he graduated in 1822.  At his
father's solicitation, he studied law, and was admitted to the bar in New
York City.  He developed no taste, however, for the profession, his natural
mechanical inclinations precluding much interest in any other direction.
His earlier experience on the farm had convinced him that there was room
for improvement in form and general construction of the plows then in use.
Providing himself with patterns, a pocket furnace as it was called, and
other apparatus for a small foundry, he started southward on a small
coasting vessel; with these and $400 in money as his sole earthly
positions, he sailed up James river to Richmond, Va., desiring to make his
first business venture there, but finding indifferent encouragement, he
went on to Clarksville, Mecklenburg County, where in company with another
young man, Caleb H. Richmond, a practical moulder, he opened his first
foundry in a pine-log building, eighteen by twenty feet square, covered
with slabs split from pine logs.  They bought a single ton of metal to
start with; would not run in debt by borrowing money or soliciting credit;
attended industriously and energetically to business; lived frugally, and
in a short time began to reap their harvest in success.  After a few years
the owners of the land which they occupied, determining to turn this
success to their own account, refused to longer lease their property. This
obliged the young men to seek a new field, which they found in Milton,
Caswell County, North Carolina.  After a few years, the same thing
recurring, they went to Meadville, Halifax County, Va., bought land and
settled permanently.  During all the period of their association Mr. Avery
was the business manager, sharing also in the manual work of the foundry,
at which his more skillful experienced partner assiduously labored.  At
Meadville the partnership was ended harmoniously, Mr. Avery always
cherishing pleasant memories of his first associate in business.  On the
death of his father, in 1842, Mr. Avery was appointed executor of the
estate, and the next year sold his Virginia property and business to a
younger brother, his own time and attention being required at Aurora.  Here
was residing a nephew, Daniel Humphrey Avery, energetic and desiring new
business interests.  In 1846, his uncle Benjamin fitted him out with plow
patterns and a roving commission to select the best place in the south or
southwest for a plow manufactory.  With excellent judgment the young man,
after looking widely and carefully, selected Louisville as the place, and
the next spring began work in Jabez Baldwin's foundry, on Main street, now
the plow factory of Brinley, Miles & Hardy.  In a few months, however, he
began to feel the need of his uncle's experience, and urged his coming for
a short time.  Mr. Avery reached Louisville December 25, 1847, intending to
stay a few weeks only.  As the weeks lengthened into months, he became so
much interested in a business which he had once relinquished, that he
decided to spend his winters here, and finally made this his home.  The
beginnings of the industry were very small.  He was sure that he could make
a better and cheaper plow than those in general use, but the prejudice
against cast-iron plows was so general, that the sale of a single plow, for
many months, was an event.  Much of Mr. Avery's outside encouragement in
those days was similar to that given by Mr. Jas. Hewitt of "Rock Hill,"
near Louisville, who owned large plantations in the south, and who was also
a native of Cayuga County.  "My friend," said Mr. Hewitt, "if you can
succeed in introducing your plow, you will have fortune enough, but I
don't believe you can!"  After two or three years, the nephew, Daniel
Humphrey, engaged in a successful business in Tuscaloosa, Ala., where he
died during the late war.  Long before the war, Mr. Avery had built a
large factory at the corner of Fifteenth and Main streets, the beginning
of the immense establishment which the firm now occupies.  During the war,
his business, which had been almost exclusively with the south, was
completely prostrated.  Through all those dark and troublous days, he was
earnest and outspoken for the Union.  When the war was over he recommenced
business, and soon restored it to more than its former prosperity.  In
1863 he formed a new firm with his son and son-in-law (John C. Coonly), as
joint partners, under the style of B. F. Avery & Sons.  The business was
gradually extended until it has become the most important in the western
country; employing a large number of workmen and making many different
kinds of cast-iron and steel plows, besides publishing an excellent
semi-monthly paper, called "Home and Farm" which has a very large
circulation.  Mr. Avery was married by Rev. Dr. Nott, President of Union
College, April 27, 1844, to Miss Susanna H. Look, eldest daughter of Mr.
Samuel Look, a farmer widely known in central New York.  The result of this
union was six children, viz: Lydia Arms, wife of John C. Coonley, of
Chicago; Samuel Look; Gertrude Arms, wife of John G. Shanklin, of
Evansville, Indiana; George Capwell; Helen Blasdell, wife of C. B. Robinson
of Louisville, and William Sidney.  The sons are all in the firm of B. F.
Avery & Sons, and live in Louisville.  Mr. Avery was an exemplary member
of the Presbyterian Church.  He died in 1885, in the eighty-fourth year of
his age.  Upon the death of Mr. Avery, his eldest son, Samuel L., succeeded
him as president of the plow-works.  Samuel Look Avery was born December 9,
1846, in Louisville.  He was educated in Louisville and the East, and
after leaving school, engaged actively in business.  He was vice-president
of the large plow-works some ten years before his father's death, when he
succeeded to the presidency; George C. is now the vice-president.  He was
born March 1, 1852, and received a liberal education.  The Avery Plow
Works are the largest in the world, and their plows are sold in nearly
every State in the Union.

Avery Richmond Nott Look Shanklin Robinson Baldwin Coonly Coonley Hewitt
=
Cayuga-NY Clarksville-Mecklenburg-VA Meadville-Halifax-VA CT IL
Milton-Caswell-NC Evansville-Vanderburgh-IN Tuscaloosa-Tuscaloosa-AL

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/jefferson/avery.bf.txt