Alphonso Calhoun Avery (September 11, 1835 – June 13, 1913) was a lawyer,

Confederate A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a political union of sovereign states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...

military officer, and politician in North Carolina. During the American Civil War, he served with the rank of major on the staffs of General

Daniel Harvey Hill Daniel Harvey Hill (July 12, 1821 – September 24, 1889), commonly known as D. H. Hill, was a Confederate general who commanded infantry in the eastern and western theaters of the American Civil War. Hill was known as an aggressive leader, b ...

and

John Bell Hood John Bell Hood (June 1 or June 29, 1831 – August 30, 1879) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War. Hood's impetuosity led to high losses among his troops as he moved up in rank. Bruce Catton wrote that "the decision to replace ...

. After the Civil War, he was very active in politics in North Carolina.

Early life and education

Avery was born on September 11, 1835, at Swan Ponds, Burke County, North Carolina, his brothers included William Waightstill Avery and Isaac Avery. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina in 1857. He then studied law under Chief Justice Pearson of North Carolina.

Military career

Avery served in the 6th North Carolina regiment as a 1st lieutenant and captain. He then served as assistant inspector general with the rank of major on the staffs of General Daniel Harvey Hill, his brother in law via his marriage to Susan Morrison, and J. B. Hood. Another brother-in-law via marriage to a daughter of Robert Hall Morrison was

Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21, 1824 – May 10, 1863) was a Confederate general and military officer who served during the American Civil War. He played a prominent role in nearly all military engagements in the eastern the ...

. Near the end of the Civil War, Avery was taken as a Prisoner of War by Union forces near Salisbury, NC on April 12, 1865, along with his brother, Willoughby.

Political career

In 1866, he served as a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives. In 1868, he was elected to the senate but not allowed to take his seat. He served as a member of the Constitutional Convention in 1875 and as a Tilden elector in 1876. He served as a judge of the Superior Court from 1878 to 1888. From 1888 to 1896, he was a judge of the Supreme Court for North Carolina. He was defeated in his reelection attempt in 1896.

Death and legacy

He died in

Morganton, North Carolina Morganton is a city in and county seat of Burke County, North Carolina, United States. It is located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the Catawba River. The population was 17,474 at the 2020 census. Morganton is approximately ...

, on June 13, 1913. His house known as the Alphonse Calhoun Avery House or the Avery-Surnrnersette House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. His papers are held by the Louis Round Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His daughter Gladys Avery Tillett was politically active in North Carolina, from suffrage to the

Equal Rights Amendment The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was a proposed amendment to the Constitution of the United States, United States Constitution that would explicitly prohibit sex discrimination. It is not currently a part of the Constitution, though its Ratifi ...

, and served as a United States representative with

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

.Carolyn Roff
"Gladys Love Avery Tillett"
''Dictionary of North Carolina Biography'', edited by William S. Powell (University of North Carolina Press 1996).

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Avery, Alphonso Calhoun People from Morganton, North Carolina People of North Carolina in the American Civil War 1835 births Members of the North Carolina House of Representatives Confederate States Army officers 19th-century American judges North Carolina lawyers University of North Carolina alumni 1913 deaths 19th-century American lawyers 19th-century members of the North Carolina General Assembly