The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-04-05
CAME OF OLD BARRE FAMILY.
John w. Averill, Esteemed Citizen and
Civil War Veteran, Died To-day.

John w. Averill, nearly lifelong resi-
dent of Barre Town, much respected
citizen and veteran of the Civil war,
passed away at his home farm on Beck
ley hill at o'clock this morning 3 .,S
being in poor health during the .ep
part of the winter The causc no ath
was heart disease AdN
John Wilson Averill was scendant
Of one of the early settlers & Barre, his
grandfather, David Weston Averill, hav.
ing come here from New Hampshire in
1910 and having cleared a patch of land
in the eastern part of the town, on which
he built a log cabin, rooted with bark.
The following year he brought his wife
from New Hampshire, and the Averils
of this family have been residents in
and about Barre for more than a century,
John W. Averill being the son of Weston
ID. and Mercy (Wilson) Averill and hav-
ing been born in the neighboring town of
Orange July 7, lS4l.
When John w. Averill was a year old
his parents moved to Barre and for the
more than rs years thereafter he has
been a resident of the town, barring the
time he spent in service in the Civil war.
He gained his education in the district
schools and in Barre academy, mean
while learning the duties which were in
cident TO farm life and the knowledge Of
which was to make him successful
farmer in later years.
The martial spirit Of David Weston
Averill, soldier of the War of 1912, was
handed down to the grandson, and John
W., when Il years of age, enlisted in the
Sth Vermont Volunteers in the Civil war,
in the year 1868, he being one of ten boys
from Barre to form a band The band
joined the regiment at Franklin, La, in
February, 1854, and served in that state
until July of that year, when the regi-
ment was transferred to Washington,
d. c., and the Shenandoah valley. Later
Mr.. Averill was sent to the hospital at
Frederick City Nd, for treatment for
illness, being transferred some time later
to Baltimore and eventually to the hos
pital at Montpelier. Having partially
recovered, he, with other soldiers from
the hospital, was sent to st. Adams to
do duty in the famous Raid" service in
defense against the Confederates In the
spring of 1865 Mr.. Averill rejoined his
regiment and was mustered out in June
of that year.
James Weston Averill, a twin brother
Of the subject of this sketch, who had
enlisted at the same time and who served
two years in the war, was mustered out
in the fall Of 1865, having lost one foot
by she'll at the battle Of the Wilder
ness. This brother is still living, his
home being in 0tisville, Mich, and he
has made frequent visits to his old home
in Barre. He is i'll at the present time
and will be unable to come to Barre for
the funeral.
John w. Averill married, March "a,
1866. Adela NJ Trow, daughter of Mr..
and Mrs Dexter Trow of Barre; and she
survives him, together with the follow
ing children: Edith w. Averill of Barre,
Mrs. Leslie Lawrence of Barre, Mrs.
George Townsend of Hardwick, Mrs. Ira
Lawrence of Barre, John T. Averill of
Barre and Adela NJ Averill of Barre.
One other son, Milton f., died in 1880.
Mr.. Ayerill never sought public Office
but he had served as a selectman in the
town of Barre. He was member of
II. B. Crandall post, G. A. R., of Barre,
and had served several terms as com
mander Of the post, holding that office at
the time of his death. He was an exem-
plary citizen and one who held the
esteem of large number of people.
The funeral will be held at the Congre-
gational church in this city Tuesday
morning at 10 o'clock, Rev. F. L. Good
speed officiating, and interment will be
in Elmwood cemetery Owing to the
poor condition of the roads there win be
no service at the house, The members
of the family request that flowers be
omitted