AVANT

Avent, Avants, Avance, Avents, Avont, Auvent

"Windows Into Our Past A Genealogy of the Garton, Smith & Associated Families, Volume 2", compiled by Judy Parsons Smith © 2003

The origin of the Avant/Avent name is found in “The Cambridge Medieval History, II The Foundation of the Western Empire ”.  In a discussion of early Celtic gods and goddesses found in Gaul (now France and other parts of Western Europe ) we find the name Aventicum (a town name) and Avenches (in the territory of the Helevetii) as a name used of a goddess of a stream.  It is later common for the early Celts to have god names for significant trees, hills, streams, and flat places.  These natural places later became the name of the tribes that located there or nearby.  Thus Avent/Avant was the name of a goddess of a local stream.  The town Aventicum, believed to be the source of the name Avent/Avant, is found on an old map of 5^th Century Gaul ( France ).  This area of France is no longer part of France , but now Switzerland .  Located on the south side of lake de Neufchatel just due west of Berne , we find the area of the Celtic stream goddess Aventicum.  At this point it is not known when the area transferred from France to Switzerland [i].

The Avant-Avent Family of England [ii]

The Avants/Avents were mainly established from at least 1541 in Plympton, St. Mary , Devon , England on which date John Avent  was a witness at the inquisition Post Mortem of Robert Brett .  At later dates the Avents are found in Wembury, Brixton, Modbury, and other Devon parishes and in Cornwall .

The first mention of an Avent in the London area occurs in the Westminster Denization Rolls of 36 Henry VIII where a Raynt Avent , born in Normandy , is listed as living in Westminster with a wife and children in 1544.

The Avent name occurs spasmodically in a number of London parish registers after that date, but for the most part, it seems likely that these were emigrants from Devon and not London born.

The first after Raynt Avent  (of whose family no further information has been forthcoming) is George Avent , a waterman, against whom the citizens of Gravesend , Kent brought a suit[iii].  There is no evidence of any Avent migration from London to the West Country and such a move would seem improbable.  It seems more likely that the Devon and Cornwall families took their names from a local village, possibly Advent in Cornwall .  There is also no evidence to suggest that any of the Avents settled in England were of Huguenot extraction.  That the separate families of Devon and Cornwall were closely related can be demonstrated from the fragmentary remains of an early legal document.

None of the standard heraldic works of reference give a coat of arms for the Avents, but it is certain that the family used one with which to seal documents.  We discover in the Plymouth archives a manuscript volume on the history of the parish of Brixton, Devon, written by Richard Lane in 1833 which contains much Avent information, including a copy of  a deed signed by John Avent  of Plymouth in 1765 and sealed with his coat of arms.

It is really quite exceptional to discover references in such abundance for a family with an uncommon name – we may take this as an indication that the Avents were both monied and propertied.  We have examined all the printed Huguenot registers, including those for Threadneedle Street , without finding any reference to the name Avent/Avant.

There are three noted references to a Thomas Avent  who might possibly be the ancestor:

1st.               Wembury Parish Register – Baptisms – 10 Oct 1669 – Thomas , son of Thomas & Anne Avant

2nd.            Thomas Avent  married Mary Browning  at Wembury Parish, County of Devon in 1702.  This would fit our requirements assuming he migrated immediately after his marriage, as many did.

3rd.              Thomas Avent , son of Philip , who matriculated at Exeter College , Oxford 31 Mar 1682, age 14 [ie, b. 1668] , may or may not, have been the same man:  his dates would also fit.

Following from Avent/Avant Appendix, Vol. 3 of

Some Southern Colonial Families, by David Avant , Jr [iv]

From the Registers of St. Katherine by the Tower 1687-1726…16 Oct 1692 – Thomas Avant  and Jane Sims …A photo copy of this parish register shows the listing as “1692 October 16 Tho: Avant to Jane Sims.”.  Christenings 1548-1695 lists “ Avent William  chr. 8 Aug 1596 son of William Auvent ”.  Another marriage listing is “4 Dec 1717 William Avant  married Elizabeth Middleton  (widoe)”.

Summary:  It would be unusual for a man in Colonial Virginia to wait until he was 30 years old to marry.  It is possible that Elizabeth was the second wife of Thomas Avent .  That he had married a first wife earlier in England , North Carolina or Virginia and that she died.  One might also expect to find a man marrying in England sometime after he had reached his majority, at age 21.  It is not proved that the Thomas Avent of Virginia was the Thomas Avant  who married 1692 in London to Jane Sims [v].

Proposed Pedigree

Thomas Avent  **

Thomas Avent [vi], m. Johane Rous .  Thomas & Johane ( Rous ) Avent  had:

Thomas Avent  **

Thomas Avent [vii], son of Thomas & Johane ( Rous ) Avent , m. Anne (Unknown .  Thomas & Anne (Unknown) Avent  had:

Thomas Avent  **

Thomas Avent [viii], son of Thomas & Anne (Unknown Avent , b. 16Oct 1669, Wembury Parish, County Devon, England; m. 1702, Wembury Parish, County Devon, England to Mary Browning .

COMMENT[ix] by David Avant , Jr :  If the Thomas Avent  born 1668 in Wembury who seems to have married Mary Browning  in 1702 is indeed Colonel Thomas Avent  the immigrant, then we must admit that:

(1)      The age of Thomas as given at his death in the Albemarle Parish Register is off several years.
(2)      We must somehow explain what happened to Mary (Browning) Avent .  If she were indeed the first wife of Thomas Avent  then she must have died sometime before 1716 when Thomas Avent is shown in Chowan County , North Carolina with a wife Elizabeth .
(3)      The Certificate by Thomas Avent  in 1739 that he had come to Virginia 38 years earlier would have to be revised by a year or two.

In conclusion, Thomas Avent  of Wembury Parish, County of Devon , England is the most likely suspect yet developed who could be Colonel Thomas Avent  the immigrant, but the documentation is not strong enough at this time to declare that he was.

“…Finally, it has been said in secondary sources that Thomas Avent  was the son of Thomas and Anne Avant  baptized at Wembury, co Devon 10 Oct 1669; there was a substantial “sprinkling” of Avant entries in this register, and the baptism was indeed there.  Unfortunately, this Thomas Avent married Mary Browning  16 Dec 1702 and had a child, a daughter Jane, baptized there 10 Oct 1703, two years after Thomas Avant, by his own sworn statement in later life, came to Virginia.  Also, the register shows the burials of Thomas Avent 1 Sept 1728 and of a Mary Avent  18 Feb 1736/7.  My strong suspicion is that these are the spouses married in 1702.  Destruction of co. Devon probate records will make this difficult to pursue, though the name and concentration may call us back again to look at the neighborhood.  ,,,get more into the Avent and Massie/Massey connections; as I mentioned before the Massey emigrant seems to have a traceable line with connects with the well-known co. Chester family of that name[x] - Hikaru Kitabayashi, Cotton Genforum. 12/11/1999 .

Thomas & Jane (Unknown) Avant  may have had:

Avant Brothers:

1.       Colonel Thomas Avant
2.       John Avant

Colonel Thomas Avant

1.  Colonel Thomas Avant , speculated son of Thomas & Anne (Unknown Avent **, b. 16 Oct 1669, Wembury Parish, Devonshire, England; d. 31 Oct 1757, Albemarle Parish, Sussex Co., VA; m. ca. 1700, Northampton Co., VA to speculated Margaret Elizabeth Gooch **, daughter of William & Ursula (Claiborne) Gooch , b. 1685, New Kent Co., VA; d. bef. 1756.

I am an Avent descendant thru 2 sons of Col. Thomas , and am always filled with wonder at the perpetuation of what cannot, at this time, be considered anything other than myth.  Especially is that the name of Col. Thomas ’s wife.  Nowhere is there contemporary reference to her having been a Gooch, and especially not Margaret Elizabeth Gooch .  Nor did Col. Thomas ’s son, John , marry Mary Carey .  Almost positively that is a misreading for Margaret , who is known to have been the wife of John .  And as for Rouen in France being the birthplace of our ancestor – I am certain the compiler of “Andrew Baker  and his Descendants”, was well-intentioned, but unfortunately she seems to have perpetuated the same old stories, which have no, not a shred of evidence.  And someone who has looked says there is no bible record on file in the Huguenot record concerning Avents.  It may be possible, but not provable at this time in any way shape or form.  And, as the late David Avant of Florida concluded – he was probably English , otherwise he would not have held the place in local Virginia , which he did[xi].

 As a Huguenot, Thomas…”would have come from France as part of the exodus there and lived in England for only a short time before moving to the colonies.  As a Colonel for the Crown he would have received special consideration for land, etc.”  The English were especially open at that time to receive Huguenots, because of the high quality occupations they brought with them from France , replacing the many that England had lost to over expansion.  There were even Huguenot churches in London , which were tolerated at the time of strict Protestant restriction to the Church of England.  Note:  Huguenots are synonymous to the Presbyterians of Scotland, as both had their teachings from Calvin ; the difference being the Scots had John Knox  as their leader.

Thomas Avent  is believed to have immigrated to Virginia in the year 1701.  Thomas Avent served with the Virginia ’s Colonial Militia with the rank of Colonel.  He was named as colonel of the militia in Sussex County records (Court Orders1: 212 14 Jul 1755)

He was a large landowner.

The Virginia Historical Society has dated the following letter as written in 1727.  Col. Thomas Avent  served as a judge in Sussex County , VA.   Governor Spottswood  and his Council asked Avent to investigate some troubles with the native Indians.  Avent wrote this letter as a report of his investigation.  The following transcript refers to local Indian tribes named Saponys and Cotobers.  The transcriber, Steve Avent , added the notes in parenthesis.

Sir:

The 27^th of September John Carter  brought negro Cofey to my hous as he says by your order for me to exanmine Conserning what the Saponys have tould him about the white people(,) which I have don(e) and he tells em that great george tould him that John Sareano  and a fellow called ben Harrison was gon(e) to the Cotobers to fetch on hundred of them to come(e) and see why their Indians was put in prison(,) and Captn Tom  was hanged they would carrey their wives and children over roanoak river and then the would drive the white people and negros as far as James riv(,) and he says that tony Mack tould him that if pyah was hanged he and the Cotobers would com(e) and take revenge of the English (,) and he says that Sapony Tom  toluld him if his son Harry Irvine  was hanged they would kill you and three or four more gentlemen and the goe of(f,) and he says that rich tould him  the wee had noe busness (business0 to com(e) to the fort armed to consern ourselves about there killing one another(,) but we were like a sow that had lost her pigs would ralley for a little time and then have don(e), but when they began war with the English they never would have don(e,) this from

Yr humble srvt (servant) to command

( Thomas Avent )

From 1728 to 1766, he served as Justice of the Peace of Surry County, Virginia.

Ø       On 3 May 1739 he [ Thomas Avent ] made oath before the Brunswick County Court that he had been 38 years in Virginia [Brunswick Co., Court Orders 1:241]
Ø       And he appears as Thomas “Avon  on a list of Surry County tithe tables taken 10 Jun 1702 [ John Bennett Boddie , Colonial Surry ( Baltimore , 1966), p. 205]
Ø       He also spent some time in North Carolina .  On 17 July 1716 Thomas Avent , weaver, acknowledged sales of land to Jacob Coleson , Robert Green  and Richard Moore , his wife Elizabeth , through her attorney in fact Robert Hicks , renouncing dower [Chowan Co. Deeds B(1):19-20].
Ø       Although Thomas Avent  had been in Virginia more than ten years, on 16 Dec 1714 John Nickolls , gent. Obtained a patent for land in Prince George County for transporting several person, including Thomas Avent .  Because these patents may have been sought years after the transportation took place, it is possible that Nickolls was in fact responsible for bringing Thomas Avent in 1701, in which case the two men may have had a connection in England .
Ø       “On 31 October 1716 Thomas Avent  paid 2 cash for a patent for 400 acres in Surry County [ Va. Patents 10:198]
Ø       Elizabeth , wife of Thomas Avent  and probably not a Gooch by birth, was alive in 1755 when she witnessed the will of her son John Avent  [Sussex Co., Willis A :36], but she was dead the following year when not mentioned in the will of her husband, to which we now turn.

Will of Thomas Avent

The will of Thomas Avent  of Albemarle Parish, Sussex County, dated 21 September 1756 and proved 18 November 1757 [Sussex C. Wills A:80], devises land to his son William Avent  in Sussex County and in Northampton County, North Carolina and also appoints him an executor.

Thomas & Margaret Elizabeth (Gooch) Avant  had six (6) children:

1.1.     John Avant [xii], b. 1705/6, Albemarle Parish, Sussex/Surry Co., VA; d. 1755, Sussex Co., VA; m. Margaret Solomon , d. 3 May 1801.  John Avent  was a judge.
1.2.     William Avant [xiii], b. ca, 1706, Surry Co., VA; d. 17 Aug 1761, Northampton Co., VA; m. 1735 to Sarah Massie , daughter of Joseph & Elizabeth (Rives) Massey, b. 1710, Surry Co., VA; d. 1785 or 1790, Northampton Co., NC.
1.3.     Thomas Avant [xiv], b. ca. 1712, Surry Co., VA; d. 1795, Sussex Co., VA; m. 1732 to Ursula Unknown .
1.4.     Sarah Avant [xv], b. 1713, Surry Co., VA; m. in Brunswick Co., VA to William Fox , son of Henry Fox .
1.5.     Mary Avant [xvi], b. 1715, Surry Co., VA; m. to Thomas Vincent /Vinson .
1.6.     Peter Avant [xvii], b. 1720, Sussex Co., VA; d. 8 May 1779, Northampton Co., NC; m 1^st 3 Jun 1743 to Amy Massie , daughter of Joseph & Elizabeth (Rives) Massey, b. 1718; d. 1776; m 2^nd 25 Aug 1777, Brunswick Co., VA to Mary Thomlinson .

John Avant

1.1.  John Avant [xviii], son of Thomas & Margaret Elizabeth (Gooch) Avant , b. 1705/6, Albemarle Parish, Sussex/Surry Co., VA; d. 1755, Sussex Co., VA; m. Margaret Solomon , d. 3 Mary 1801.  John Avent  was a judge

John & Margaret (Solomon) Avant  had eight (8) children:

1.1.1.         Mary Avent
1.1.2.         Benjamin Avent , m. 19 Jan 1786 to Lucy Grizzard
1.1.3.         Elizabeth Avent , b. 13 Mar 1738/1739; d. 1820; m. to Mr. Massie
1.1.4.         Thomas Avent , b. 12 Jan 1742/1743; m. to Rebecca Unknown
1.1.5.         John Avent , b. 16 Mar 1744/1745
1.1.6.         William Avent , b. 15 Apr 1748; d. 1821
1.1.7.         Peter Avent , b. 4 Feb 1749/1750; d. 1780
1.1.8.         James Avent , b. 19 Nov 1752

William Avant

1.2.  William Avant [xix], son of Thomas & Margaret Elizabeth (Gooch) Avant , b. ca, 1706, Surry Co., VA; d. 17 Aug 1761, Northampton Co., VA; m. 1735 to Sarah Massie , daughter of Joseph & Elizabeth (Rives) Massey, b. 1710, Surry Co., VA; d. 1785 or 1790, Northampton Co., NC.

Will of William Avent

In his will, dated 22 Apr 1760 and proved August 1761 [Northampton Co., Wills :56] named as executors his wife [identified as Sarah Avent  in the probate act], William Ragland  [his son-in-law] and Joseph Avent .  His daughter Rebecca  was bequeathed two Negro slaves – she was well under age.  

That Sarah, wife of William Avent , was a daughter of Joseph Massie  of nearby Brunswick County, appears from the will of the latter, dated 19 Aug 1760 and proved 26 may 1761 [Brunswick Co., Wills 3:368], which leaves her a Negro boy named Ned .  Sarah (Massie) Avent  and Amey (Massie) Avent , wife of Peter Avent , were sisters, but while Peter and not Amy Avent is named in the estate accounting return 24 Jun 1765 [id. 3:431], Sarah and not William Avent is named because Peter was alive while William was already dead.  Much remains to be done on the Massey/Massie family; it is my opinion that Joseph was a son of the emigrant Richard Massey  whose ancestry may possibly be traced to the well-known family of that name of Dunham Massey, co. Chester and to the Conquest.  The name of Joseph’s wife Elizabeth and it is said, and remains to be shown, that she was by birth of the Rives family.  – Hikaru Kitabayashi 11 Dec 1999

William & Sarah (Massie) Avent  had nine (9) children:

1.2.1           Mildred Avent
1.2.2           Ursula Avent
1.2.3           Thomas Avent , b. 1736; d. ca. 1781, Edgcombe Co., NC; m. to Rebecca Stevens , daughter of Jerimiah Stevens  of Nash Co., NC.
1.2.4           John Avent , b. 1736; d. 10 Dec 1821, Chatham Co., NC; m. to Mary Unknown , d.  Mar 1801
1.2.5           Joseph Avent , b. ca. 1740
1.2.6           Gilly Avent
1.2.7           Sarah Avent , b. 1744
1.2.8           William Avent , b. 1748
1.2.9           Rebecca Avent , b. 1753

Peter Avant

1.6.  Peter Avant [xx], son of Thomas & Margaret Elizabeth (Gooch) Avant , b. 1720, Sussex Co., VA; d. 8 may 1779, Northampton Co., NC; m 1^st 3 Jun 1743 to Amy Massie , daughter of Joseph & Elizabeth (Rives) Massey, b. 1718; d. 1776; m 2^nd 25 Aug 1777, Brunswick Co., VA to Mary Thomlinson .

Peter & Amy (Massie) Avant  had ten (10) children:

1.6.1           William Avant
1.6.2           Isham Avant
1.6.3           Joseph Avant , d. 1801, Cumberland Co., NC
1.6.4           Thomas Avant
1.6.5           Sarah Avant , d. Cumberland Co., NC
1.6.6           Elizabeth Avant, b. 12 Oct 1752; d. after 1811; m. ca. 1769 to Rev. Andrew Baker
1.6.7           Lucy Avant , m. to Timothy Truelove .
1.6.8           Rebecca Avant , b. ca. 1764[xxi], Cumberland Co., NC; d. ca. 1853; m. Cumberland Co., NC to Henry Senter  (Author’s husband’s line).
1.6.9           Mourning Avant
1.6.10       Lucretia Avent

John Avent

1.2.4.  John Avent , son of William & Sarah (Massie) Avent , b. 1736; d. 10 Dec 1821, Chatham Co., NC; m. to Mary Unknown , d. 3 Mar 1801.

In 1765, Thomas Avent  and his brother John moved their families from Virginia to Buckhorn Falls on the Cape Fear River in Chatham County, North Carolina.  By 1769, they had established a ferry for crossing the Cape Fear River, and that location became known as Avent’s Ferry.

John & Mary (Unknown)  Avent  had seven (7) children:

1.2.4.1      William Avent [xxii], b. 8 Aug 1775, became a Methodist Circuit Rider at the age of 14.
1.2.4.2      Sally Avent
1.2.4.3      Martha Patsy Avent
1.2.4.4      Elizabeth Avent
1.2.4.5      Nancy Avent
1.2.4.6      Rebecca Avent
1.2.4.7      Polly Avent

Elizabeth Avant

1.6.6.  Elizabeth Avant, daughter of Peter & Amy (Massie) Avant , b. 12 Oct 1752; d. after 1811; m. ca. 1769 to Rev. Andrew Baker , son of James Baker, Esq. , b. 1749, VA; d. 23 Apr 1815, Lee co., VA.    For Further Information See Baker; “Windows Into Our Past   A Genealogy of the Parsons, Smith & Associated Families, Vol. 1

Rebecca Avant

1.6.8.  Rebecca Avant [xxiii], daughter of Peter & Amy (Massie) Avant , b. ca. 1764, Cumberland Co., NC; d. ca. 1853; m. in Cumberland Co., NC to Henry Senter , son of William & Unknown  (Baker) Senter , b. ca. 1760, Cumberland Co., NC; d. 1823, Green Co., TN.

Revolutionary War Service

Henry Senter  was first stationed at Moore’s bridge and then a second term stationed at Fayetteville, NC.

Henry Senter  moved to Washington Co., VA about 1800.

Henry & Rebecca (Avant) Senter  had six (6) children:

·                Rev. Stephen Senter , b. 1787, near Fayetteville, Cumberland Co., NC; m. 22 Sept 1803[xxiv] to Anna Blaylock , b. ca. 1785.
·                Rev. Drury Senter , b. 25 Sept 1788, Crumpler, Ashe Co., NC
·                Rev. William Senter [xxv], b. 1789, near Fayetteville, Cumberland Co., NC; d. ca. 1858, Gibson or Carroll Co., TN; m. 17 Dec 1805, Cumberland Co., NC to Jency Ann Butler , b. ca. 1780.
·                Child Senter [xxvi], b. 23 Sept 1791, near Fayetteville, Cumberland Co., NC.
·                Aaron Senter , b. 1793, Chilhowie, Smith Co., VA; m. to Elizabeth Baker , daughter of Henry & Mercy (Tilson) Baker .
·                James Senter , b. 1796, Washington Co., VA; m. Mary/Mercy Cole .

For Further Information See Senter

Rev. William Avent

1.2.4.1.  Rev. William Avent [xxvii],, son of John & Mary (Unknown)  Avent , b. 8 Aug 1775, Chatham Co., NC; d. 15 Dec 1841, Chatham Co., NC; bur. John Avent cemetery, uphill from Avent’s Ferry, Chatham Co., NC; m 1^st 7 Nov 1799 to Silva Drake , daughter of William & Sallie (Moore) Drake ; m 2^nd 29 Sept 1807 to Martha Hill Hicks , daughter of George & Temperance (Unknown ) Hicks .

In the early 19^th century Rev. William Avent  founded the Buckhorn Methodist Church in Corinth, Chatham Co., NC.  The church still stands and its vestibule displays the tombstone of Rev. William Avent.

William & Silva (Drake) Avant  had one (1) child:

·                Sallie Avent

William & Martha (Hicks) Avent  had thirteen (13) children:

·                Thomas Avent , m. 22 Jan 1812 to Esther Watts Clegg , daughter of Thomas & Bridget (Polk) Clegg , b. 23 Feb 1791, Chatham Co., NC; d. 2 Jan 1858, Chatham Co., NC.  This line qualifies for membership in the Jamestown Society, but only for descendants of the Clegg/Avent marriage.
·                Martha Avent
·                John F. Avent
·                Mary Glover Avent
·                William Avent
·                Louise “Louiza” Jane Avent
·                Harriet Primrose Avent
·                Rev. Isaac Watts Avent
·                Permila Avent
·                Bridget Ann Avent
·                Henry Evans Avent
·                Joseph Carson Avent
·                Ann Elizabeth Avent