My Genealogy Hound

CHARLES D. McAVOY, a member of the Montgomery county bar, and the able chairman of the Democratic standing committee of Montgomery county, is a young man to achieve such high honors and to have had such important responsibilities committed to his charge so early in life. He was born November 11, 1877, at Danborough, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, where his father was at that time engaged in farming. He is the son of Dennis and Mary (Nolan) McAvoy.

Mr. McAvoy’s parents were both born in Ireland, his father in Kings and his mother in Queens county. Both came to this country with their respective parents at an early age, and some years afterwards were married in the city of New York. In the early spring of 1886, when the subject of this sketch was nine years of age, the family removed from Danborough to Roundwood farm, located a short distance below the village of Centre Square, in Whitpain township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, the proprietor of which was Charles Nolan, an uncle. About one year after the removal of the family to Montgomery county the father of Mr. McAvoy died, leaving the following children, all of whom now reside in Norristown: Mrs. Mary, widow of Francis J. Curley; Patrick L., Miss Katherine V., and Charles D., who is the youngest of the family. Mrs. Mary McAvoy, the mother of the subject of this sketch, resides with him in Norristown.

Charles D. McAvoy obtained his early education in the public schools, graduating from the Whitpain high school in the class of 1893. In September of that year he entered Villa Nova College, graduating from that institution in the class of 1898, the degree of B. S. (Bachelor of Science) and A. B. (Bachelor of Arts) being conferred upon him at graduation. In 1902 his alma mater conferred upon him the additional degree of A. M., (Master of Arts). Mr. McAvoy was ambitious and industrious, and during his college life was the recipient of many high honors. One year after his graduation from college, he entered the law office of Louis M. Childs, Esq., as a student, and was admitted to the bar of Montgomery county, June 28, 1902. Two weeks after his admission to the bar, and when he was but twenty-three years of age, he was nominated upon a Democratic-Fusion ticket as a candidate for the state legislature, and although running ahead of the ticket he was defeated by a small plurality, with the rest of his associates on the county ticket.

Mr. McAvoy is a rising member of the bar, and has without doubt a brilliant future in store for him. He has continued in the active practice of his profession since his admission to the bar, and in conjunction with his practice has reported the court proceedings for the Norristown daily newspapers, the Herald and Register, performing the duties of that position in the most satisfactory manner. In politics Mr. McAvoy is a Democrat, and has achieved much prominence in the councils of his party. He became secretary of the Democratic standing committee at the early age of twenty-one years, and while holding that position, showed himself such an adept in the details of political work that he was chosen chairman April 6, 1903, at a time when the party to which he belongs was suffering from the disadvantages consequent upon an incomplete organization. His ability to organize and his indefatigable efforts in behalf of the party’s principles and his candidates when public sentiment was opposed to a change of administration, achieved much success in cementing the lines of organization and in polling the party vote. He was twice elected to the chairmanship of the standing committee over opposing candidates, and conducted a vigorous canvass in the presidential campaign of 1904, the personal popularity of President Roosevelt, however, carrying the county and nation by large majorities for the Republican candidates. In 1904, Mr. McAvoy was alternate delegate to the Democratic national convention which nominated Alton B. Parker for president and Henry G. Davis for vice-president.

Mr. McAvoy is a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic church. He has been president since its organization of the Norristown Catholic Club, and is a member of Norristown Lodge, No. 714, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and advocate of Norristown Council, No. 772, Knights of Columbus, of Norristown.

Patrick McAvoy (grandfather) was a barrister and landed proprietor of Castlebrack, Kings county, Ireland. His father was Lawrence McAvoy, who married Margaret Delaney. Patrick McAvoy married Anna Tracy and had a large family of children. James Nolan (maternal grandfather) was an extensive contractor and railroad bridge builder. His father was Charles Nolan and his mother Katherine Corcoran. He married Anna Bennett, whose father was Thomas Bennett, and whose mother was Mary Bergan. James and Anna (Bennett) Nolan, maternal grandparents, had seven children, five sons and two daughters, the sons being William, Charles, James, Thomas and Edward, who composed the firm of Nolan Brothers, railroad contractors who operated extensively in the east, having constructed the Wissahickon bridge at the entrance to Fairmount Park in Philadelphia; also the Richmond street bridge in the same city; and numerous railroads, among which was the Shamokin, Sunbury and Lewisburg; in New York state, bridges at Port Jervis, Hancock and Hornellsville, were constructed by them. Two of the brothers survive: Charles, residing at Roundwood Farm, near Centre Square, in Montgomery county; and James, president of the Reading Trust Company, residing at Reading, Pennsylvania. Mrs. McAvoy is the oldest of the family, the other daughter, Mrs. Katherine (Nolan) Kerens, being the wife of William Kerens, of the contracting firm of Kerens & Egan.