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Below is a family biography from the book, History of Kentucky, Edition 1 by J. H. Battle, W. H. Perrin and G. C. Kniffin and published by F. A. Battey Publishing Company in 1885.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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EDWARD W. AVEY was born in Memphis, Tenn., August 18, 1841, and is the second of five children born to John R. and Margaret (Cunningham) Avey, natives of Indiana and of German and English descent, respectively. John R. Avey soon after his marriage, in about 1835, moved to Memphis, Tenn., where he was engaged in shipping produce by flat-boats to all points on the Mississippi River until his death in 1848. His widow departed this life in 1870. She was a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. When but seven years old, Edward W. Avey was thrown upon his own resources and subsequently the support of a widowed mother and several younger brothers and sisters devolved mainly on him. In the latter part of 1848 the family removed to Louisville, Ky., and from thence in 1849 to Meade County. Ky., where our subject was engaged in burning lime. In 1857 they removed to Breckinridge County, Ky., where he was also again engaged in the lime business. In the early part of 1858 they removed to Hawesville, Hancock Co., Ky., and in the fall of the same year came to Columbus, Hickman Co , Ky. From that time until the breaking out of the late civil war our subject was engaged in steam-boating on the Mississippi River. During the time that the Confederate forces held Columbus, he kept a sutler’s store near the fort on the bluff overlooking the city. After the withdrawal of the Confederate line, he clerked in his brother’s grocery store for a time. He then passed a summer in Louisville, and in 1863-64 he was engaged in farming near Columbus, but the latter year his crop was almost wholly destroyed by a bandit. He then returned to Columbus in 1866; he commenced boating and huckstering on the Mississippi and continued the same for several years. He was then elected marshal of the city of Columbus and served for nearly two years. In 1877 he opened a hardware store at Columbus, and has been engaged in that business ever since. He carries a large and well selected stock of stoves, shelf and heavy hardware, tinware, etc., amounting to about $3,500. He also owns a similar establishment at Clinton, which carries a stock of some $2,500. Mr. Avey was married February 11, 1863, to Miss Anna B. Alexander, a native of Hickman County, Ky. Six children have blessed this union—four sons and two daughters—all of whom are yet living. Mr. Avey and wife are members of the Baptist Church. He also takes a lively interest in Sunday-school work, having been superintendent and teacher in the Baptist Sunday-school for several years. He is also a member of the K. of H. In politics he is a Democrat.

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This family biography is one of 142 biographies included in the Hickman County, Kentucky section of the book, The History of Kentucky, Edition 1 published in 1885 by F. A. Battey Publishing Company.  For the complete description, click here: History of Kentucky, Edition 1

View additional Hickman County, Kentucky family biographies here: Hickman County, Kentucky Biographies

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