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Below is a family biography included in The History of Rutherford County, Tennessee published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1887.  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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JAMES MONROE AVENT, a prominent and wealthy attorney of Murfreesboro, Tenn., was born December 10, 1816, in Greenville County, Va. His parents, James and Mary Avent, were natives, respectively, of Virginia and North Carolina, and removed from the father’s native State to Alabama, from whence they came to this State and county in 1830. They resided here until 1856, when they removed to Hardeman County, Tenn., where the elder Avent died in 1868. James M. Avent’s boyhood’s days were spent on the farm and in the schools, differing from the experience of many lads of his day, insomuch that his education was superior to that of the ordinary youth. He secured a good literary education at the Clinton College, in Smith County, Tenn. At the age of twenty one he had decided to make the law his profession for life, and entered the office of Charles Ready, of this city, with whom he read law until he was admitted to the Rutherford County bar in 1840. He then engaged in the practice here, rapidly growing in reputation and character as a lawyer, and was for many years a partner of the late ex-Chancellor B. L. Ridley. Mr. Avent is now the senior member of the well-known law firm of Avent, Smith & Avent, and it may be justly said that he has contributed largely to the success and high standing of this firm at the Rutherford County bar. February 27, 1857, Mr. Avent married Mary W., the daughter of the late Maj. John W. Childress, of this county. The result of this union has been five children, the following four now living: Frank, James M., Bettie B. and Sarah W. Mr. Avent is a Democrat of the old “Jacksonian school,” and has always been an active and zealous worker for his party, but never aspired to office. He has frequently been appointed judge pro tem of our courts, and discharged the duties of this highly responsible position in a manner that indicated his superior qualities, as a jurist. He is a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity, and has been identified with all public and private enterprises that were calculated to promote the prosperity of the city or county. He was one of the organizers of the Stone’s River Creamery Company, of which he is now the president. Himself and wife have been life-long members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and he is justly and universally recognized as one among the leading and successful citizens of our county, a lawyer of fine judgment and ability and a consistent Christian, gentleman.

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This family biography is one of the numerous biographies included in The History of Rutherford County, Tennessee published in 1887 by Goodspeed.  The History of Rutherford County was included within The History of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford & Marshall Counties of Tennessee. For the complete description, click here: History of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Beford and Marshall Counties of Tennessee

View additional Rutherford County, Tennessee family biographies here

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