Mary Jane McElveen Avera

Mary Jane Young McElveen Avera, born in Thomas County, Georgia, September 29, 1830, moved from Crawford, County to Brooks County. Four children, three boys and one girl, when she married Randolph Avera. Randolph died at age 86. Mrs. Young was a widow when Randolph married her and had three children by her previous marriage.

On July 21, 1861, Mr. Avera married Mrs. Mary Jane (Young) McElveen who represented one of the oldest families in South Georgia. She was born in Thomas County September 29, 1830, the daughter of Michael Young and Mrs. Sarah Everett Young; the grand-daughter of William and Mary Henderson Young. William Young, in 1775, was a member of the Council of Safety at Savannah and on July 4th of that year represented the town and district of Savannah in the first assemblage of the Provincial Congress. He was afterwards a planter in Screven County.

Michael Young, son of William and Mary Henderson Young and father of Mrs. Avera, was born in Screven County January 16, 1797. He married Miss Sarah Everett who was born in Bulloch County. In 1828, Michael with his family and slaves, moved to the new county of Thomas and settled three miles from Thomasville, subsequently developing a very large plantation there which he farmed profitably until his death. He was a member of the legislature from Thomas County; as there were no railroads he had to make the journey to Milledgeville on horseback. He died on his farm August 24, 1856. His wife died in 1876. They had reared nine children.

Mary Jane Avera first married William Henry McElveen of Decatur County in 1850; they bought land and lived on their farm until his death at the age of 35. She was left with three small children. After her husband's death she bought a tract of land in 1857 in what is now Brooks County, to be near her brother, James Everett Young. There was no Quitman and her land was a pine forest. With her slaves she cleared the land and built a home; first, a log house and later a colonial-style residence set far back among fruit and shade trees. Here she and Mr. Avera lived for over fifty years and reared four children.

Mrs. Avera was untiring in her service to the county and to the welfare of the community. She was one of the founders of the Ladies' Memorial Association and an active member of the Methodist Church.

Transcribed from The History of Brooks County Georgia by Len Avera