My grandfather on my mother’s side, Arthur David Avery, had an interesting life. He was born on 25 October 1880 in Lockport, St. Joseph County, Michigan. His parents were Aaron B. Avery and Ellen Rachael Grier.
When he was a young man he went to work for a printer in the place where he was then living. When the printer died he willed his print shop to my grandfather, because he didn’t have any children of his own. Grand Dad married Katie Belle Dougherty (Her name was actually Kathryn, but someone put Katie on her birth certificate, so I always refer to her as Katie). Grandmother was born on 12 December 1887 in Lockport, St. Joseph County, Michigan. They were married on 16 May 1907.
Later they decided to move to Los Angeles. There he went to work for another printer. One of the things that he did was contract a lot of the work out to other printers. One day he asked for a raise. His employer told him no, that he was easily replaceable. Bad mistake! At this point Grand Dad decided to go into business for himself. He took all of his subcontracting business with him, drove his former employer out of business, and took over his shop.
During this period of time, he made a lot of money. They even were able to buy a new car on one month’s salary. Grandmother never had to work, even in her own home, unless she wanted to. If she wanted a housekeeper or gardener, she simply arranged for it. They had three children, Floretta Cecile, Eleanor Rachael (my mother), and Arthur David Jr.
He used his surplus money to dabble in various ventures. At one time he owned an Island in Balboa Bay near Newport, California. Unfortunately, he had a partner who one day decided to sell it. He invested in a warehouse in Los Angeles which he rented out for many years. His biggest blunder was not buying Signal Hill in Long Beach. Nobody wanted it because nothing would grow up there. The reason nothing would grow is because the hill was literally saturated with oil. He probably would have become a billionaire had he made this investment.
Eventually, he sold the printing business and moved to the San Joaquin Valley. My mother was born in Earlimart, Tulare County, California. For years they lived in Exeter across the street from a lumber mill that my Grand Dad bought. He built a number of homes on his block which he rented out. For a while he owned a restaurant along nearby Highway 99.
He tried his hand at the invention business. He had one invention which he called a Blab Off. He connected it to his televison set, and when he pressed a botton during a commercial, it would turn the sound off. He developed a game, similar to checkers, which four people could play called Corona. I am not going to disclose the details here, because it may still have marketing potential.
They were active members of the Methodist Church. Grandfather belonged to the Masonic Lodge.
He lived to age 89 and died at the U.C.L.A. Medical Center in Los Angeles on 14 November 1968. He was buried in his beloved Exeter. Grandmother lived another seven years. She was remaried to Harold Grimshaw in February of 1970. She died on 9 February 1976 in Chula Vista, San Diego County, California.
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