James Monroe Avent  1859 - 1936

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• Birth	1859	Tennessee
  Sex	Male
  Died	1936
  Person ID	I1927	avefamily
  Last Modified	27 Feb 2007
  Father	Washington D. Avent, b. 15 Mar 1820, Greensville Co., Virginia
  Mother	Nancy S. Pope McKinnie, b. 6 Apr 1829, Tennessee
  Family ID	F591	Group Sheet
  Family	Emma Graves, b. 1868
  Married	1887
  Children	1. Nancy Elizabeth Avent, b. 14 Feb 1888, Hickory Valley, Hardeman Co., TN   2. Alice Edwards Avent   3. James Graves Avent, b. 1892, Hickory Valley, Hardeman Co., TN   4. Esther Avent, b. 20 Jun 1898, Hickory Valley, Hardeman Co., TN   5. Nell Avent, b. May 1904, Hickory Valley, Hardeman Co., TN   6. Emma Louise Avent, b. 23 Jul 1908, Hickory Valley, Hardeman Co., TN
  Last Modified	27 Feb 2007
  Family ID	F592	Group Sheet

• Photos		Avent, James Monroe of TN (1859-1936) with world champion dog 'Momoney'. James M. Avent was a well-known trainer of champion bird dogs, and was nicknamed "the Fox of Hickory Valley”. He was described as follows in the March 3, 1930 issue of Time Magazine: "Most celebrated of contemporary handlers is James Monroe Avent, 70, a shrewd and tight-lipped Tennessee squire who has never been known to play poker with his competitors after a day in the field, who never divulges information as to good quail country which he knows more thoroughly than anyone else."

• Notes

  Legendary bird dog handler - "the Fox of Hickory Valley, James Monroe Avent (1860-1936)" Time Magazine, March 3, 1930: "Most celebrated of contemporary handlers is James Monroe Avent, 70,. a shrewd and tight-lipped Tennessee squire who has never been known to play poker with his competitors after a day in the field, who never divulges information as to good quail country which he knows more thoroughly than anyone else." "James Monroe Avent (1860-1936), along with Hobart Ames, was responsible for establishing the National Bird Dog Championship in Hardeman County. The bird dog trials continue to be held annually at the Ames Plantation in Grand Junction. Avent’s house in Hickory Valley was listed in the National Register on April 25, 2001, because of his role in starting and promoting the bird dog trials. Both Avent and some of the dogs he trained were notable enough to be placed in the Field Trial Hall of Fame. The house is also significant because it is a fine example of the popular Queen Anne style. A variety of sawn and turned woodwork embellishes the house." -- Tennessee Historical Commission Website, 2002, National Register of Historic Places The story goes that the manner of his death was as follows: J. M. Avent at age 76 wanted to go fox hunting but had pneumonia. The doctor said he would die if he went. Avent said, "I would rather go fox hunting and die than stay at home." So he went ... and died. Grand Junction Cemetery, Hardeman Co., TN: Avent, Emma Graves 1868-1950 w/o James Monroe Avent Avent, James Monroe 1859-1936 h/o Emma Graves Avent