(ed. Powell, Vol I. p. 70) "In 1780, while occupying Charlotte, Cornwallis ordered the burning of Avery's office; of his books and papers, only those stored at the home of his friend Hezekiah Alexander were saved. This evidence of displeasure was visited only upon those whom Cornwallis considered leading offenders." Duel with Andrew Jackson In 1788, Avery was challenged to a duel by Andrew Jackson, then a young lawyer in the western territory that would become Tennessee. According to legend, Avery, already one of the state's most prominent lawyers by then, would often proclaim "I refer to Bacon"—meaning The Elements of the Common Laws of England, the noted legal text written by Francis Bacon—when making a point. One day, it is said that Jackson surreptitiously replaced the volume with an actual side of bacon in Avery's saddlebags. Embarrassed when Avery scolded him for levity in the courtroom, "Old Hickory" is supposed to have issued the challenge. Whatever the actual cause, the duel took place. The two men met on the field of honor, each intentionally missed the other while firing, and they left fast friends. Honoraria Avery County, North Carolina was named for him, as is the Waightstill Avery Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Brevard, North Carolina. The Swan Ponds plantation home built by his son Isaac Thomas Avery in 1848, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. No paintings or visual depictions of Avery are known to exist. References External links North Carolina Historical Marker Cheap land, slaves boosted Avery Family wealth - Visiting-our-past column by Rob Neufeld in 2/5/2018 Avl Cit-Times Pg3A 1741 births 1821 deaths Members of the North Carolina House of Representatives North Carolina state senators North Carolina militiamen in the American Revolution People from Groton, Connecticut North Carolina Attorneys General People from Morganton, North Carolina People of colonial Connecticut American duellists American people of English descent Members of the North Carolina Provincial Congresses