Benjamin Parke Avery

Benjamin Parke Avery in 1874, U. S. Minister to China

Benjamin Parke Avery (1828–1875) was an American journalist, poet, essayist, printer, and diplomat. He served as a U.S. Department of State’s chief of mission for China in 1874.

Biography

Avery arrived in California aboard the Aurora in 1849. He worked as a prospector for a while before buying a drug store in the mining town of North San Juan, California, and then a newspaper.

He became part owner and editor for the Marysville Appeal. A newspaper he established in San Francisco was also contracted as state printer for California. He was friends with Charles Crocker and Leland Stanford.

He served as a U.S. Department of State’s chief of mission (now known as ambassador) for China in 1874.

Death and legacy

He died in Peking (now Beijing) on November 8, 1875. His death received newspaper coverage and tribute.

After his death, Edward Bosqui wrote a reminisce about him and Ina Coolbrith dedicated a poem to him. The California Historical Society has a collection of his papers.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Avery, Benjamin Parke 1828-1875 [WorldCat Identities]".
  2. 1 2 May, Ernest R. (1951). "Benjamin Parke Avery: Including a Review of the Office of State Printer, 1850-72". California Historical Society Quarterly. 30 (2): 125–149. doi:10.2307/25156293. JSTOR 25156293.
  3. ↑ "Benjamin Parke Avery". Chiefs of Mission, Department History at the Office of the Historian. U.S. Department of State. January 12, 2024. Archived from the original on March 5, 2009.
  4. ↑ David Shavit (1990). The United States in Asia:A Historical Dictionary. Greenwood Publishing. ISBN 9780313267888. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  5. ↑ "Benjamin Parke Avery (1828-1875). Ayres, ed. 1917. The Reader's Dictionary of Authors". www.bartleby.com.
  6. ↑ Avery, Benjamin Parke; Coolbrith, Ina D; Erickson, Alice L. W (August 14, 1867). Benjamin Parke Avery miscellany. OCLC 122550132.