Ebenezer Avery Sr. was born on 29 March 1704 at Groton, New London County, Connecticut. He was baptized on 9 July 1704 at the First Church of New London. He was the son of James Avery III and Mary Griswold.

He married Lucy Latham on 16 January 1726 at Groton, New London County, Connecticut. Lucy was born on 21 May 1709 at New London, Connecticut, and died on 2 May 1758. The known children of Ebenezer Avery Sr. and Lucy Latham:

• Hannah, born 10 January 1727, died 1771.
• Lucy, born 27 January 1729, died 1804.
• Mary, born 30 November 1730, died 1787.
• Lieutenant Ebenezer Avery Jr., born 7 March 1732/33 at Groton, New London County, Connecticut, and died 6 September 1781 at Groton. He served as a Lieutenant in the Connecticut Militia, 8th Regiment under Lieutenant Colonel Ledyard.
• Latham, born 15 April 1735, died 1815.
• Katherine, born 7 March 1732, died 1825.
• Captain Griswold Avery, born 15 September 1739 at Groton, died 6 October 1812 at Waterford. He served in the Connecticut Militia and on the Commission of Inspection.
• Deborah, born 1 February 1742, died 1777.
• Rachel, born 8 September 1742, died 1777.
• Elizabeth, born 22 January 1747, died 1765.
• Abigail, born 24 February 1752, died 1752.
• Lieutenant Elihu Avery, born 6 April 1755 at Groton and died 8 March 1779 at Groton. He served in 1775 under Captain Abel Spicer, in 1776 under Captain Gallup, and in 1777 as Lieutenant Fireworker in Major William Ledyard’s Company of Matrosses.

He later married Rachel Starr on 21 November 1759 at New London, Connecticut. Rachel was born on 15 September 1705 at Groton and died on 11 July 1780.

Ebenezer Avery Sr. lived in Groton his entire life, residing in the southern part of town on land adjacent to his father's property. He held several civic positions, including juryman, constable, and selectman. He was also active in the First Church of Groton, where he was chosen deacon in 1759. When a new church facility was constructed, he obtained pew number 1, for which he paid seven pounds.

His military career began about 1741. In October 1770, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of the 8th Regiment of the Connecticut Militia, succeeding Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Avery. This regiment consisted of men from Groton, Stonington, and Preston. He resigned his commission in October 1776, citing his advanced age as the reason for being unable to leave the state.

Three of his sons served as Patriots during the Revolutionary War:

• Lieutenant Ebenezer Avery Jr., who was killed at the Battle of Groton Heights in 1781 by British forces under Benedict Arnold.
• Captain Griswold Avery, who served in Colonel Joseph Harris’s Regiment in 1781 and was a member of the Commission of Inspection and a selectman.
• Lieutenant Elihu Avery, who served in various militia roles and as a Fireworker in Major William Ledyard’s Company of Matrosses.

He died on 11 July 1780 at Groton, New London County, Connecticut. He is buried at Avery-Morgan Burial Ground in Groton.

Sources:

1. Avery, Elroy McKendree. The Groton Avery Clan. Cleveland: The Burrows Brothers Company, 1912.
2. First Church of New London Baptism Records, New London, Connecticut.
3. Roster of Connecticut Men in the Revolution, 1775–1783. Hartford: Connecticut Historical Society, 1889.
4. DAR Patriot Index, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution.
5. Connecticut State Archives, Colonial and Revolutionary War Militia Records.
6. Groton Town Records, New London County, Connecticut.