Avery family.

Mr. Johnston Avery, a North Carolina native, pursued several careers. He was a newspaperman, political campaign aide, government official and businessman. He assisted Senator Robert R. Reynolds in his campaign for repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment (Liquor Prohibition Amendment). He served as Assistant Chief of Decartelization Branch of the U.S. Office of Military Government (OMGUS) in Berlin following World War II. He became convinced that OMGUS was blocking attempts by the Decartelization Branch to carry out its mission of breaking up the German cartels, he resigned and brought charges against OMGUS. A Congressional investigation ensued which substantiated these charges. Mr. Avery became involved in the economic development and exploitation of natural resources of Africa, specifically in Liberia. With the State Department, he was Assistant Administrator of the Point Four Program, which was established to aid developing countries acquire technical expertise. He resigned this position to become President of the Liberian American Swedish Minerals Company (LAMCO) Joint Venture, a position he held until his death.