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William Woods Averell was born on November 5, 1832. His ancestors took part in the American Revolution. His father, Hiram Averell, was constable and collector of the town of Addison, New York, postmaster and justice of the peace in Cameron.
Averell attended a common school. Being quite young he became a drug-clerk in the village of Bath, N. Y. and soon after had an opportunity to enlist in the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1851. He graduated after four years of training as a soldier and few years after he underwent considerable experiences in the West that was useful for his future.
Later he entered the Cavalry School for Practice.
After graduating from the US Military Academy at West Point Averell was comissioned brevent second-leutenant of mounted rifles and right after was sent to the West.
The first base where he served was at Jefferson Barracks. After that he recieved the his full comission as the second-lieutenant of mounted rifles.
After the Cavalry School for Practice Averell was ordered to New Mexico where he experienced tough field service. He also participated in the Navajo Expedition of 1858 and other missions. During his serve Averell was terminally wounded and because of it he took an extended leave.
At the beginning of the Civil War he became an assistant adjutant-general. On August 23, 1861 Averell was apointed as the colonel of the 3rd Pennsylvania Cavalry, United States Volunteers, and he was placed in command of a cavalry brigade in front of the defenses of Washington.
Averell participated in in the siege of Yorktown (April 5 - May 4); the battles of Williamsburg (May 4-5), Fair Oaks (June 1), and Malvern Hill (July 1); in skirmishes at Sycamore Church (August 2), at White Oak Swamp (August 5, 1862), and the battle of Fredericksburg (December 13, 1862).
In the battle of Kelly's Ford, William W. Averell was awarded the brevet of major in the regular army.
For his services during the Civil War Averell was brevetted major-general.
After the war Averell worked in Montreal for a few years and after that he was made an assistant inspector-general of the Soldiers' Home at Bath, New York.
In later life his skill as an inventor of practical devices provided him with a handsome income. He invented a number of devices which rendered him financially independent.
Averell was also the author of "Ten Years in the Saddle" (1978) and co-author of "History of the Third Pennsylvania Cavalry, 60th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers" (1905), both published posthumously.
Averell had a great career in the US Army, participated in the American Civil War, was a diplomat and assistant inspector-general of the Soldiers' Home. He was also successful as an inventor. Averell invented the American Asphalt Pavement in 1879 and had patents for several insulating conduits for wires and conductors. He also invented a machine for laying electric conductors underground.
(The discovered memoirs of cavalryman William Woods Averel...)
Averell was ambitious, energetic and purposeful.
William Averell was married to Kezia Hayward.
