The Oregon Surveyor Sept/Oct 2018

17 Professional Land Surveyors of Oregon | www.plso.org The Lost Surveyor Benton County, State of Oregon.” The map goes on to read, “Personally appeared be- fore me J.C. Avery proprietor of the City of Corvallis formerly Marysville and acknowl- edged to me that owing to a mistake in the distance mentioned in the extension of Jef- ferson Street….” Avery’s Gunter chain is in possession of the Benton County Museum. According to the Benton County Museum, in 1855 the J.C. Avery building in Corvallis was used as the Territorial Capitol Building for a short period of time. It was demol- ished in 1888. Whilemany places are named for Avery and Dixon throughout Corvallis, Avery’s history has been reviewed in recent years and his name removed from the Avery residence hall at Oregon State. Apparently Avery was accused of using his printing press to pub- lish or to contribute to the pro-slavery paper Occidental Messenger. The report leading to the removal of his name stated that while there was not definitive evidence of his di- rect support of slavery there is a large body of evidence pointing to his involvement with the Occidental Messenger which had an ex- treme pro-slavery and anti-black content. Oregon State University removed his name from the residence hall in 2017. Avery died June 16, 1876 at the age of 59 and is bur- ied in the Masonic Cemetery in Corvallis.  x