Rev. Isaac Watts Avent was born in Chatham County, N. C., September 9, 1923; died at his home near Cokesbury Church in Harnett County, N. C., January 18, 1900. His parents were William and Esther W. Avent, who carefully guarded the best interest of their children, by precept and example they taught their children the principles of Christianity. Here was the preacher’s home, so that from their earliest years the children were brought in touch with those holy men who were building up the waste places of Zion.

The subject of this memoir was very impressed with the importance of being a Christian. He wanted the present joy and power of a Christian life to prepare him to live here and hereafter. In his boyhood the preachers carried the Catechism with them and gave children lessons to be learned by the next round. To this, Bro. Avent said he owed much in building his Christian character. At the age of nine years he was deeply convicted of sin and went to the alter at Buckhorn Church on Haw River Circuit, September 9, 1833. The day he was ten years old he was happily converted and joined the M. E. Church at Buckhorn under the ministry of Rev. Isaac Haines, preacher in charge of Haw River Circuit. At eighteen years of age his father died and young Isaac continued the family alter, which had been established by his father, and where the boy Isaac had been so often blessed.

While but a boy, verging into young manhood, he felt impressed as his duty to preach, but yielding to timidity, he delayed his surrender to the work of the ministry. In 1852 under the pastoral care of Rev. T. C. Moses, he received license to exhort. In September, of the same year, he received license to preach and established regular appointment the next year at Cokesbury, Memphis and Ebenezer, and to his death these people were always ready to hear “Uncle Isaac” as they affectionately spoke of him.

The question of entering the traveling connection troubled him. Enter the itinerancy ?—a married man—a good farm, comfortable surroundings? Take a wife and leave all else to take up the wanderings, the itinerancy? While debating the subject, the message, “Go ye therefore and preach the gospel to every creature, and lo I am with you always,” was forcibly impressed upon him so that he applied and was received on trial into the North Carolina Conference at Raleigh, November 9, 1853, and served the following charges:
• 1854 Raleigh Circuit.
• 1855 Columbia Circuit.
• 1856 Wentworth Circuit.
• 1857 Patrick Circuit.
• 1858 Jonesville Circuit.
• 1859 Alexander Circuit.
• 1860 Surry Circuit.
• 1861/62 Blue Ridge Mission.
• 1863 East Rowan Circuit.
• 1864 Chaplain in the CSA