Avirett, Eliza 'Lidie' Serena (Mrs. Flournoy Rivers) 15.feb.1860-2.jul.1929 USA Alabama, Summerfield - Michigan, Grand Rapids
pianist, composer, teacher, choral conductor, lecturer on music history, magazine writer and as hobby theatre playwriting, 30.aug.1860 as 3 month old Eliza residing with her parents in Summerfield, 1879 graduated from Millersburg Female College Kentucky, 1880 as 20 year old Eliza as schoolteacher residing with her widowed mother and brother John in Millersburg Kentucky, from then on she consistently used the name Lidie which was misinterpreted as Lydia, studied music privately with John White, Felix Lamond, Raphael Joseffy, A K Virgil, Kurt Schindler, John Breckhoven, Kraft, Shradleck, Otto Singer and Carl Baetena, 1884 Springer medalist at the College of Music in Cincinnati Ohio, student at Columbia University New York City, member of the Southern Authors and Newspaper Society, National Federation of Theatre Clubs, D.A.R., Colonial Dames, Daughters of Confederacy, National Federation of Women's Clubs, chairman Extension Committee National Federation of Musical Clubs, member of the Music Study Club of Birmingham and the Study Circle Birmingham Alabama, 1881 music teacher at Hamilton Female College in Lexington Kentucky, 4.mar.1886 she was elected president of a new meaningless titled club C. C. C. in Pulaski, 1888 music teacher at Marys School 530 18th South Street in Birmingham, 15.oct.1891 at her marriage in Waterville NY she resided in Birmingham while her husband resided in Pulaski Tennessee where they settled, 1900 residing as music teacher with her husband, son and mother at Maderson Street in Pulaski, 1905 in ill-health she was in St Petersburg Florida to recuperate, 1914 residing at 1031 South 18th Street in Birmingham, 29.dec.1923 she was so critically ill in Denver that her death was reported in the newspapers, 1925 residing with her son John in Chicago, 2.jul.1929 (not 23.jul.1929) she died from heart disease at the Home for aged Little Sisters of the Poor 240 South Lafayette Avenue in Grand Rapids ; daughter of farmer/captain John Alfred Avirett (North Carolina, Richlands 1.feb.1929-23.aug.1864 Georgia, Griffin) and college teacher Eliza Evans Markham (Alabama, ?Barrons oct.1838-c1905 Pulaski) ; 15.oct.1891 at Grace Church in Waterville N.Y. she married lawyer Hon. Flournoy Rivers (Tennessee, McMinnville 15.oct.1858-11.apr.1908 Pulaski)