"Avonia" is almost certainly a reference to Shakespeare - the "Bard of Avon". Avonia Jones was the daughter of two actors and her father at least was fairly obsessed with Shakespeare. I can't find anything saying so, but it seems likely to me that Avonia, Pennsylvania was named after Avonia Jones - a post office of that name didn't exist until 1869, two years after Avonia Jones' death.Incidentally, her eccentric father "Count Joannes" had a protege near the end of his career, Lydia Fairbanks, to whom he gave the stage name "Avonia Fairbanks".(I actually wrote the articles on Avonia and Count Joannes on Wikipedia.)
Incidentally, her eccentric father "Count Joannes" had a protege near the end of his career, Lydia Fairbanks, to whom he gave the stage name "Avonia Fairbanks".
(I actually wrote the articles on Avonia and Count Joannes on Wikipedia.)