Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana ArchivesMain MenuIntroduction to the CollectionBishops of the Diocese of IndianaBishops of the Diocese of Northern IndianaParishes and MissionsConventionsOrdinations and PostulantsCamps and YouthEcumenical ServicesDiocesan Officers and GovernanceWomen's Auxiliary - Episcopal Church WomenMiscellaneousJohn David Beatty85388be94808daa88b6f1a0c89beb70cd0fac252
Rev. Martin Van Buren Averill
12020-08-17T17:11:22-07:00John David Beatty85388be94808daa88b6f1a0c89beb70cd0fac252327161plain2020-08-17T17:11:22-07:00John David Beatty85388be94808daa88b6f1a0c89beb70cd0fac252The Rev. Martin V. B. Averill was born on 30 April 1837 at Irvington, New York, the son of Loriston and Elizabeth (Seabrook) Averill. He married in 1867 Rosetta Badger Wilson and had several children, among them Edward Wilson Averill, who later became rector at Trinity Peru and Trinity Fort Wayne. Averill began his career studying the law and was admitted to practice in Buffalo in 1858, but in 1861, he decided instead to study theology and graduated from General Theological Seminary. He was ordained to the diaconate and the priesthood by Bishop Upfold in Indianapolis. His first assignment came at Grace Church, Indianapolis, but by 1867 Upfold sent him to Elkhart to help form St. John's Church. He remained there until 1870. He then moved to Wisconsin, where he did missionary work at St. Peter's in Ripon, St. Mark's in Rosendale, and later at Christ Church in Green Bay. He went to Naperville, Illinois, in 1881 to become rector of St. John's Church, but he died there from diphtheria on 28 April 1888.