Avery, Charles

Avery, Charles a Methodist- Protestant minister, was a native of Westchester County, N.Y., born Dec. 10, 1784. He obtained his education chiefly by private study, experienced religion in early life, and served a long career as local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal, Church. In 1829 he identified himself with the Methodist Protestants and joined their Ohio Conference. He died at his residence in Allegheny City, Pa., Jan. 17,1858. Mr. Avery's specialty was philanthropy. He founded the first Methodist Protestant Church' in Allegheny .City; endowed the 'Preachers' Aid Society of the Pittsburgh Conference with twenty-five thousand dollars, called the Avery Fund; erected an ample college building in Allegheny City for the benefit of people of color; besides making liberal donations to various institutions, as hospitals, missionary associations, etc. See Bassett, Hist.. of the Methodist Protestant Church, p. 386.