Son of David B and Eliza (Freitag or Freytag) Ayers. Came with his parents to Jacksonville in 1830. Graduate of Illinois College in 1843. Banker. Member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church. Member of the underground railroad.
Married 29 Oct 1846 to Laura Allan, daughter of Rev. John Allan of Huntsville, Ala. Eight children, seven who survived to adulthood: John A., Louisa (Ayers) McDonald, Walter, Edward, Effie (Ayers) Kaime, Helen (Ayres) Bullard, Laura (Ayers) Moeller, and David B. Ayers.
Below are excerpts from the HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS & HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY (Munsell Publishing Company, Publishers, 1906.) (A full article can be found on-line.)
After graduation from college he engaged in business with his father, and upon the death of the latter succeeded him in the management of the vast real estate interests of John C. Griggs, of Philadelphia, who owned many thousands of acres of valuable farming land in Central Illinois. ...
Having suffered great inconvenience from his inability to secure adequate banking facilities for the proper conduct of this business, in 1852 he organized the private bank of M. P. Ayers, subsequently taking into partnership with him Joel Catlin, and still later William H. Campbell, of Cincinnati, Ohio. After the death of Mr. Campbell, he admitted his brother, Augustus E. Ayers, into partnership, About 1866 William S. Hook entered the firm, which was thereupon styled M. P. Ayers & Company. In August, 1886, the interest of Mr. Hook was purchased by John A. Ayers, who, May 1, 1901, organized the Ayers National Bank, of which M. P. Ayers became President. At the time of his death, M. P. Ayers was the dean of the Illinois bankers.
Several enterprises of great importance to the community owed their inception to the progressive spirit always manifested by Mr. Ayers, and others received his unstinted support. In 1871 he became the author of the project for constructing the Jacksonville & Southeastern Railroad, extending from Jacksonville to Waverly. ... In 1856 he and J. O. King, another citizen of Jacksonville, established the Jacksonville Gas Company. He afterward erected the Home Woolen Mills in Jacksonville, which were subsequently destroyed by fire. ...
For many years he served as a Trustee of Illinois College. A devoted member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church, he was actively identified with the progress of religious work, and organized many Sunday-schools in Morgan County. He was also deeply interested in the advancement of the temperance cause, and, being a fluent and eloquent speaker, was able to accomplish much good in this direction."
Married 29 Oct 1846 to Laura Allan, daughter of Rev. John Allan of Huntsville, Ala. Eight children, seven who survived to adulthood: John A., Louisa (Ayers) McDonald, Walter, Edward, Effie (Ayers) Kaime, Helen (Ayres) Bullard, Laura (Ayers) Moeller, and David B. Ayers.
Below are excerpts from the HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS & HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY (Munsell Publishing Company, Publishers, 1906.) (A full article can be found on-line.)
After graduation from college he engaged in business with his father, and upon the death of the latter succeeded him in the management of the vast real estate interests of John C. Griggs, of Philadelphia, who owned many thousands of acres of valuable farming land in Central Illinois. ...
Having suffered great inconvenience from his inability to secure adequate banking facilities for the proper conduct of this business, in 1852 he organized the private bank of M. P. Ayers, subsequently taking into partnership with him Joel Catlin, and still later William H. Campbell, of Cincinnati, Ohio. After the death of Mr. Campbell, he admitted his brother, Augustus E. Ayers, into partnership, About 1866 William S. Hook entered the firm, which was thereupon styled M. P. Ayers & Company. In August, 1886, the interest of Mr. Hook was purchased by John A. Ayers, who, May 1, 1901, organized the Ayers National Bank, of which M. P. Ayers became President. At the time of his death, M. P. Ayers was the dean of the Illinois bankers.
Several enterprises of great importance to the community owed their inception to the progressive spirit always manifested by Mr. Ayers, and others received his unstinted support. In 1871 he became the author of the project for constructing the Jacksonville & Southeastern Railroad, extending from Jacksonville to Waverly. ... In 1856 he and J. O. King, another citizen of Jacksonville, established the Jacksonville Gas Company. He afterward erected the Home Woolen Mills in Jacksonville, which were subsequently destroyed by fire. ...
For many years he served as a Trustee of Illinois College. A devoted member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church, he was actively identified with the progress of religious work, and organized many Sunday-schools in Morgan County. He was also deeply interested in the advancement of the temperance cause, and, being a fluent and eloquent speaker, was able to accomplish much good in this direction."
Son of David B and Eliza (Freitag or Freytag) Ayers. Came with his parents to Jacksonville in 1830. Graduate of Illinois College in 1843. Banker. Member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church. Member of the underground railroad.
Married 29 Oct 1846 to Laura Allan, daughter of Rev. John Allan of Huntsville, Ala. Eight children, seven who survived to adulthood: John A., Louisa (Ayers) McDonald, Walter, Edward, Effie (Ayers) Kaime, Helen (Ayres) Bullard, Laura (Ayers) Moeller, and David B. Ayers.
Below are excerpts from the HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS & HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY (Munsell Publishing Company, Publishers, 1906.) (A full article can be found on-line.)
After graduation from college he engaged in business with his father, and upon the death of the latter succeeded him in the management of the vast real estate interests of John C. Griggs, of Philadelphia, who owned many thousands of acres of valuable farming land in Central Illinois. ...
Having suffered great inconvenience from his inability to secure adequate banking facilities for the proper conduct of this business, in 1852 he organized the private bank of M. P. Ayers, subsequently taking into partnership with him Joel Catlin, and still later William H. Campbell, of Cincinnati, Ohio. After the death of Mr. Campbell, he admitted his brother, Augustus E. Ayers, into partnership, About 1866 William S. Hook entered the firm, which was thereupon styled M. P. Ayers & Company. In August, 1886, the interest of Mr. Hook was purchased by John A. Ayers, who, May 1, 1901, organized the Ayers National Bank, of which M. P. Ayers became President. At the time of his death, M. P. Ayers was the dean of the Illinois bankers.
Several enterprises of great importance to the community owed their inception to the progressive spirit always manifested by Mr. Ayers, and others received his unstinted support. In 1871 he became the author of the project for constructing the Jacksonville & Southeastern Railroad, extending from Jacksonville to Waverly. ... In 1856 he and J. O. King, another citizen of Jacksonville, established the Jacksonville Gas Company. He afterward erected the Home Woolen Mills in Jacksonville, which were subsequently destroyed by fire. ...
For many years he served as a Trustee of Illinois College. A devoted member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church, he was actively identified with the progress of religious work, and organized many Sunday-schools in Morgan County. He was also deeply interested in the advancement of the temperance cause, and, being a fluent and eloquent speaker, was able to accomplish much good in this direction."
Married 29 Oct 1846 to Laura Allan, daughter of Rev. John Allan of Huntsville, Ala. Eight children, seven who survived to adulthood: John A., Louisa (Ayers) McDonald, Walter, Edward, Effie (Ayers) Kaime, Helen (Ayres) Bullard, Laura (Ayers) Moeller, and David B. Ayers.
Below are excerpts from the HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS & HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY (Munsell Publishing Company, Publishers, 1906.) (A full article can be found on-line.)
After graduation from college he engaged in business with his father, and upon the death of the latter succeeded him in the management of the vast real estate interests of John C. Griggs, of Philadelphia, who owned many thousands of acres of valuable farming land in Central Illinois. ...
Having suffered great inconvenience from his inability to secure adequate banking facilities for the proper conduct of this business, in 1852 he organized the private bank of M. P. Ayers, subsequently taking into partnership with him Joel Catlin, and still later William H. Campbell, of Cincinnati, Ohio. After the death of Mr. Campbell, he admitted his brother, Augustus E. Ayers, into partnership, About 1866 William S. Hook entered the firm, which was thereupon styled M. P. Ayers & Company. In August, 1886, the interest of Mr. Hook was purchased by John A. Ayers, who, May 1, 1901, organized the Ayers National Bank, of which M. P. Ayers became President. At the time of his death, M. P. Ayers was the dean of the Illinois bankers.
Several enterprises of great importance to the community owed their inception to the progressive spirit always manifested by Mr. Ayers, and others received his unstinted support. In 1871 he became the author of the project for constructing the Jacksonville & Southeastern Railroad, extending from Jacksonville to Waverly. ... In 1856 he and J. O. King, another citizen of Jacksonville, established the Jacksonville Gas Company. He afterward erected the Home Woolen Mills in Jacksonville, which were subsequently destroyed by fire. ...
For many years he served as a Trustee of Illinois College. A devoted member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church, he was actively identified with the progress of religious work, and organized many Sunday-schools in Morgan County. He was also deeply interested in the advancement of the temperance cause, and, being a fluent and eloquent speaker, was able to accomplish much good in this direction."
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