Biography of Emerson W. Ayars, Coconut Grove, Dade County, FL

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Transcribed from:  The History of Florida:  Past & Present, The Lewis Publishing Co., Vol. 
II, page 144, 1923.

AYARS, EMERSON W.  M.D.  A physician and surgeon with nearly thirty years of active experience, 
Doctor AYARS lived in Western New York until he joined the Medical Corps at the time of the 
World war.  This service brought him South, and since leaving the army he has been a permanent 
resident and professional man at Coconut Grove, Dade County.  Doctor AYARS has two sons who 
were also ex-service men of the World war.

He was born at Dodge Center in Dodge County, Minnesota, in 1866, son of ELI B. and REBECCA J. 
(AYERS) AYARS.  His father, who was born at Shiloh in Cumberland County, New Jersey, was an
early pioneer of the Northwest.  He migrated to Minnesota Territory in 1856, and his home 
in Dodge County was on the extreme frontier until after the Civil war.  EMERSON W. AYARS, 
when a youth, returned East having graduated from the Dodge Center High School in 1886.  
In 1887 he entered Alfred University at Alfred, Allegany County, New York, and remained there 
until completing his literary education, graduating A.B. in 1891.  He then entered the 
College of Physicians and Surgeons at Baltimore, from which he received his M.D. degree in 
1895.  Doctor AYARS located and practiced medicine at Richburg in Allegany County, New York, 
for ten years, during which time he served as coroner, and in 1905 returned to Alfred in the 
same county, where he continued his professional work in eh congenial surroundings of his 
old college town until the beginning of his army service.

In April, 1918, Doctor AYARS volunteered for service and was commissioned captain of the 
Medical Corps of the United States Army.  He was sent to Camp Greenleaf at Chickamauga Park, 
Georgia, and from there to Camp Wheeler at Macon, Georgia.  At Camp Wheeler he became chief 
medical officer of Development Battalion No. 2, and a member of the Overseas Examining Board.  
He continued those duties at Camp Wheeler until after the close of the war, being discharged
January 2, 1919.

A few days after leaving the army service Doctor AYARS located at Coconut Grove and began 
the practice of his profession. He has a busy general practice and also looks after some 
important property interests he has acquired here and has become thoroughly identified with 
this beautiful Florida residential community.  He is owner of the subdivision known as the 
Allamanda Gardens, and in that subdivision he erected a fine new home for himself and family 
in 1922.

Doctor AYARS is a member of the County, State and American Medical associations, and is a 
member of the American Legion; both his sons being affiliated with the same organization 
while his wife and his daughter are members of the Women's Auxiliary of the Legion.  Doctor 
AYARS married FLORENCE E. GREEN, of Allegany County, New York.  Their children are :  ERLING 
E., LISTER S. and ALICE A.  The latter is an instructor in glazing and firing pottery in 
the Technical High School of Cleveland, Ohio, having in this department charge of twenty-three 
high schools.  ERLING volunteered at the age of twenty-three and was in training camp at 
Madison Barracks, New York.  LISTER S. volunteered at the age of eighteen with the New York 
National Guard, becoming a member of Company K, One Hundred and Eighth Infantry, Twenty-seventh 
Division.  With this command he went overseas and saw service at the front in France as a 
member of the Intelligence Department.  He was overseas for one year.