Biographical Sketch of Jacob Ayres, Johnson County, Missouri, Post Oak Township. >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** Jacob Ayres, a well known pioneer citizen of Johnson county, has long been classed with the most successful farmers and stockmen of Post Oak township. Mr. Ayres was born July 27, 1830 at Plainfield, in Middlesex county, New Jersey, a son of Oliver and Hettie (Corell) Ayres, both of whom were members of prominent and highly respected colonial families of New Jersey. There, on the old family estate, Jacob Ayres grew to manhood. Actuated by a desire to make his own way in the world and to own a home of his own, Mr. Ayres left New Jersey when he was thirty years of age and came West to try his fortune in the forests and on the prairies of Missouri. He arrived in Warrensburg in May, 1860. Mr. Ayres was at that time engaged in the lightning-rod business, but with- in a few years after his coming to Warrensburg he purchased a farm in Johnson county and began farming and stock raising, which pursuits he has followed continuously since. September 24, 1860, the marriage of Jacob Ayres and Mary Jane Marr, daughter of Daniel Marr, a leading pioneer of Johnson county, was solemnized and to this union were born two children, both daughters, both of whom are now deceased: Delia, who married Jerome Sammons and after his death, which occurred about twenty years after marriage, she married James Quarrels Watchman, of Warrens- burg, Missouri; and Julia M., the wife of George LaCoque, of Iowa. Mrs. LaCoque died in 1901. The mother of Delia and Julia died in 1870. March 11, 1872 Jacob Ayres and Mrs. Hettie (Medley) Freeman were united in marriage and to them have been born five children: Oliver, Jr., who is married and is now residing in Emmett, Idaho; Lena, the wife of Charles Webster, residing in Bates county, Missouri; Rebecca, the wife of George Granger, residing on a farm nine miles from Warrensburg; Viola, the wife of E. T. Houts and they reside on a farm one and half miles northwest of Warrensburg; and Jacob Randolph, Jr., who married Elsie Phillips and they reside on the home place with his parents. During the Civil War, Jacob Ayres, the subject of this sketch, served for nine months in the Federal army under Capt. M. U. Foster. Mr. Ayres was in the thick of the two battles fought at Lexington and he took an active part in several other important engagements and skirm- ishes. Prior to the war, Mr. Ayres had purchased sixty acres of land in Johnson county and was engaged in farming and stock raising. He paid fifteen dollars an acre for this tract of land and in 1868 sold it for twenty dollars an acre. He then purchased a tract of sixty acres located in Chilhowee township, for which he paid fifteen dollars an acre, and upon this farm resided eight years and then sold it to Silas Cully, about 1870, for twenty dollars an acre. In 1887, Mr. Ayres bought his present country place, a farm comprising ninety acres of valuable land located in Post Oak township, for which he paid twelve dollars an acre. This farm has been constantly growing in value during the past thirty years and is now one of the fine country homes in Post Oak township. Jacob Ayres has overcome a multitude of discouraging obstacles that have beset his path since coming to Missouri fifty-seven years ago. He has by well directed energy and constant industry acquired a sufficiency of material wealth to place him in comfortable and comparatively independent circumstances. Jacob Ayres knows full well the meaning of the term "honest toil" and what is involved in the Scriptural injunction to earn one's bread "by the sweat of the brow." Too rapidly the ranks of the brave pioneers are thinning and it is only fitting and proper that those of the "old guard" whom we are glad to still have with us, should have their meed of praise and full share of honor ere they, too, join the noble band who have gone on before. Honored and respected by all, Jacob Ayres is enrolled among the countys most valued citizens. He has been a worthy member of the Providence Baptist church during the entire period of his residence in Johnson county, though he was clerk of the Cornelia Baptist church for ten years. Politically, Mr. Ayres is a stanch, life long Republican. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: <> Penny (Eisenbarger) Harrell ====================================================================