BIO: William AYRES, Dauphin County, PA

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Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, 
Containing Sketches of Representative Citizens, and Many of the 
Early Scotch-Irish and German Settlers.  Chambersburg, Pa.: 
J. M. Runk & Company, 1896, pages 212-213.
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  AYRES, WILLIAM, son of John Ayres and Jane Lytle, of Scotch-Irish 
ancestry, was born December 14, 1788, at the eastern base of Peter's 
mountain, Dauphin county, where his grandfather (whose name he bore) 
had settled in October, 1773.  The locality is noted as the 
commencement of the old road over the mountain.  William was endowed 
with rare native energy and unfailing perseverance, but his 
opportunities for educational improvement were meager indeed; he was 
indeed self-educated.  His first venture, apart from the business of 
his father's farm, was an engagement with James S. Espy, merchant at 
Harrisburg, in 1816.  During his two years' residence there he married 
Mary Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Hon. Jacob Bucher, May 6, 1817.
  The next year he was induced to return to Peter's mountain, where he 
kept the hotel at the crossing, assisted in conducting the farm, and 
became justice of the peace December 13, 1819.  He was elected major 
Second battalion of the Sixteenth regiment, and commissioned February 
22, 1822.
  Looking forward, however, to making the law his profession, he 
removed to Harrisburg in 1824, and resided along the river, just above 
the town.  Here he acted as a justice both for the borough of 
Harrisburg and for Lower Paxtang and Susquehanna townships; while at 
the same time he pursued his legal studies under Samuel Douglas, Esq., 
an eminent member of the Dauphin bar.
  He was admitted to practice May 3, 1826, and his private docket shows 
him to have been successful from the start.  He had a very large 
acquaintance in the "Upper End," was able to speak German, and 
otherwise possessed many qualifications then valued and essential to 
practice with profit.  The celebrated McElhenny murder case, in which 
he saved his client from the gallows, gave him a marked prominence.
  He was also attorney for various officers of the county, turnpike 
companies, etc.
  He was elected to the Legislature in 1833-34, and again for the 
session of 1834-35.  During this time he was the coadjutor of Thaddeus 
Stevens in his great conflict against the powers of darkness and 
ignorance for the establishment of the common school system of 1834.  
The friendship of Ayres and Stevens here begun lasted through life.
  In 1839 William Ayres was elected to the town council, and the 
circumstance proved a fortunate one for Harrisburg.  He at once brought 
his great energies to bear on a project for the introduction of 
Susquehanna water into the borough.  The idea seemed so premature that 
it was deemed fanciful and impracticable.  Nevertheless, he alone was 
the means of its accomplishment, which he did by borrowing funds from 
the United States Bank, of which he was then a director.  Harrisburg 
received water in seven months' time from breaking ground, and this 
despite of much opposition from the old fogies.
  His directorship in the United States Bank (at Philadelphia) was at 
the invitation of the famous Nicholas Biddle, who presented him with 
stock and had him elected; having selected him as "a country gentleman 
to complete the board of directors."
  Having thus embarked in public enterprise, even to the great 
sacrifice of his legal practice, he next sought to obtain a free bridge 
over the river, but he could not obtain sufficient aid in subscriptions 
to buy out the old company.  He was mainly instrumental in getting up 
the new prison to replace the old jail.
  He was an active supporter of General Harrison for President, and the 
Harrison letters, still preserved, show that William Ayres was his 
confidential friend at the capital of Pennsylvania.  He had been also 
the advocate of Governor Ritner, whose confidential correspondence is 
also preserved.
  The successful introduction of water encouraged him to attempt the 
formation of a gas company at Harrisburg, and having obtained an act of 
incorporation he went vigorously to work, as was always his way, and 
Harrisburg was lighted with gas.
  The incorporation of the Pennsylvania railroad, about 1846, was a 
project in which he was much interested, and he gave his time and 
services on the "Hill" gratuitously.
  By this time there was not a man in Central Pennsylvania more widely 
known for his spirit, energy and capacity in matters of public 
improvement.  As a result he was engaged by the citizens of Huntingdon 
to lead a project in their coal region - the Huntingdon and Broad Top 
railroad.  After securing the necessary legislation he was elected 
president January 10, 1853.  He was obliged to spend so much of his 
time at Huntingdon that he could only give the road a good start, but 
he left his completion to others.  He relinquished his position with 
honor, the company voluntarily presenting him two thousand dollars in 
cash and stock.
  He immediately took up a more convenient enterprise, the Harrisburg 
and Hamburg railroad, a rival line to the Lebanon Valley railroad.  He 
became president of the company, obtained subscriptions and had the 
route surveyed, with the intention of beginning active operations in 
the spring of 1856.  The winter of 1855-56 was devoted to office work 
by the engineers at Jonestown.
  But William Ayres' iron constitution was crumbling by the insidious 
action of heart disease.  He was unable to give his own active duty or 
instill his own energy into others, and the railroad languished just 
when it should have progressed.
  Mr. Ayres died, after some months' illness, May 26, 1856.  His 
fellow-citizens united with his associates of the bar in attesting the 
loss of one in whom the capital of Pennsylvania found her most 
enterprising citizen, ever ready to sacrifice for the public good, and 
one who, having many opportunities to have made himself rich, could 
never be tempted or bribed, proved unflinchingly honest and died poor.