"WILLIAM HENRY AYERS, one of the successful and enterprising businessm en of Liberty township, owner and operator of a valuable farm of twohu ndred acres situated in sections 34 and 35, is a native of Van WertCou nty, where he was born on September 2, 1853. He is the, son ofCyrus an d Rachel (Butler) Ayers.
His father was born in Ashland County, Ohio, June 20, 1826, and was as on of James M. Ayers of Wayne County, Pennsylvania, who married JaneRi chie, and subsequently moved to Ashland County, Ohio. He wasmarried Se ptember 5, 1848, and moved to Van Wert County in 1850. OnApril 3, 1858 w hile felling timber, he was caught by a falling tree,which broke his s pinal column and caused his death 17 days later. Hiswife Mrs. Rachel A yers, was a daughter of John and Mary (Lindsay)Butler, of Tuscarawas C ounty, Ohio, and died on July 2, 1905. Theyhad six children, all of wh om are living.
William H. Ayers, the subject of this ;ketch, was reared in Libertytow nship, received a good, common-school education, afterwarddevoting his t ime to agricultural pursuits, and in 1878 was marriedto Alvina Vangund y, daughter of Abraham Vangundy, a prominent farmerof Mercer County, O hio. They have six children : Vernon, who marriedNellie Smith and live s in Rockford, Mercer County; Emery Lee, whomarried Nellie King, of Va n Wert, lives in Ohio City, and is thefather of one child; Orley, who l ives at home; Tony Gaylord,unmarried; Ethel Burdella Edna and Agnes Ed ith May.
About three years after his marriage, Mr. Ayers purchased 80 acres ofl and (the old home place) from the heirs of the estate, his fatherhavin g originally entered 40 acres of land in section 35. He hasadded to th is tract until now he is the owner of 200 acres ofproductive and valua ble farm land. At one time he had 240 acres, butdisposed of 40 acres i n 1905. He also owns two residence propertiesin Ohio City, and has 13 p roducing oil wells on his land. In additionto the 13 wells on his own f arm, which is leased to the Trial OilCompany, he has in operation 10 c omplete oil wells on other landwhich he has himself leased. He has two p roducing wells on the Strawlease, one on the Butler lease, and four on t he Peter Temple lease.Mr. Ayers had on his farm the second oil well dr illed in the OhioCity field, which for several months produced 200 bar rels per day. Ithas been pumping since April 1, 1904 and is yet produc tive.
Mr. Ayers is recognized as one of the township's progressive andpublic -spirited men—one whose interests are coincident with thoseof the comm unity. He is a Democrat and has always taken a livelyinterest in the s uccess of the party, being elected trustee of thetownship by that part y and serving thus for several years. He was forthree years treasurer o f the township and for two years townshipclerk, being at one time an u nsuccessful candidate for countycommissioner. For several years Mr. Ay ers was one of the directors ofthe warehouse andelevator at Van Wert, w hich is owned by the Grangeof Liberty township. In all these various d uties Mr. Ayers has everstriven to give the public his best and most c onscientious efforts.On a preceding page in proximity to this, is show n a picture of Mr.and Mrs. Ayers and their family, executed from a rec ent photograph."
