He was thus the grandson of Captain, then Colonel, Nathan Ayres (1752 - 16 January 1822) and Mary Christian Leake, daughter of Walter Leake and Judith Mask.
Furthermore, he was the great-grandson of Matthias Ayres and Elizabeth Ann Hales who, in turn, was the daughter of Rev. John Hales, son of Nathaniel, and grandson of Thomas Hales.
(As a side note, some of the family apparently dropped the "s" and Nathan Hale is said to be a descendant of Nathaniel Hales...).
Matthias and Nancy's family moved from Virginia to Missouri, eventually settling in Howard County and, finally, the northern part of Saline County, where they established a farm.
After his conversion to Methodism (1842), he was licensed to preach (by 1844). Some time around 1845/46, he was assigned a circuit and also did some school teaching. During this time, and while living at the home of George Stubblefield and Elizabeth [Rush] Priest, he met and married (March 1846) their daughter, Priscilla Frances Priest, or "Fanny."
Though documentation of his graduation is lacking, he did study medicine soon after and was referred to as a doctor.
On 6 May 1850, he left his wife and children to head to California's gold rush, not only to (it is assumed) make his fortune and return home to Pettis Co., MO...but to be the doctor for the burgeoning citizenship in that area.
Many of our subject's letters home during this time have been published. Said he, in his opening lines:
"In accordance with your request and my promise, I embrace this opportunity to address you a few lines and I do so with much pleasure because I know it will be gratifying to you and the family..."
Lucky is the family to have such treasure. With these epistles, one can trace his brief history in California, along with a little of that of his extended family. It seems like the insider's view to see him refer to his brother Walter as "Wat" and his young son Manlius as "Manny."
It is reported the doctor died at James Bar, Amador Co., CA on 19 November 1850, but the burial place is unknown.
In the aforementioned book of letters, the author surmises it may even be below water level in the Pardee Reservoir area of Amador and Calaveras counties, in which case the exact spot may never be known.
Two of his siblings were Walter "Wat" Leake Ayres. and Martha Judith Leake [Ayres] Cheatham.
- bio by James E. Zielinski
He was thus the grandson of Captain, then Colonel, Nathan Ayres (1752 - 16 January 1822) and Mary Christian Leake, daughter of Walter Leake and Judith Mask.
Furthermore, he was the great-grandson of Matthias Ayres and Elizabeth Ann Hales who, in turn, was the daughter of Rev. John Hales, son of Nathaniel, and grandson of Thomas Hales.
(As a side note, some of the family apparently dropped the "s" and Nathan Hale is said to be a descendant of Nathaniel Hales...).
Matthias and Nancy's family moved from Virginia to Missouri, eventually settling in Howard County and, finally, the northern part of Saline County, where they established a farm.
After his conversion to Methodism (1842), he was licensed to preach (by 1844). Some time around 1845/46, he was assigned a circuit and also did some school teaching. During this time, and while living at the home of George Stubblefield and Elizabeth [Rush] Priest, he met and married (March 1846) their daughter, Priscilla Frances Priest, or "Fanny."
Though documentation of his graduation is lacking, he did study medicine soon after and was referred to as a doctor.
On 6 May 1850, he left his wife and children to head to California's gold rush, not only to (it is assumed) make his fortune and return home to Pettis Co., MO...but to be the doctor for the burgeoning citizenship in that area.
Many of our subject's letters home during this time have been published. Said he, in his opening lines:
"In accordance with your request and my promise, I embrace this opportunity to address you a few lines and I do so with much pleasure because I know it will be gratifying to you and the family..."
Lucky is the family to have such treasure. With these epistles, one can trace his brief history in California, along with a little of that of his extended family. It seems like the insider's view to see him refer to his brother Walter as "Wat" and his young son Manlius as "Manny."
It is reported the doctor died at James Bar, Amador Co., CA on 19 November 1850, but the burial place is unknown.
In the aforementioned book of letters, the author surmises it may even be below water level in the Pardee Reservoir area of Amador and Calaveras counties, in which case the exact spot may never be known.
Two of his siblings were Walter "Wat" Leake Ayres. and Martha Judith Leake [Ayres] Cheatham.
- bio by James E. Zielinski
Family Members
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Susan Ayres Ford
1815–1898
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Walter Leak Ayres
1817–1892
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Benjamin Franklin Ayres
1821–1889
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Ann Elizabeth Ayres Gilliam
1822–1877
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Margaret Ann Ayres Land
1824–1854
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Martha Judith L. Ayres Cheatham
1828–1910
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Peter Nathan Ayres
1834–1895
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Catherine Virginia Ayres Land
1836–1894
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Josephine M Ayres Land
1838–1920
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Clementine F. Ayres Norvell
1841–1873
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