Cyrus Ayers

Cyrus Ayers was born June 20, 1826 in Ashland County, Ohio to James Martin Ayers, Jr. and Jane Richey. He was the fifth of ten children, having five brothers and four sisters. Cyrus was a farmer, a Democrat in politics, and a minister of the regular Baptist Church, to which he devoted his life. On September 5, 1848, he married Rachel (Rebecca) Butler and settled in Ashland County, Ohio. Rachel was 21 years old at the time of their marriage. She was the fourth of eleven children born to John Butler and Mary E. Lindsey. Cyrus and Rachel immediately started to have a family. Their first of six children was Martha J. Ayers. She was born on July 9, 1849, presumably in Ashland County, Ohio.

In 1850, Cyrus and Rachel moved to Van Wert County, Ohio and bought 40 acres of land in Liberty Township. In 1851, their second child, James Marian Ayers was born. Just two years later, they had their third child, William Henry Ayers. Their fourth child, Cyrus S. Ayers was born January 28, 1857 and their fifth, Rachel Mary (May) Ayers was born March 10, 1858. There has been mention of a sixth child, but we have no more information about this child. We assume this child must have been born sometime between the births of William Henry Ayers in 1853 and Cyrus S. Ayers in 1857.

On April 3, 1858, Cyrus was caught by a falling tree when he was felling timber. His spinal column was broken. He lived in great agony for 17 days after the accident, until he died on April 20, 1858. Cyrus Ayers was only 31 years old when he died. He was buried in a cemetery south of Ohio City in Liberty Township, Van Wert County, Ohio. Rachel, his wife, continued to reside in Liberty Township, Van Wert County, Ohio until her death, July 2, 1905.