| MortimerAyers, M.D. |
MORTIMER AYERS, M. D., a leading member of themedical fraternity in Schuyler county, Illinois, has been a resident ofRushville since October 1, 1873. He was born at Springfield, Illinois,June 25, 1848, a son of Grover and Jane (Stockdale) Ayers. The father wasa native of New York state, born near Penn Yan, May 21, 1818, and emigratedto Wapakoneta, Ohio, with his family at an early day. There he was married,and in 1844 he emigrated to Illinois, and settled at Springfield; herehe embarked in a general mercantile trade, which he carried on until 1862,when he retired from active life; he removed to Vermont, Fulton county,in 1876, and there passed the remainder of his days; his death occurredin 1880; his wife survives him, and is a resident of Vermont, Illinois.He was very prosperous in business and accumulated a competency. In hisreligious faith he was a Baptist. The family consisted of five children:Bryon W., died in Springfield, Illinois; Ada is the wife of George W. Whitney;Sylvanus resides in La Fayette, Indiana; the fourth born is the subjectof this sketch; Grover died at Springfield, at the age of twenty years.
Dr. Ayers passed his boyhood days at Springfield,and attended the public schools until he was fifteen years of age. He thenentered the United States Navy as midshipman, and served in this capacityfor three years; the greater portion of this time was spent at Annapolis,Maryland, although he made several cruises. In 1866 he returned to Springfield,and began the study of medicine, soon afterward going to St. Louis, wherehe continued the pursuit of the science under the direction of Prof. T.G. Comstock. He entered the Homeopathic Medical College of Missouri atSt. Louis, and was graduated in the spring of 1868. He then located atPana, Illinois, where he engaged in practice. He had not yet attained hismajority, being only twenty years of age, and he soon decided to enterthe navy; when he reached New York, however, he went on board a merchantvessel as surgeon sailed to South America, and was absent three years.Returning to the United States at the end of that period, he located atRushville, Illinois. He has taken several special courses in medicine,the last of which was at the Royal Ophthalmic Hospital, London, England;he has been a close and careful student of all topics pertaining to thescience and practice of medicine, and has made his mark as a skillful physician.He is the only member of the Homeopathic school in Rushville.
Dr. Ayers was united in marriage, July 15,1874, to Miss Dora Hill, a daughter of Major William Hill, and a nativeof Littleton township, Schuyler county. Two children have been born tothem, Ethel and Olive. In his religious faith the Doctor is a Presbyterian.He is a member of the Masonic order, belonging to the blue lodge, chapterand commandery; he has held the office of Commander of Rushville Commandery,No. 56, K. T.
Major William Hill was born in Lancashire,England, June 27, 1825. At the age of twenty-one years he emigrated toAmerica, and became one of the pioneers of Schuyler county in 1846. Hewas a cabinetmaker by trade, and followed this vocation for ten years.He married Rachel Knowles, a daughter of Joseph Knowles, who came to theUnited States with his family aboard the same vessel with the Major. Afterabandoning his trade he was interested in a flouring mill, but when theCivil war broke out he was one of the first to respond to the call fortroops; he raised a company, which was mustered into the service as partof the Engineers Regiment of the West; he was elected Captain, served throughthe entire conflict, and was mustered out with the rank of Lieutenant Colonelby brevet; he had arisen in regular order to the rank of Major. After thewar he became a member of the firm of J. & J. Knowles & Co., andwas connected with this firm until his death, which occurred March 25,1877. His wife died April 12, 1877. They had a family of five children,four of whom lived to mature years: Maria, wife of C. M. Cowan, of York,Nebraska; Mary A. is Deputy County Clerk of York county, Nebraska; Dorais the wife of Dr. M. Ayers; Laura was the wife of the late Luther Jackson,of Rushville.
Major Hill was a staunch Republican, andtook a prominent part in local affairs. He was a man of plain and unpretentiousmanner, true to his convictions, and worthy of the esteem in which he washeld.
Biographical Review of Cass, Schuylerand Brown Counties, Illinois, Biographical Review Publishing Co., Chicago,1892, pages 144-145.
Copyright 1999-2006 Judi Gilker; all rights reserved. For personal use only. Commercial use ofthe information contained in these pages is strictly prohibited withoutprior permission. If copied, this copyright must appear with the information.
Recent Comments