Thomas Ayres of Richmond County

THOMAS AYRES was b. ca 1720, d. 1773 in St. Paul's Parish, Georgia, m. 1740/50 Mary. He served as a Cadet with his brother, Mr. Ayres, under General Oglethorpe. Issue:

I. BRIDGET AYRES m. William Wright.

II. ELIZABETH AYRES m. Francis Danneley.

III. JOSHUA AYRES unmd. in 1792. Left Georgia.

IV. BENJAMIN AYRES owned land on the Savannah River, south of Joseph Thomas (deed, Columbia County, 14 December 1791, Joseph Thomas to Nicholas and THomas Meriwether, Jr.)

V. SAMUEL AYRES.

VI. ABRAHAM AYRES b. ca 1750, d. 1794 in Richmond Co., Ga., m. Elizabeth Mills, the daughter of Alexander Mills before 1777 (Alexander Mills' LWT dtd 1777). He was granted land in St. Paul's Parish 1770-1774; land in Washington Co., Ga. in 1785, land in Wilkes Co., Ga. in 1785, and land in Franklin Co. in 1792. On November 8, 1783, Columbia County, Samuel Morton of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, and his wife, Ann, deeded to Ebenezer Smith, 200 acres on the Great Kiokee Creek, bounded by Smith, Sr., deceased, Abraham Ayres, deceased, Joshua Brantley and Benjamin Harris.

In 1787 he sold his land in Washington Co. to Isaac Williams of Wilkes Co., being a resident at that time of Richmond County (taken from St. Paul's Parish). Issue:

A. Thomas Ayres, son of Abraham, b. 1774, d. 1839 Troup Co., m. Elizabeth (b. 1775 Maryland). He appears to be the same Thomas Ayres who was in Columbia Co., Ga. 1805, 1820 and 1830. The Thomas who was in Lincoln Co. in 1820 seems to be the same one who was there in 1850. Issue:

1. John B. Ayres, son of Thomas, b. 1795 m. ca 1817 Mary A. He was in Lincoln Co. 1820; DeKalb Co., Ga. in 1830 and Carroll Co, in 1850. Issue:
   
   i. William B. Ayres b. 1818.
   ii. James B. Ayres b. 1821.
   iii. John P. Ayres b. 1827.
   iv. Mary A. Ayres b. 1833.
   
   
   Note: One other daughter and two other sons.
   
   
2. Nancy Ayres, dau. of Thomas, b. 12/10/1802, d. 1837 in Troup Co., Ga. m. 10/4/1821 Burrell Smith. Lived in DeKalb Co. in 1830; Troup Co. in 1840. Issue:
   
   i. Elizabeth Jane Smith m. Alonzo York 1/25/1847 in Troup Co., Ga.
   ii. Martha C. Smith
   iii. Rebecca Ann Smith m. William Robertson 12/24/1846 in Troup Co., Ga.
   iv. Milly F. Smith m. 12/23/1847 George Osborn.
   v. Sarah Smith b. 1832.
   vi. Thomas A. Smith b. 1833.
   vii. Nathaniel.J. Smith b. 1835, d. 2/15/1853.
   
   
   
3. Permelia Ayres, dau. of Thomas, b. 1818 m. Cornelius Johnson. Lived in Jasper Co., Ga. 1850-1860.
   
   
4. Abraham Ayres, son of Thomas, b. 1807. Lived Troup Co. Ga. in 1850 where he d. after 1860.
   
5. Elizabeth Ayres, dau. of Thomas, m. Mr. York.
6. Jane Ayres, dau. of Thomas, m. Mt. Smith. Estate records show Benjamin Shepherd receiving a legacy but not originally mentioned in the division, so seems to have married a daughter of Thomas Ayres and Jane is the only one mentioned earlier as a Smith.
   
   

B. Abraham Ayres, son of Abraham, b. ca 1789 m. Mary McCook 1809 in Lincoln Co., Ga. Listed on 1830 Monroe Co., Ga. Census.

C. Gene Ayres, son of Abraham, b. ca 1770.

D. Rebecca Ayres, dau. of Abraham, b. ca 1770.

VII. THOMAS AYRES b. ca 1750, d. in Baldwin Co., Ga. before 1820 m. Sarah (b. 1760-d. 3/15/1826 in Baldwin Co., Ga.). Granted land in St. Paul's Parish in 1771; land in Washington Co, in 1785 which he sold in 1787 to Isaac Williams of Wilkes Co.; land in Wilkes Co, in 1785. By 1805 he was in Washington Co, Issue:

A. Abraham Ayres, son of Thomas, b. 1781, listed on 1820-30 Baldwin Co., Ga. Census; 1850 Stewart Co., Ga. Census.
B. William Ayres, son of Thomas, listed on 1820 Baldwin Co., Ga. Census; 1830 Randolph Co., Ga. Census.

VIII. WILLIAM AYRES b. Ca 1750-d. 1800 Lincoln Co., Ga. m. Frances. He was in Wilkes Co., Ga. in 1782. His LWT dated 1/3/1800 probated 1/18/1800 in Lincoln Co., Will Book A, page 23. Issue of William Ayres:

A. Asher Ayres of Bibb County appeared on the 1850 Census, was b. 1815 in New Jersey and m. Mary Ann. He lived in the Washington Hall Hotel in Macon, but had various lands where he worked 19 slaves. He had a brother, J, B. AYRES, who was a Master Builder. Asher Ayres is buried in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Macon, and when he died, he provided in his LWT that $1000.00 be set aside to erect monuments for his parents in Woodbridge, New Jersey, Asher and Fanny Ayres.

Asher Ayers acquired real estate in the City of Macon, on Walnut, Cherry, Third, Poplar, Plum and Mulberry Streets. The lot on Mulberry Street contained a three-story brick building called the Ayres Building. He also owned 440 acres in Colquitt Co., 136 acres in Decatur Co., 230 acres in Floyd Co., 1415 acres in Chatham Co. and 1200 acres in Baker Co. He bad a Bone Mill on one Of his farms which provided fertilizer for his mass cotton operations as well as to the community. he also owned two cotton gins and grain thrasher. He kept five slaves in Macon to help him in his enterprises, He was a great believer in building the City Of Macon and contributed to much of the economic development of Bibb County. He ran a steamboat from Hawkinsville to Savannah and then back to Macon, transporting local cotton.

On 1/13/1866 The Daily Evening Mirror, a newspaper which was in circulation for about a month, published the loss of his vessel, a steamer which had loft Hawkinsville for Savannah on 1/6. It caught fire about half a mile below Half Moon Bluff in the afternoon. The cotton was first discovered to be afire about 1:00, and a few minutes later, the entire cargo was in flames. The passengers and crew were all saved, except five or six negroes, but the passengers lost all baggage. The vessel, Asher Ayres, was new and was carrying some 1,023 bales of cotton, about 600 bales had been shipped by Mr. (lyres himself. The loss of the boat and cargo was estimated at $275,000.00 and was only partially covered by insurance.

When Asher Ayres died in 1852 , be owned shares in The Lanier House, Macon & Augusta Railroad, Macon Gas Light and Water Co., Universal publishing Co., Cotton States Life Insurance Co, and the Southern and Atlantic Telegraph Co. Shares in the railroads valued at $100, Gas Light & Water Co. at $100 per share; and Southern And Atlantic Telegraph Co, at $25 per share.

The luxurious home of Asher Ayres contained a library and music room with a piano; a carriage house with several carriages. To his son, Albert, he left his lands in Decatur Co., with annuities to the other children. There were still young children to be reared and he requested that his wife see to the education of Asher, Catherine; and granddau., Mary Ayres Simpson. Issue:

1. Albert Ayres b. 1844.
2. Anna Ayres b. 1845.
3. Frances Ayres b. 1848 m. Granville O. Conner, the son of Zephaniah Turner Conner (son of Irishman who moved from Va. to Ga. before 1835).
   
   B. Mary McQuarters.
   C. Bridget Holliday.
   D. Elizabeth Booth.
   E. Thomas Ayres.
   F. Sarah Ayres.

Moses Ayers buried Reed Creek Church Cemetery.

Last Will and Testament of Asa Ayres
Last Will and Testament of John Ayres
Last Will and Testament of Moses Ayers

Sources: The Daily Evening Mirror; 1850 Bibb Co. Census; Rose Hill Cemetery, Macon; 1830 Carroll Co. Census; 1820 Lncoln Co. Census; 1820-1830 Baldwin Co. Census; 1830 Randolph Co. Census; 1830 DeKalb Co. Census; 1850 Stewart Co. Census; DeKalb Co. Marriages; Troup Co. Marriages; Lincoln Co. Wills; Columbia County Deeds.

Comments from: Diane Sanfilipio

Ensign Thomas Ayres was married to Mary Moore Ayres only about 4 years before his death, and the date of marriage would be abt 1740 since our Thomas Ayres was born in 1740. It is impossible for Thomas to serve as a cadet with his brother Mr. Ayres, since Ensign Ayres was named Thomas. I believe that Ensign Ayres was b. abt 1720 (Mary was b. abt 1721), and he died before 1744 when Mary married John Amory, and their son, John, was born in 1744. Ensign Thomas Ayres had a half-brother who was of mixed blood, and a chief of the Thomas Ayres was awarded bounty land for serving as a Rev. soldier 17 Feb 1784, 250 acres (I believe this was later withdrawn, and I have yet to find if he got it back). He probably would not have served in the Rev. had he been 56 years of age... however 36, considered old, is more likely. He was on the S.C. jury list in 1779, however this could have been his son, Thomas. The original immigrant, Thomas Ayres was awarded bounty land in 1694 by Thomas, Lord Fairfax, and this man is the father of Ensign Thomas Ayres, grandfather of our Thomas Ayres b. 1740. The original Thomas Ayres was also in S.C., thus met the mother of his son, Chief John Thomas Ayres of the Catawba. Following the Treat of Augusta in 1763, there is a large movement of Catawba into the ranks of the Cherokee. I am attaching two files to add to your own... but I believe that corrections need to be made. Also it was Mary Ayres who married William Wright in Clarke Co., Ga. (I have a copy of their original marriage record), although I have not figured out the link between the families. The only proven children of Thomas Ayres b. 1740 S.C. d. Columbia Co., GA and Mary (unk) were: Mary, who married William Wright, William, Joshua, and Elizabeth. The children of Mary and William Wright were: Mary, Elizabeth, Bridget 'Biddy' (married John Selman RS - so I believe Mary had a sibling 'Bridget', just can't prove it), James, William, Sarah Sallie (married Thomas Wozencraft (Welsh bigamist and my line), Martha Patsy, Charity, Thomas Ayers, and Rev. John Carr Wright. These can be proven with the will of William Wright. I believe William's father was named James and am still pursuing this information. I have more information on this line with proof of most of what I have written. I also have a will for a Thomas Ayers but it was in bad shape; have enhanced it the best I can using PSP, but its still pretty bad. Have not had time to try to interpret it or to see which generation of Thomas Ayres it belongs to. I do know that in 1691 there is a will of a Thomas Ayres, bachelor, naming John Ayres, his brother and heir. However this does not mean he did not have a son with Mary Moore, and in fact, John might have been raising the boy, however has a child of mixed blood, he could not inherit.