Reminiscences from The Life of a Pioneer by Ira Ayer I
OUR GRANDFATHER, IRA AYER, was born in 1802 on what he described as the most beautiful farm on the Merrimac River, and lived there with his brother and sisters until he was 9 years old, when his father, James Ayer, had the urge to pioneer to western New York so they were in time, ready to start with two wagons covered with blue painted canvas and four fine horses, who would act a very important part in the long journey to the Wilderness. After a fine and exciting trip, they were finally settled on a 430 acre farm on Lake Erie and they grew with the country and prospered. When our Grandfather was 16, he and his brother, 18, walked back to Haverhill to collect mortgages for their father, in all, over a thousand miles. One hundred miles in 3 days. He was born when Thomas Jefferson was President and had his first vote when John Quincy Adams was elected. Those were exciting years especially for the Pioneers. Buffalo on Lake Erie was burned to the ground by the Indians in 1812. Commodore Perry won the conflict over the British on Lake Erie. 1814, battles of Chippewa and Lundy's Lane, and the capture of Fort Erie. The same year Washington was burned and in 1815 the decisive battle of New Orleans was fought. He was a Colonel at 34, and took part in the Patriot War. He had many commissions. And, when, over 60, and Lincoln called for 300,000 volunteers, he recruited and trained a Company of young men, and as they were the first to be perfected and to report, were mustered into the service as Co. A, 116, Reg. N.Y. Vol., which served through the entire war. His youngest brother James also recruited and trained a Company and was killed in one of the Southern battles.
Alice Ayer Williams and Clementine Ayer Morse
1960s