William Ayers, a man from the Independence, Sussex area of New Jersey, enlisted 8 Sep 1814 there, for the War of 1812, discharged 5 Dec 1814, serving 89 days, ranked as 3rd Sergeant under Capt. Alexander Redding's Co., NJ Militia. For his service, he was given bounty land of 160 acres, situated in Lower Mt. Bethel, Northampton, PA.
He states in his pension file, that he married Susan Kern, in 1817, in Lower Mount Bethel. By 1820, they show up in the census with a small family started. He's reported to have lost his wife, 17 Feb 1840, and indeed when the census taker came around in June, William only had he and his children to report. Verified that she was definitely deceased before 22 October 1841, due to her father, Leonard Kern, stating so in his will, written that day, "my deceased daughter Susannah, wife of William Ayers".
So, in June 1840, William reported himself, age 40-50, a son age 20-30, a son age 15-20, 2 daughters age 15-20, 1 daughter age 10-15 & 1 age 5-10. Noting, there is one more son, Theodore that may have been missed. 1850 census shows him born about 1841-43 (age 8), but I wonder, if he was actually a little bit older, more like 10? (Father's often don't keep up with the exact age of most of their children, and 8 to 10 year old boys, their exact age often can't be discerned when looking at them.) Theodore was not listed on the 1840 census, which does agree with what the 1850 census shows. But, was he actually just a newborn baby and was being kept by an aunt, a sister of either his mother or father and not actually born in 1841-43? If he was, then William would be correct in not showing in the census of any sons younger than age 5. It is entirely possible that William's wife, Susanna, 'may' have died during or shortly after childbirth, especially as that she was only 36. But, it's not likely we'll ever know for certain unless a newspaper article (or a church birth record for Theodore), or something of the like, can be found.
William never remarried, at least, not to anyone's knowledge or noticed by any records for him [as mostly noted that his pension 'should' have had it recorded if it were so and there is not a mention of another marriage.] That should lay to rest the thoughts of some that thought the Catherine in the 1850 census with him was a second wife. But not so, she was a daughter.
He remained in Lower Mount Bethel the rest of his life. In 1850 at the age of 53, he was doing well, economically wise. A farmer with real estate value of $9,000. That was not chump change back then. With him were daughters Catherine & Mary, sons Theodore, Leonard & John.
Easy to figure where son Leonard got his name from. His maternal grandfather, Leonard Kern. Daughter, Catherine, may have been named after her maternal grandmother, Catherine Mills, wife of Leonard Kern. It's unknown who were the parents of William Ayers, so it may be that the sons Theodore & John & daughter Mary may have been from his side. Or not. I am working on trying to uncover some clues through probate records. The fact that in his pension papers, he stated he enlisted in Independence, Sussex, NJ, finally gives a clue to where he was from. For that war, that time period, you enlisted into the militia in the area you resided, unlike the later Civil War which enlistment was normally a trip to Trenton after draft was signed where you resided. So, from this, we can surmise, that he is one of the Ayers found in that area.
By 1860, he was still doing good, economically wise, with his estate valued only a little lower at $8,000, with personal at $500. At this point he was a retired farmer. His daughter Mary had married Phillip Horn and they, with their children William, Amanda & Ida were residing with him.
In 1864, in the middle of the war, he was taxed for a carriage, valued at $75, taxed of $1.00. The fact of having a carriage, gives us a picture of their life and travels. Not everyone with land, also had a carriage. This is significant to know about him. Appearances meant at least something to him, elsewise he would only have had a typical uncovered wagon for transport.
Come 1870, he was now living with his daughter Catherine & her husband, Isaac Rasely & their children, Emma, Mary, Matilda & William. With them was also a William H Rasely, age 19 as a farmhand. Elder William Ayers, was now doing better than before the war, a very unusual thing, with his estate valued at $12,000 & personal value of $2,000. His son-n-law, Isaac, was showing as being a farmer, but had not estate value, but did have personal value of $1,200, indicating that he had no land of his own, but was 'the farmer' on the elder William Ayers estate.
Looking on an 1874 map of Northampton, William Ayers is found, east of Martin's Creek, the Church Hill area, with Kern & Mills farms nearby, of which were the farms of his deceased wife's families.
Will update this with more that I have, a bit later, and hopefully update with a lot more, as I learn more about him. Most notably, hoping to update with who his parents were, with enough proof that there would be no doubts.
He states in his pension file, that he married Susan Kern, in 1817, in Lower Mount Bethel. By 1820, they show up in the census with a small family started. He's reported to have lost his wife, 17 Feb 1840, and indeed when the census taker came around in June, William only had he and his children to report. Verified that she was definitely deceased before 22 October 1841, due to her father, Leonard Kern, stating so in his will, written that day, "my deceased daughter Susannah, wife of William Ayers".
So, in June 1840, William reported himself, age 40-50, a son age 20-30, a son age 15-20, 2 daughters age 15-20, 1 daughter age 10-15 & 1 age 5-10. Noting, there is one more son, Theodore that may have been missed. 1850 census shows him born about 1841-43 (age 8), but I wonder, if he was actually a little bit older, more like 10? (Father's often don't keep up with the exact age of most of their children, and 8 to 10 year old boys, their exact age often can't be discerned when looking at them.) Theodore was not listed on the 1840 census, which does agree with what the 1850 census shows. But, was he actually just a newborn baby and was being kept by an aunt, a sister of either his mother or father and not actually born in 1841-43? If he was, then William would be correct in not showing in the census of any sons younger than age 5. It is entirely possible that William's wife, Susanna, 'may' have died during or shortly after childbirth, especially as that she was only 36. But, it's not likely we'll ever know for certain unless a newspaper article (or a church birth record for Theodore), or something of the like, can be found.
William never remarried, at least, not to anyone's knowledge or noticed by any records for him [as mostly noted that his pension 'should' have had it recorded if it were so and there is not a mention of another marriage.] That should lay to rest the thoughts of some that thought the Catherine in the 1850 census with him was a second wife. But not so, she was a daughter.
He remained in Lower Mount Bethel the rest of his life. In 1850 at the age of 53, he was doing well, economically wise. A farmer with real estate value of $9,000. That was not chump change back then. With him were daughters Catherine & Mary, sons Theodore, Leonard & John.
Easy to figure where son Leonard got his name from. His maternal grandfather, Leonard Kern. Daughter, Catherine, may have been named after her maternal grandmother, Catherine Mills, wife of Leonard Kern. It's unknown who were the parents of William Ayers, so it may be that the sons Theodore & John & daughter Mary may have been from his side. Or not. I am working on trying to uncover some clues through probate records. The fact that in his pension papers, he stated he enlisted in Independence, Sussex, NJ, finally gives a clue to where he was from. For that war, that time period, you enlisted into the militia in the area you resided, unlike the later Civil War which enlistment was normally a trip to Trenton after draft was signed where you resided. So, from this, we can surmise, that he is one of the Ayers found in that area.
By 1860, he was still doing good, economically wise, with his estate valued only a little lower at $8,000, with personal at $500. At this point he was a retired farmer. His daughter Mary had married Phillip Horn and they, with their children William, Amanda & Ida were residing with him.
In 1864, in the middle of the war, he was taxed for a carriage, valued at $75, taxed of $1.00. The fact of having a carriage, gives us a picture of their life and travels. Not everyone with land, also had a carriage. This is significant to know about him. Appearances meant at least something to him, elsewise he would only have had a typical uncovered wagon for transport.
Come 1870, he was now living with his daughter Catherine & her husband, Isaac Rasely & their children, Emma, Mary, Matilda & William. With them was also a William H Rasely, age 19 as a farmhand. Elder William Ayers, was now doing better than before the war, a very unusual thing, with his estate valued at $12,000 & personal value of $2,000. His son-n-law, Isaac, was showing as being a farmer, but had not estate value, but did have personal value of $1,200, indicating that he had no land of his own, but was 'the farmer' on the elder William Ayers estate.
Looking on an 1874 map of Northampton, William Ayers is found, east of Martin's Creek, the Church Hill area, with Kern & Mills farms nearby, of which were the farms of his deceased wife's families.
Will update this with more that I have, a bit later, and hopefully update with a lot more, as I learn more about him. Most notably, hoping to update with who his parents were, with enough proof that there would be no doubts.
William Ayers, a man from the Independence, Sussex area of New Jersey, enlisted 8 Sep 1814 there, for the War of 1812, discharged 5 Dec 1814, serving 89 days, ranked as 3rd Sergeant under Capt. Alexander Redding's Co., NJ Militia. For his service, he was given bounty land of 160 acres, situated in Lower Mt. Bethel, Northampton, PA.
He states in his pension file, that he married Susan Kern, in 1817, in Lower Mount Bethel. By 1820, they show up in the census with a small family started. He's reported to have lost his wife, 17 Feb 1840, and indeed when the census taker came around in June, William only had he and his children to report. Verified that she was definitely deceased before 22 October 1841, due to her father, Leonard Kern, stating so in his will, written that day, "my deceased daughter Susannah, wife of William Ayers".
So, in June 1840, William reported himself, age 40-50, a son age 20-30, a son age 15-20, 2 daughters age 15-20, 1 daughter age 10-15 & 1 age 5-10. Noting, there is one more son, Theodore that may have been missed. 1850 census shows him born about 1841-43 (age 8), but I wonder, if he was actually a little bit older, more like 10? (Father's often don't keep up with the exact age of most of their children, and 8 to 10 year old boys, their exact age often can't be discerned when looking at them.) Theodore was not listed on the 1840 census, which does agree with what the 1850 census shows. But, was he actually just a newborn baby and was being kept by an aunt, a sister of either his mother or father and not actually born in 1841-43? If he was, then William would be correct in not showing in the census of any sons younger than age 5. It is entirely possible that William's wife, Susanna, 'may' have died during or shortly after childbirth, especially as that she was only 36. But, it's not likely we'll ever know for certain unless a newspaper article (or a church birth record for Theodore), or something of the like, can be found.
William never remarried, at least, not to anyone's knowledge or noticed by any records for him [as mostly noted that his pension 'should' have had it recorded if it were so and there is not a mention of another marriage.] That should lay to rest the thoughts of some that thought the Catherine in the 1850 census with him was a second wife. But not so, she was a daughter.
He remained in Lower Mount Bethel the rest of his life. In 1850 at the age of 53, he was doing well, economically wise. A farmer with real estate value of $9,000. That was not chump change back then. With him were daughters Catherine & Mary, sons Theodore, Leonard & John.
Easy to figure where son Leonard got his name from. His maternal grandfather, Leonard Kern. Daughter, Catherine, may have been named after her maternal grandmother, Catherine Mills, wife of Leonard Kern. It's unknown who were the parents of William Ayers, so it may be that the sons Theodore & John & daughter Mary may have been from his side. Or not. I am working on trying to uncover some clues through probate records. The fact that in his pension papers, he stated he enlisted in Independence, Sussex, NJ, finally gives a clue to where he was from. For that war, that time period, you enlisted into the militia in the area you resided, unlike the later Civil War which enlistment was normally a trip to Trenton after draft was signed where you resided. So, from this, we can surmise, that he is one of the Ayers found in that area.
By 1860, he was still doing good, economically wise, with his estate valued only a little lower at $8,000, with personal at $500. At this point he was a retired farmer. His daughter Mary had married Phillip Horn and they, with their children William, Amanda & Ida were residing with him.
In 1864, in the middle of the war, he was taxed for a carriage, valued at $75, taxed of $1.00. The fact of having a carriage, gives us a picture of their life and travels. Not everyone with land, also had a carriage. This is significant to know about him. Appearances meant at least something to him, elsewise he would only have had a typical uncovered wagon for transport.
Come 1870, he was now living with his daughter Catherine & her husband, Isaac Rasely & their children, Emma, Mary, Matilda & William. With them was also a William H Rasely, age 19 as a farmhand. Elder William Ayers, was now doing better than before the war, a very unusual thing, with his estate valued at $12,000 & personal value of $2,000. His son-n-law, Isaac, was showing as being a farmer, but had not estate value, but did have personal value of $1,200, indicating that he had no land of his own, but was 'the farmer' on the elder William Ayers estate.
Looking on an 1874 map of Northampton, William Ayers is found, east of Martin's Creek, the Church Hill area, with Kern & Mills farms nearby, of which were the farms of his deceased wife's families.
Will update this with more that I have, a bit later, and hopefully update with a lot more, as I learn more about him. Most notably, hoping to update with who his parents were, with enough proof that there would be no doubts.
He states in his pension file, that he married Susan Kern, in 1817, in Lower Mount Bethel. By 1820, they show up in the census with a small family started. He's reported to have lost his wife, 17 Feb 1840, and indeed when the census taker came around in June, William only had he and his children to report. Verified that she was definitely deceased before 22 October 1841, due to her father, Leonard Kern, stating so in his will, written that day, "my deceased daughter Susannah, wife of William Ayers".
So, in June 1840, William reported himself, age 40-50, a son age 20-30, a son age 15-20, 2 daughters age 15-20, 1 daughter age 10-15 & 1 age 5-10. Noting, there is one more son, Theodore that may have been missed. 1850 census shows him born about 1841-43 (age 8), but I wonder, if he was actually a little bit older, more like 10? (Father's often don't keep up with the exact age of most of their children, and 8 to 10 year old boys, their exact age often can't be discerned when looking at them.) Theodore was not listed on the 1840 census, which does agree with what the 1850 census shows. But, was he actually just a newborn baby and was being kept by an aunt, a sister of either his mother or father and not actually born in 1841-43? If he was, then William would be correct in not showing in the census of any sons younger than age 5. It is entirely possible that William's wife, Susanna, 'may' have died during or shortly after childbirth, especially as that she was only 36. But, it's not likely we'll ever know for certain unless a newspaper article (or a church birth record for Theodore), or something of the like, can be found.
William never remarried, at least, not to anyone's knowledge or noticed by any records for him [as mostly noted that his pension 'should' have had it recorded if it were so and there is not a mention of another marriage.] That should lay to rest the thoughts of some that thought the Catherine in the 1850 census with him was a second wife. But not so, she was a daughter.
He remained in Lower Mount Bethel the rest of his life. In 1850 at the age of 53, he was doing well, economically wise. A farmer with real estate value of $9,000. That was not chump change back then. With him were daughters Catherine & Mary, sons Theodore, Leonard & John.
Easy to figure where son Leonard got his name from. His maternal grandfather, Leonard Kern. Daughter, Catherine, may have been named after her maternal grandmother, Catherine Mills, wife of Leonard Kern. It's unknown who were the parents of William Ayers, so it may be that the sons Theodore & John & daughter Mary may have been from his side. Or not. I am working on trying to uncover some clues through probate records. The fact that in his pension papers, he stated he enlisted in Independence, Sussex, NJ, finally gives a clue to where he was from. For that war, that time period, you enlisted into the militia in the area you resided, unlike the later Civil War which enlistment was normally a trip to Trenton after draft was signed where you resided. So, from this, we can surmise, that he is one of the Ayers found in that area.
By 1860, he was still doing good, economically wise, with his estate valued only a little lower at $8,000, with personal at $500. At this point he was a retired farmer. His daughter Mary had married Phillip Horn and they, with their children William, Amanda & Ida were residing with him.
In 1864, in the middle of the war, he was taxed for a carriage, valued at $75, taxed of $1.00. The fact of having a carriage, gives us a picture of their life and travels. Not everyone with land, also had a carriage. This is significant to know about him. Appearances meant at least something to him, elsewise he would only have had a typical uncovered wagon for transport.
Come 1870, he was now living with his daughter Catherine & her husband, Isaac Rasely & their children, Emma, Mary, Matilda & William. With them was also a William H Rasely, age 19 as a farmhand. Elder William Ayers, was now doing better than before the war, a very unusual thing, with his estate valued at $12,000 & personal value of $2,000. His son-n-law, Isaac, was showing as being a farmer, but had not estate value, but did have personal value of $1,200, indicating that he had no land of his own, but was 'the farmer' on the elder William Ayers estate.
Looking on an 1874 map of Northampton, William Ayers is found, east of Martin's Creek, the Church Hill area, with Kern & Mills farms nearby, of which were the farms of his deceased wife's families.
Will update this with more that I have, a bit later, and hopefully update with a lot more, as I learn more about him. Most notably, hoping to update with who his parents were, with enough proof that there would be no doubts.
Inscription
William Ayers, death July 13th 1877, aged 83yr & 13 days
Gravesite Details
GAR marker, served in the War of 1812
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