Descendants of Joseph Ayers
Contributed by Sheila Kell
1. JOSEPH AYERS (JOHN, JEDEDIAH JR., JEDEDIAH, ) was born 19 Dec 1828 in Cincinnati, Hamilton, OH, and died 16 Apr 1920 in Paris, Jennings Co., Indiana. He married HARRIET AGNES ZENER 02 Dec 1851 in Jefferson Co., Indiana, daughter of DAVID ZENER and PHEOBE BAKER. She was born 07 Feb 1830 in Jefferson Co., Indiana, and died 02 Sep 1900 in Paris , Jennings Co., Indiana.
Notes for JOSEPH AYERS:
Joseph Ayers
(First_Last)
Regiment Name
9 Indiana Legion (10 Days, 1863.)
Side Union
Company I
Soldier's Rank_In 1 Lieut.
Soldier's Rank_Out 1 Lieut.
Film Number M540 roll 3
Page
194
Aug 12th 1893
Saturday before second Lord’s Day Church met in regular session. Sermon from 2 Cor. 8th Chapter theme in consecration, long he leadeth me. 1. Peace of the church called for, no complaints. 2. Minutes read and approved. 3. Deac. O PHILLIPS read the financial report which was received. 4. Resolved that financial report for the year will commence the first of July and end thirtieth of June. 5. A letter was granted to Sr. Mary ELLIOTT WILSON. 6. The association letter read and approved when filled out. 7. The chair requested to appoint the delegates to the Association. 8. Brother DODD presented a bill of indebtedness on the stones, which was assigned to the board. 9. The clerk makes a motion to elect a clerk for the ensuing year, whereupon Sr. Ida WRIGHT was duly elected. 10. Moved & second to adjourn till Saturday before second Lord’s day in Sep.
Sr. B. R. SAMSON, clerk
Pastor, T. A. Childs, Mod.
Association Messengers: Deacons Warren MALCOMB, G. W. DODD, Thomas DEPUTY, Ella NELSON, & Sr. B. K. SAMSON. Alternate Srs. Elizabeth McGANNON, Mary DIXON, Charles WRIGHT, Joseph AYERS, John ELLIOTT.
Paris Crossing, Dec. 9, 1893
Saturday before second Sunday in Dec. church met in regular session and as the pastor was absent, W. T. DEPUTY was elected moderator. 1. Minutes of last meeting read and approved. 2. Peace called for no complaint. 3. Motion that the fourth rule of Code of rules be dropped and the New Testament plan adopted. Motion carried. 4. Joseph AYERS elected treasurer. 5. Reorganization of S. S. All of the present officers retained except Assistant Supt. And W. T. DEPUTY was elected. 6. Bro. Casper VORBURGER and wife call for letter. Deferred until next meeting. 7. Adjourned.
W. T. Deputy, Mod.
Ida E. Wright, Clk.
August 11th 1894
Letter to Association
The coffee Creek Baptist Church
To the Coffee Creek Baptist Association
Dear Brethren and Sisters,
In the name of our common Master we greet you and heartily welcome you to our church and homes. The past year has been to us one of spiritual growth and increase in membership largely from the Sunday school. We have a B.Y.P.U. that is doing very good work. We regret that our missionary collections have been so small yet the subject has been presented and a collection taken each quarter. We are now engaged in an effort to raise $500 to pay off church debt, reseat church and make other necessary improvements. We have been called to mourn the loss of four of our members, viz.
Elias ABRAMS died Sept. 23rd 1893.
John C. ROGERS died Jan
20th 1894 aged 79 yrs 9 days
Lucy KAY died Feb 20th 1894 aged 39
years
John C. WILSON died
May 22, 1894.
Servants of
God well done.
Rest from
thy loved employ.
The
battles fought the victory won
Enter thy master’s joy.
Messengers: Bros. W. L. MALCOMB, Joseph AYERS, Geo DODD, Chas. WRIGHT & Sisters Malita MALCOMB, Bell K. SAMPSON, Ella NELSON and Ida E. WRIGHT.
More About JOSEPH
AYERS:
Burial: Paris, Jennings Co.,
Indiana
Census: 1920,
Living in Montgomery Township, Jennings County IN, with Wilber Malcomb and his
wife Magdalene Ayers Malcomb
Children in home: 1870, Mathias, Sarah, Leonidas,
Magdaline.
Military
service: 11 May 1861, Elected First Lieutenant in the Indiana Militia, Paris
Guards, out of Paris Indiana, Jennings Co., Papers signed by Oliver P.
Morton.
Neighbors: 1880,
Daniel Ray, whose family later owned the Ayers land, and Joseph C. Tibbits, who
wrote the Coffee Creek Baptist Church book.
Occupation: 1880, Cabinet
Maker
Residence: 1880, In
household are Joseph, Harriet, daughter Maggie and Grandaughter Josephine
Flood.
Notes for HARRIET AGNES ZENER:
Pastor's 1883 List of Members
Coffee Creek Baptist
Church
Paris Crossing,
Jennings County, Indiana
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Member Surname Reception Date Year Departure Date Year
Elias Abrams letter Sept 1883 death 23-Sep
1893
Martha Abrams letter
Sept 1883 letter Nov
Julia
Etta Adams baptism Feb 1864 letter
Charity Arbuckle baptism Feb 1864 letter
Ellison Arbuckle baptism
1878 letter Apr 1882
Hester Arbuckle baptism 1878 letter Apr 1882
Katy Arbuckle baptism Nov
1832 death 20-Jan 1879
Matthew Arbuckle baptism Oct 1841 death November
1874
Polly Arbuckle
baptism Jan 1841 letter May 1881
Sally Arbuckle baptism June 1840 death July 1883
Harriet Ayers restored
July 1889
Mable Ayers
baptism 22-May 1897
Joseph
Ayres relation Oct 1892
More About HARRIET AGNES ZENER:
Burial: Paris, Jennings Co.,
Indiana
Property: Bet. 1887
- 1888, Gazetteer of Jefferson Co, Property owners, Graham Townahip, listed with
20 acres.
More About JOSEPH AYERS and HARRIET ZENER:
Marriage: 02 Dec 1851, Jefferson Co., Indiana
Children of JOSEPH AYERS and HARRIET ZENER are:
2. i. GENEVA AGNES AYERS, b. 25 Sep 1852,
Jefferson County, Indiana; d. 26 Jul 1940, Paris, Jennings Co.,
Indiana.
3. ii. MATHIAS
ZENER AYERS, b. 23 Dec 1855, Jefferson County, Indiana; d. 11 Apr 1943, Pierce
County, Washington.
4. iii.
SARAH CATHERINE AYERS, b. 16 Sep 1857, Jefferson County, Indiana; d. 20 Feb
1946, Nashville, Tennessee.
5. iv. LEONIDAS AYERS, b. 08 Feb 1860, Jefferson
County, Indiana; d. 18 Jun 1940, Paris , Jennings Co.,
Indiana.
v. JOSEPH L.
AYERS, b. 01 Sep 1866, Jefferson County, Indiana.
vi. MAGDALINE L. AYERS, b. 04 Nov 1868, Jefferson
County, Indiana; d. 1964, Liberty Center, Indiana; m. (1) WILBERN "WIB" MALCOMB,
Abt. 1890; b. 01 Nov 1866, Jennings County,Indiana; d. 16 Mar 1920, Indiana; m.
(2) SIMON B. RISSER, Aft. 1920; b. 13 Aug 1860, Indiana; d. 07 Dec 1932, Wells
County, Indiana.
More About MAGDALINE L. AYERS:
Burial: Coffee Creek Christian Church
Cemetery, Paris Crossing, Jennings Co., Indiana
Census: 1920, Nobel Township, Rush County,
Indiana
Occupation: 1920,
Seamstress
Residence: 1930,
Graham, Jefferson, Indiana
More About WILBERN "WIB" MALCOMB:
Burial: 1920, Coffee Creek Christian Church
Cemetery, Paris Crossing, Jennings Co., Indiana
Census: 1920, Nobel Township, Rush County,
Indiana
Occupation: 1920,
Farmer on census
Residence:
RR#6, North Vernon, IN, 857 W. 7th St, Rushville, IN., 5940 University St.
Indianapolis, IN.
More About WILBERN MALCOMB and MAGDALINE
AYERS:
Marriage: Abt.
1890
More About SIMON B.
RISSER:
Burial: 10 Dec
1932, Stahl Cemetery, Thomas Rich Funeral Home handling
Living with family: 1920, In 1920 census a child
named Opal Risser is living with the family labeled Orphan she is 6 years
old.
Residence: 1920,
Graham, Jefferson, Indiana
More About SIMON RISSER and MAGDALINE
AYERS:
Marriage: Aft.
1920
Generation No. 22. GENEVA AGNESAYERS (JOSEPH9, JOHN8, JEDEDIAH JR.7, JEDEDIAH6, ) was born 25 Sep 1852 in Jefferson County, Indiana, and died 26 Jul 1940 in Paris, Jennings Co., Indiana. She married (1) PATRICK BERNARD FLOOD 25 Apr 1869 in Vernon, Jennings Co. Indiana. He was born 1839 in Ireland, and died Aft. 1875 in St. Louis, Mo. She married (2) SIMEON STEWART 23 Mar 1879, son of JOHN STEWART and MARYETTE MUNN. He was born 29 Jul 1849 in Switzerland Co., Indiana, and died 24 Feb 1925 in Paris, Jennings Co., Indiana.
Notes for GENEVA AGNES AYERS:
Written by Geneva (Stewart) Ayers and read at her funeral by Rev. McCoy
When on these lines in future years, You
cast your smiles, Perhaps your tears.
Let thoughts of me your mind engage and think of me
who wrote this page.
Remember me when death shall close, My eyelids in
their last repose.
and
evening breezes gently wave, The long green grass over my
grave.
______________________________________________________________________
From They Say and Do In The Country , by Charles E. Eberhart, Madison Courier, June 28, 1938.
Some time ago a paragraph in an historical note on Jefferson County piques the curiosity of the writer. It was an invitation to his speculative imagination. It envisioned things so exotic that it seemed fantastic.
This paragraph simply stated that along about 100 years ago silk worms had been grown, thread spun from their cocoons, fabric woven for dress materials and quite an industry developed. Though short lived. In the village of Paris on the northwestern border of this county/ Also that a certain individual, one Dr.-----Foster, initials and address omitted , had a piece of this cloth.
Yesterday the writer went to Paris, Old Paris, if you please, to do a little verifying. The historical paragraph was written quite a few years back and the job promised to be difficult. The reward was greater than the writer had any right to expect.
In the first place he found still living the granddaughter and the grandson of the maker of the silk who had first hand knowledge of how it was done. In the second he got a picture of life in the early days of the last century that is both interesting and informative. In the third place he found the family tied in with the beginnings of river navigation by steamboat and brings to light a chapter in the history of one branch of the Roosevelt family that is vaguely known, if known at all.
The two central figures in this experience yesterday are Mrs. Jennie Stewart (Grandmother Stewart) 86 years old and her brother, Leonidas Zener Ayers, 78. Mrs. Stewart lived a few years of her life in West Madison, while Mr. Ayers has spent almost all his days in Paris.
Paris itself is quaint and intriguing. Its streets stand unchanged except to be improved since the early part of the 19th century. Down the main road of the town Gen John H. Morgan's flankers and part of his main army rode 75 years ago next month and only one house that is new since then has changed the view Morgans men must have had that day.
In a little brick house off the main road lives Mrs. Stewart. She was doing some canning when the writer dropped in on her yesterday. Despite her advanced years she is active, cheerful and as such in tune with today as any of those sixty years her junior.
Mrs. Stewart smiled kindly at the writer and invited him in. She gave a final check on proceedings in the kitchen and then with a cheerful smile and gesture, as much as to say "fire-away", sat down for a chat,
"Yes, it's true silk cloth was made here", she said. It was before my day but it was in the family and my aunts were among those who wore dresses out of our homemade product."
"The weaving of the silk cloth, also the spinning and the dyeing were done by my grandmother, Mrs. David Zener. This was back in 1829. My grandfather, David Zener, planted a long line of Mulberry Trees, known as the Monte Carlo variety, along the property east of town now belonging to John Ray. Later he brought in silk worms. They had great difficulty getting them. They were fed on the leaves of the mulberry and the silk gathered in their cocoons later.
"They apparently quite prolific for the industry grew very rapidly. My grandmother made the row. the cloth coming about--here she spread her hands to indicate the size, which was about 14 inches--so wide."
"She made her own dyes to dye the material with. These dyes were generally good for woollen materials she also made. For one color of red she grew 'Madder' and for another red she used 'cochineal those little red insects, you know, dissolving the bugs in muriatic acid and using a few drops of the drained off acid to set the dye. For blue, she used indigo, making a solution that she set with a kind of yeast. Yellow she made from the bark of a sweet apple tree. By putting the yellow and blue together she got her green.
"And let me say the dyes were permanent, as well as beautiful. I have seen much of the fabric that was existent when I was a girl and it was fresh and unfaded for years after it was made."
"My grandmother had seven daughters,--Lydia, Elizabeth, Sarah, Harriet(my mother), Malinda, Catherine and Betsy(Magdaline). She, among other things made a silk dress for each of the sisters. They were known as 'Changeable silk and very pretty. When Elizabeth got married she made a special dress for her and for the skirt alone, it took six widths. (This would be about 64 or so inches).
"My grandmother made the silk cloth for years on her looms for which special steel parts had to be imported. Then came the products of the large silk mills and ended that business. The silk was widely known and the materials were very beautiful."
From Mrs. Stewart's description the material was much like what is known as shantung, slightly coarse and heavy. She said the panels of Elizabeth's wedding dress were later distributed among her sisters as keepsakes. Mrs. Stewart in turn, has given her section to her grand-children by whom it is very cherished.
"Probably one of the most difficult things Grandmother did" said Mrs. Stewart, "was the making of plaid silks and woolens, this called for great skill in setting up the frames. For the woolen goods, the fleece of the Marino sheep imported by Grandfather was used. All of the girls had beautiful woolen dresses, as well as silk and a certain type of flannel dress goods my Grandmother made."
Mrs. Stewarts' Grandmother enjoys probably a unique place in state history, as well as her Grandfather, for originating the idea, so far as it is known, they were the first and only ones in the west then to raise silkworms, spin the thread and weave it into cloth.
1st Sat April, 1879, Coffee Creek Baptist Church Records
Church met and discourse by Bro. Wm.
MONROE, a letter was granted to Sister Jennie STEWART formerly FLOOD. Adjourned.
Frank Phillips, clerk
Wm. Monroe, moderator
Jennie Flood baptism 1878 letter 1879
More About GENEVA AGNES
AYERS:
Burial: Paris,
Jennings Co., Indiana
More About PATRICK FLOOD and GENEVA
AYERS:
Marriage: 25 Apr
1869, Vernon, Jennings Co. Indiana
More About SIMEON
STEWART:
Burial: Paris,
Jennings Co., Indiana
Census: 1880, Living on the home place with
his mother
Occupation:
1900, In census lists himself as a Painter
Residence: 1880, Craig, Switzerland, Indiana, United
States
More About SIMEON STEWART and GENEVA
AYERS:
Marriage: 23 Mar
1879
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