Home

 Biographies Index  

Contacts

A native son of California, William D. Ayers was born at Stony Point, Sonoma county, March 21, 1869, the youngest of the seven children born to his pioneer parents, William and Martha (Wade) Ayers, natives of Ireland and Virginia respectively. A sketch of the former appears elsewhere in this volume.

The primary education of William D. Ayers was begun in Stony Point and continued in Petaluma, whither the family removed when he was eleven years of age. He was about seventeen years old when he entered the employ of the Wells-Fargo Company as a messenger, and for nearly twenty-five years he has continued with the same company. Year by year he was advanced to positions of greater trust and responsibility, and at one time his duties on the road took him as far east as Ogden, Utah, and as far north as Oregon. For a number of years he has been the efficient encumbent of the position of general manager of the company at Petaluma, his long training in the various departments of the company’s business fitting him admirably to cope with any problem that might arise. Interests outside of his position with the express company have contributed to his income for some time, one of which is the handling of dairy produce, eggs and poultry, and besides this he has bought and sold considerable real-estate. Considerable of his means has been invested in choice business property in Petaluma, besides which he owns a fine ranch of seven hundred acres in close proximity to town. From the foregoing enumeration it might be inferred that he is so absorbed in his personal affairs that he has no time for matters of public import. This would be unjust, for he is intensely interested in the welfare of his home city and has served as school trustee for many years.

The marriage of William D. Ayers occurred October 31, 1892, and united him with Miss Ada May Carlisle, who, like himself, was born in California. They have three children, William D., Jr., Mervin W. and Harry W. Mr. Ayers was made a Mason in Petaluma Lodge No. 180, and is a member of Petaluma Chapter No. 32, R. A. M., Mount Olivet Commandery No. 30, K. T., Islam Temple, N. M. S., of San Francisco, and is also a member of the local lodge of Elks.

Source:
History of Sonoma County, California
Biographical Sketches of The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified With Its Growth and Development from the Early Days to the Present
History By: Tom Gregory
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California (1911)

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper 2011