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   	    OBITUARY.
                 _______
          Rev. Dr. Samuel Ayers.

  It is with pain that we announce the death of
one of Linn county's most honored and trust-
worthy men, Rev. Dr. Samuel Ayers.  He was
born in Massachusetts, February 4, 1803,
and died at the home of his son, W. H. Ayers,
of paralysis, February 17th, 1887, at the age
of 84 years.  The deceased came to Kansas in
the year 1857, and was one of the pioneers who 
did much in developing Linn county.  He took
great interest in public affairs, was admired
and beloved by all who knew him, and I can 
truthfully say that no man in Linn county
had fewer enemies.  He was the father of
nine children, four of whom are living, W. H.
and P. H., of this place, Mrs. Blangy, of No. 9,
and N. J. of Ottawa, Kansas, and an aged 
companion, aged 80 years.  In 1860 he went 
East as one of the solicitors for aid, in '61 he
enlisted in the service, and was chaplain of the
Seventh Kansas.  In '63 and '64 was a mem-
ber of the Legislature.  In '65 he was appointed
assistant surgeon at Leavenworth and
Lawrence.  For the last fifteen years he has
been a great sufferer, but with a Christian
spirit endured has affliction without a murmur,
and when the Master called he was ready.
He was heard many times to say that all was
well.  He was in the ministry 62 years, that
of the M. E. Church.  He was a true believer
in the principles of the church to which he
belonged.
  The funeral sermon was preached by the
Rev. T. Stephenson, Friday, of last week, at
Wesley Chapel, at 2 o'clock, and he was
buried at that cemetery.
                          A FRIEND.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  
ADDITIONAL NOTES by transcriber Gloria ODOM 1/11/98:

Samuel AYERS was the son of Asa AYRES [AYERS] (Sr.) & Mary WAIT; a descendant of 
Capt. John AYRES of Brookfield, MA (d. 1675).  Samuel AYERS married Ruth NASH, 
who was still living at the time of her husband's death (perhaps referred to in the obit. 
as the "aged companion", as age 80 was Ruth's approximate age at that time).

While many of Capt. John's descendants use the surname spelled as "AYRES", 
it is interesting to note that there were some of the descendants, as noted here, 
that used the surname spelled as "AYERS".  I do not know the reason for 
this difference.