Category: Paternal Family Lines

Parent for all Paternal Family lines

Isaac Depew Sr, One of the Revolutionary War Overmountain Men

March 20, 2013 Dennis Ayers No comments exist

The oldest child of John Depew and his wife Catharine was Isaac Depew, Sr., born in Sept 1758 in New Jersey. When the family moved to a farm near Fincastle in Botetourt County, VA. he moved with them, but at the age of 18 he enlisted in the militia to fight in the Revolutionary War. Per his pension application filed many years after the war, in 1776 and 1777 he served several 3 month tours of duty as a Private fighting the Cherokee Indians. These actions first brought him to be familiar with East TN. In 1780 he again joined the militia to repel the Cherokees, and earned the rank of Captain under Colonel Landon Carter.

In Oct 1780, Captain Isaac Depew was one of the 1040 volunteers from Tennessee called the Overmountain men who played a very significant role in defeating the British in the Battle of Kings Mountain. The men first gathered at Sycamore Shoals near Elizabethton, TN, and then marched 80 miles in 5 days across the mountains to join forces with about 400 North Carolina militia. Together they engaged the enemy led by Colonel Ferguson at Kings Mountain just below the South Carolina border. (Recall from a previous post about our Ayers ancestors in the Rev War, that Elihu and Nathaniel Ayers fought with the NC militia.) The victory at Kings Mountain proved decisive in defeating the British in the South and eventually in gaining American independence. Isaac Depew also stated that he later took part in the Battle of Guilford Courthouse in 1781.

After the war, Isaac returned home to Virginia. However, by 1784 he had relocated to East Tennessee. By occupation he was a wheelright, cabinet maker and a farmer. He also became active politically when in 1799 he was appointed Commissioner of Jonesborough and in 1801 Commissioner of Washington County. He eventually settled at Rock Springs, in Sullivan County. Between 1787 and 1850 he bought and sold land on a regular basis and at one point had accumulated 3000 acres on and near Bays Mountain.

Isaac Depew, Sr. married twice, first to Jane Jones in 1780, and then after she died to Virginia Grimes, a widow in 1804. Altogether, he was the father of seventeen children. According to reports, the Depews were deeply religious people and highly skilled workmen. Isaac Depew had heirs who were magistrates, physicians, farmers and soldiers. A grandson, The Reverend William P. Depew, to whom he had given substantial land became a preacher in the Methodist Church and was held in very high regard by all who knew him. He gave the land, organized and help build Depew’s Chapel and served as its pastor. Several Depews are buried in the Chapel cemetery including Captain Isaac Depew. The church, located in the shadow of Bays Mountain near Kingsport, TN, is still in use today.

Captain Isaac Depew was one of the most respected men in his county. However, he became the subject of general notoriety when he became opposed in principle to the Congressional Act of 1832 which established pensions for service in the Revolutionary War. His complaint was that it allowed pensions to persons able to support themselves. He believed the Act was too liberal in its provisions, and those who did not need the aid obtained it too easily. He personally possessed property and good health and the ability to subsist without aid from the government. It is totally unclear then, why Isaac Depew eventually filed his own application in 1852. By that time he was already 94 years old and other volunteers who could have provided testimony of his service had already died before him. So the application was turned down due to lack of sufficient proof, and he died in 1854 without providing any additional information.

John DEPEW, the Immigrant for the DEPEW Line

February 1, 2013 Dennis No comments exist

As mentioned, Walter Depew migrated from France to Ludlow, England around 1695. We do not know who Walter married, but he had a son, John, who was born near Ludlow castle “in the North of England” in 1726. Thanks to the research of others including Josephine Depew Shelton a descendant, we believe that John came to America in 1748 while the colonies were still under British rule. So, John was our American immigrant for the Depew line.

Also, in 1748, John married Catherine Shepherd in Princeton, Middlesex County, New Jersey. Later, they lived for a while in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, as records show there was a lawsuit in 1770 in which “John Depew Senr” was a party, and also in Lancaster County where “John Depew, freeman” was taxed 15 shillings in 1771 as a resident. John and Catherine had eight children.

Like many other Pennsylvania families, sometime prior to the Revolutionary War the family moved southward and finally settled in Botetourt County, VA. John is then listed on Rev War roles as an officer in Captain Henry Heith’s Independent Company of Virginia Troops stationed at Fort Pitt in Pennsylvania in 1777 and 1778. So, it was ironic that John took up the fight as a colonist after being born as a British citizen.

After his war service, the earliest record of John Depew in Botetourt County shows that he surveyed a road there in September, 1778. Residents of the county were responsible for maintaining roads for the five miles nearest their property, and all men between the ages of 18 and 65 were required to work on the roads, and could be fined for not doing so.

Later, in Aug 1798, there was a survey for John Depew Sen’r of 370 acres on Glade Creek, on both sides of the Great Road (perhaps the Great Wagon Road?). John died at age 85 in April, 1811, after leaving a will made in June 1809. His wife, Catherine, also died that same year at age 80.

Our DEPEW Forebears in Europe

January 30, 2013 Dennis No comments exist

The earliest Depews appear to have come from the area near Paris, France, in the seventeenth century and were of noble origin. During that period, as elsewhere in Europe, there was a bitter struggle between the Catholics and the Protestants. In France most of the Protestants were called Huguenots (properly pronounced yu-geh-noh). They diverged from Catholic beliefs in the rejection of the Pope’s authority and in the individual’s right to interpret scriptures for himself. This placed them in conflict with both the Catholic Church and the King of France. The Huguenots advocated liberal reforms in religion and government, while the Catholics, who were in power, persecuted all who opposed them. In 1685, King Louis XIV went on the throne and began a campaign of unbearable cruelty against all Huguenots.

As a result of such intense persecution, it has been estimated by historians that by the end of the 1600s, up to 300,000 Huguenots had evaded authorities and made their way out of the country. In general, those who left France were of a superior type, many of them belonging to the nobility. They were industrious and independent, with many coming from the highly skilled artisan class. This exodus was a primary reason that French culture and artistic ability have been scattered throughout the world. Against this historical backdrop, some of the Depews were among those Huguenots who fled for religious freedom.

According to the book, The Trail of the Huguenots, by G. Elmore Reaman, Barthelmy Depew was born in 1650 and became a trusted Lieutenant in the palace guard of Louis XIV. He retired in 1682 and married countess Susannah Lavillon. However, following his Protestant beliefs, he escaped to Germany in 1685 where he stayed for 14 years before going to England in 1699. He then sailed to America to a Huguenot settlement near Richmond,Virginia where he died in 1714.

Also, Walter (Gaultier) Depew was born in 1674, and although some researchers suspect he was a descendant of Barhelmy, to my knowledge it has not been proven. Like many other Huguenots, Walter, made his way to England about 1695 and located in Ludlow, Shropshire, where he is said to have been a soldier. That is where he died in 1728 at age 54. Walter was our Depew ancestor.

The DEPEW Branch of Our Tree

January 28, 2013 Dennis No comments exist

Now I will turn to stories about the DEPEW branch of our family tree which follows my father’s mother’s maiden name ancestors. As might be expected just from the sound of it, the origin of Depew is French, and the name was apparently derived from those who dwelt near or on a hill. Sometimes the P is capitalized as well as the D in the spelling (i.e, DePew). However, there are numerous spelling variations including Depue, Depuy, Depui, Depuis, Dupew and many more. None of the variations are very common in the United States. For example there are only about 6000 persons named Depew as of the 2000 census. Most Depew families today live in New York state. Most Depew families in Canada live in the Ontario Province across the border from New York. As you will see later on, however, our line of Depews in America migrated from New Jersey to Virginia and then on to Tennessee.

By the way, also as of the 2000 U.S. Census, only 8.3 million Americans claimed French ancestry. That’s only about 3% of the total population, much less than those who claim ancestry from other European countries.

Ira Ayers and Helen Derrie Biographical Sketch

May 9, 2011 Dennis Ayers No comments exist

This is a short biographical sketch of the lives of Ira Ayers and his wife Helen Derrie. It very briefly describes where they lived, worked and worshipped during their lifetimes. Since they are my mother and father, I call them Mom and Dad in this post. I realize that I have already described some of Dad’s and Mom’s early days in previous posts, but I want to include some of that same information again in this post to have a complete summary for both Mom and Dad.

Walnut Mountain, Pioneer, TN

Ira Ayers (Dad) was born in a log house similar to the one shown on Walnut Mountain, in Campbell County, TN on November 14, 1913, and was raised there on a 42 acre farm. The property was located off Adam Hollow Rd off Stinking Creek Rd. The mailing address was RFD #1, Pioneer, TN. It was about 25 miles to LaFollette, TN by road, but less than half that across the mountains on foot or horseback.

As the oldest child, he worked many long hard days on the farm alongside his Father, and shouldered many other family responsibilities.

Seveirville, TN

Dad enlisted into the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCCs) in his early 20s. He was first stationed at the CCC camp in the Smoky Mountains National Park where he helped clear land for roads and campgrounds. He stayed at that camp from June 18, 1935 until March 16, 1936.

Norris, TN

After being in the CCCs for 9 months, Dad was transferred to the camp at Norris, TN which was much closer to home. At this location, he helped clear land for roads and recreation areas around the newly constructed Norris Dam. He worked there from March 16, 1936 until September 30, 1937 when he was discharged from the CCCs. During this period he was hospitalized for 3 months at Ft. Oglethorpe, GA due to a serious accident in which he almost cut off the front of his left foot with an axe.

Charlie Hollow, Stinking Creek, TN

After returning from the CCCs, Dad moved back home to the farm and worked with his brother Addison at the Charlie Hollow Coal Mines. He did not like the work.

Jacksboro, TN

Helen Derrie, (Mom) was born in Jacksboro, TN on March 7, 1923. She was a middle child in a large family. Jacksboro is the Seat of Campbell County.

LaFollette, TN

Mom moved with her family to LaFollette, TN when she was only 6 months

old. When she was 14, the family moved to a house on Hwy 25W at Coke Oven Hill. Part of the unpainted house can be seen in the picture of her father. They were extremely poor and Mom had to drop out of school and lie about her age so she could get a job in the local shirt factory.

As a young teenager, Mom worked in the shirt factory in Lafollette. There she was paid by the number of pieces sewed in a day. It was called “piecework”.

She met Dad at a square dance. They got married on January 2, 1942 and moved to Baltimore, MD for only a few months until Dad was drafted in the Army. When he went into the service, Mom moved back home with her family in LaFollette, TN. She continued to live there until their first child, Dennis Ira Ayers (me), was born on December 28, 1942.

2112 Coker Ave., Knoxville, TN

Den 1yr & Mother — **Helen and Dennis 1943**

After I was born, Mom soon moved with me to live with her older sister, Lillian, at her house at 2112 Coker Ave. in Knoxville, TN. Aunt Lilley had made the invitation to make sure that Mom and I had better living conditions while I was still a baby. Mom lived there from about January 1943 for a year.

911 N. Calvert St, Baltimore, MD

Before the War, Dad had actually moved to Baltimore with his cousin Leonard Ferguson in May 1941, and worked in a body and fender shop. (Don’t know where he lived during that time.)

1st 911 N. Calvert St in 2009 — **2009 View**

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec 7, 1941, he returned to LaFollette and married Mom on Jan 2, 1942. Together they returned to Baltimore for a short time in early 1942 and he got a job with the B&O Railroad. When he was drafted in April, he and Mom traveled back to LaFollette. After the War, they again moved back to Baltimore where the B&O had held his job for him. They first lived in an apartment at 911 N. Calvert Street from January 1946 to March 1948, and acted as superintendents for apartments in two large 3 Story townhouses. Mom collected rents and Dad kept the coal furnaces fired up for heat to all the apartments. They received a reduction in the rent of their own apartment for their efforts.-

107 N. Carey St., Baltimore, MD

They rented an apartment at 107 N. Carey Street from March 1948 to May 1948. The townhouse was across the street from a small park and was the first and only house they ever lived in that had a bathroom shower. Not sure why they lived here only two months except perhaps it was the opportunity to buy their own house which caused them to move again quickly.

2235 Guilford Ave., Baltimore, MD

3rd 2235 Guilford Ave 2009 — **2235 Guilford Ave in 2009 Rebuilt After A Fire**

They bought a 3 story townhouse at 2235 Guilford Avenue in May 1948, and lived there until March 1950. They rented out an apartment on the top floor. On Saturdays, I was allowed to go with some older kids to the movies several blocks away on Greenmount Ave. They were comfortable in this house, but Dad yearned to move to the country.

This is where their second child, Helen Carol Ayers, was born on February 18, 1950.

During the years they lived in the city, they always used public transportation. They bought their first car, a 1947 Gray Pymouth, when they got ready to move to the country in 1950.

Baltimore City Church

In the 1940s, Mom and Dad became devout Christians. They attended the Christian & Missionary Alliance church for most of the time they lived in Baltimore City, and for several more years even after moving to the country. It was located at the corner of Guilford Ave and Lanvale Street. I remember many long rides on Sundays to this church, sometimes twice a day from out in the country. Mom always liked to round up as many neighbor children as possible and take them to Sunday School.

1676 Woodstock Rd., Woodstock, MD

In November 1949. they bought a 7.5 acre farm on Old Court Rd, Woodstock, in Howard County MD.

The property contained a small three bedroom, one bath house with a coal fired furnace. The house had been built in the late 1920s where an old one room schoolhouse once stood. A flagpole in the front yard and and remnants of an old seesaw in the side yard were reminders of an earlier era. However, Mom was pregnant with Carol and needed frequent attention at Lutheran Hospital in the city. So, they didn’t move to this property until April 1950, after Carol was born and the weather had begun warming.

This is the house where their third child, Annette Arlene Ayers, was born on January 11, 1959.

The mailing address was at first just Rt #1, Woodstock, MD, but it was changed around 1970 to 1676 Woodstock Rd. After living there for 53 years they were forced to move for health reasons in April 2003.

Ellicott City Church

Seven years after moving to Howard County, Mom and Dad finally transferred to the First Church of God in Ellicott City. They attended church there from around 1957 until the mid 1980s, over 25 years. Attending church functions was their primary social outlet, and they continued taking neighborhood children to Sunday School.

Rogers Avenue Church

Helen & Ira Ayers 1989 — **Ira and Helen ca 1989**

In the mid 1980s, Mom and Dad left the small church in downtown Ellicott City to join the much larger Crossroads Church of the Nazarene located closer to home on Rogers Avenue. This church offered them many more opportunities for fellowship in their older years. They really enjoyed being in the Primetimers senior’s group.

Camden Yards Rail Yard, Baltimore, MD

Dad first went to work for the B&O Railroad on March 5, 1942, but after only one month of service he was drafted into the Army. The B&O held his job for him until he could resume work as a Brakeman after the war was over. His primary base of work was the Camden Rail Yard in Baltimore City. This site is where the Oriole Baseball Park at Camden Yards is located today.

Locust Point Rail Yard, Baltimore, MD

Dad also worked months at a time at the B&O Locust Point Rail Yard located near Ft. McHenry in Baltimore. He was a member of the Railroad Workers Union and over the years gained considerable seniority in the Union. As a result, his job was secure and he always was able to “bump” workers with less seniority to work shifts and locations which he preferred. For example, he almost always worked the 3:00PM to 11:30PM second shift which allowed him to do farm work in the mornings.

Dad retired in August 1978 with 36 years and 5 months service. His last position was Yard Foreman. He was 65 years old.

Spring Grove State Hosptial, Catonsville, MD

After working at home to pass her GED test, Mom took a job with the State of MD in a nurses training program at the Spring Grove State Hospital located in Catonsville, MD in 1965. Under this program she eventually became a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), and worked with mentally handicapped patients. She worked at this hospital until about 1970.

Springfield State Hospital, Sykesville, MD

Sometime around 1970, Mom transferred to the Springfield State Hospital in Sykesville, MD which was an easier commute from home. At this facility she was trained and assumed the duties of an Industrial Therapist. In this job she assigned handicapped patients to various jobs around the hospital campus to develop skills for employment after leaving the hospital. She really liked this job and took great pride in her work.

Mom retired from the state of MD in June 1983 after 18 years of service. She was 60 years old.

LifeSpring Assisted Living Home, Catonsville, MD

Over the years, Dad developed severe arthritis in his hips and ankles and had a hip replaced in his early 80s. Mom had a severe hearing problem and developed Parkinson’s Disease in her 70s. So, in April 2003, due to failing health, Mom and Dad moved together into the LifeSpring Assisted Living Home in Catonsville, MD. At first they were very apprehensive, but they soon learned to like the facility, which was a converted old mansion. They were able to share a large bedroom together. Their strong faith always remained and strengthened them.

Helen 81st BD — **Helen’s 81st Birthday**

However, In the following months, Dad’s health took a turn for the worse, and it was necessary for him to move to a Nursing Home in November 2003. In addition to dementia, Dad suffered from mini-strokes that caused trouble swallowing. This led to severe malnutrition.

Mom continued to live at LifeSpring for almost another year until she fell and broke her pelvis in October 2004. Already suffering from Parkinson’s Disease, the use of morphine to relieve the pelvic pain at the hospital caused her to slip into a semi-conscious state from which she never recovered. At that time she too needed to move to a Nursing Home.

St. Elizabeths Nursing Facility, Baltimore, MD

Dad went first to St. Elizabeths Nursing Home in November 2003 and was well cared for until he died on December 31, 2003 at age 90.

Mom went to St. Elizabeths in October 2004 and was well cared for until she died on January 12, 2005, a little over a year later than Dad. She was 81 years old.

Crestlawn Memorial Gardens, Ellicott City, MD

Mom and Dad are both laid to rest at Crestlawn Memorial Gardens Cemetery on Sand Hill Road in Ellicott City. This is the final resting place for their tired bodies as I know their spirits are at home in Heaven.

Ira Ayers and Helen Derrie Biographical Sketch AYERS Line

May 9, 2011 Dennis No comments exist

Walnut Mountain, Pioneer, TN

Ira Ayers (Dad) was born in a log house similar to the one shown on Walnut

Mountain, in Campbell County, TN on November 14, 1913, and was raised there on a 42 acre farm. The property was located off Adam Hollow Rd off Stinking Creek Rd. The mailing address was RFD #1, Pioneer, TN. It was about 25 miles to LaFollette, TN by road, but less than half that across the mountains on foot or horseback.

As the oldest child, he worked many long hard days on the farm alongside his Father, and shouldered many other family responsibilities.

Seveirville, TN

Norris, TN

Charlie Hollow, Stinking Creek, TN

After returning from the CCCs, Dad moved back home to the farm and worked with his brother Addison at the Charlie Hollow Coal Mines. He did not like the work.

Jacksboro, TN

Helen Derrie, (Mom) was born in Jacksboro, TN on March 7, 1923. She was a middle child in a large family. Jacksboro is the Seat of Campbell County.

LaFollette, TN

Helen 17 Years Old — **Helen at about 17**

Mom moved with her family to LaFollette, TN when she was only 6 months old. When she was 14, the family moved to a house on Hwy 25W at Coke Oven Hill. Part of the unpainted house can be seen in the picture of her father. They were extremely poor and Mom had to drop out of school and lie about her age so she could get a job in the local shirt factory.

As a young teenager, Mom worked in the shirt factory in Lafollette. There she was paid by the number of pieces sewed in a day. It was called “piecework”.

2112 Coker Ave., Knoxville, TN

911 N. Calvert St, Baltimore, MD

Before the War, Dad had actually moved to Baltimore with his cousin Leonard Ferguson in May 1941, and worked in a body and fender shop. (Don’t know where he lived during that time.)

107 N. Carey St., Baltimore, MD

2235 Guilford Ave., Baltimore, MD

This is where their second child, Helen Carol Ayers, was born on February 18, 1950.

During the years they lived in the city, they always used public transportation. They bought their first car, a 1947 Gray Pymouth, when they got ready to move to the country in 1950.

Baltimore City Church

1676 Woodstock Rd., Woodstock, MD

In November 1949. they bought a 7.5 acre farm on Old Court Rd, Woodstock, in Howard County MD.

This is the house where their third child, Annette Arlene Ayers, was born on January 11, 1959.

Ellicott City Church

Rogers Avenue Church

Camden Yards Rail Yard, Baltimore, MD

Locust Point Rail Yard, Baltimore, MD

Dad retired in August 1978 with 36 years and 5 months service. His last position was Yard Foreman. He was 65 years old.

Spring Grove State Hosptial, Catonsville, MD

Springfield State Hospital, Sykesville, MD

Mom retired from the state of MD in June 1983 after 18 years of service. She was 60 years old.

LifeSpring Assisted Living Home, Catonsville, MD

St. Elizabeths Nursing Facility, Baltimore, MD

Dad went first to St. Elizabeths Nursing Home in November 2003 and was well cared for until he died on December 31, 2003 at age 90.

Mom went to St. Elizabeths in October 2004 and was well cared for until she died on January 12, 2005, a little over a year later than Dad. She was 81 years old.

Crestlawn Memorial Gardens, Ellicott City, MD

Ayers Brothers and Sisters

May 2, 2011 Dennis Ayers 2 comments

As mentioned before, Martin Ayers had four children with his first wife, Hannah, and five children with his second wife, Eullalia. I’ve never seen a picture of the whole group all together. The picture below is the closest with all the offspring present except Addison who had joined the CCCs, and Geneva who was not yet born. It must have been at a special family gathering, since Rose and Mary were already married and living away.

Although growing up they lived in an isolated mountain environment with few material possessions and with no transportation and none of today’s conveniences, the children had normal childhoods, and were close to one another. They had pet dogs and cats, went to school and church, and grew up like everyone else in the mountains…strong and independent. They attended the Flat Rock School located about 3 miles away, which meant a lot of walking. It was a one room schoolhouse with a big pot-bellied stove for heat and a long coatroom in the back. The teacher taught all grades 1 through 12. One side of the big room was for the higher grades and the other side was for the lower grades. They attended church at the Broyles Church of God near Adam Hollow, with the whole family sometimes walking to service. Then as they got older, some ventured off the mountain to find jobs elsewhere.

Unfortunately, due to overall poor economic conditions in the county, in the 1940s Ira, Rose, Addison, Aileen, Bill and Hannah left Tennessee for better opportunities in the North, as Mary, Tom and Geneva stayed behind. While relocating proved to be the right thing for those individuals that left, the result was a fractured family with members living far apart in four different states. Family love was always still there, but opportunities for the brothers and sisters to be together grew fewer and fewer over the years. Now 65 years later only Aileen and Geneva remain. For the benefit of those who didn’t know them, below is an introduction and short summary of how each of the brothers and sisters’ lives evolved from the oldest to the youngest, with some old pictures thrown in for fun. Remember to click the photos to enlarge them. All facts may not be totally correct, so readers please let me know when I need to make corrections.

Ira Lawson Ayers (1913 – 2003)

Ira, born in 1913, married Helen Derrie in 1942 and they moved to Baltimore, MD in early 1946. He worked for the B&O railroad as a brakeman, but he also worked just as hard as a part-time farmer. He and his wife had three children: Dennis, Carol, and Annette. Ira had a serious and stern disposition along with a short temper, probably like his great-grandfather, Elihu. He worked very hard for his family. Only after retirement, did he mellow and become more relaxed. Ira died in 2003 at age 90 after suffering several mini-strokes. See more about his life with Helen in a following post.

Rose Elizabeth Ayers Jordan (1915 – 2001)

Rose, born in 1915, married Vurl Jordan in 1937. She was working as a housekeeper in LaFollette, and she and some other young women like to go watch the men in the CCCs constructing Cove Lake. There she met Vurl who was a bulldozer driver. Rose and Vurl had three children: Jack, Bob, and Carolyn. They moved to Baltimore in the late 1930s where Vurl got a job at the Baltimore Shipyards, and where he continued working during WWII. After the war, he became a partner in a sawmill operation, and later owned a successful hardware & lumber store in Glen Burnie, MD. Rose had a sweet and gentle disposition and always wore a smile. She was a homemaker and the family attended the Nazarene Church. In the 1970s, Rose and Vurl moved to Florida, first to Homestead and then to North Ft Myers, where they spent the rest of their years. Vurl died in 1988 at age 71 and Rose died in 2001 at age 85.

Mary Lou Ayers Myers (1918 – 2007)

Mary, born in 1918, married John Myers in 1935. She was working as a housekeeper in LaFollette, when she met John who lived on a farm nearby. Mary and John had four children: Sue, Janice, Glenn, and Joan. John also came to Baltimore for a time in the 1940s to work in the shipyards, and brought his family to live in Glen Burnie, MD from about 1948 to 1950. Then they returned to live in Tennessee, and never moved again from their farm in LaFollette. In addition to farming, John worked as a carpenter for many years at the Oak Ridge National Laboratories established during WWII in adjacent Anderson County, TN, as part of the effort to produce materials for a nuclear bomb. Mary was a homemaker and was a very quiet spoken lady with a quick smile. The family attended the Independent Baptist Church in LaFollette. John died in 1992 and Mary died in 2007 at age 88.

Addison Lee Ayers (1919 – 1986)

Addison, born in 1919, married Doris Rauhoff in 1940. Addison met her when she was working in a small grocery store in the Stinking Creek area. According to their daughter, Wanda, they were married by a preacher, who was also a postman. One day Addison and Doris were waiting by the mailbox and asked him to marry them! They moved to Milford, Ohio, near Cincinnati in the 1940s. Addison and Doris had six children: Troy, Glenna Faye, Don, Wanda, Ricky, and Debbie. Addison worked at a paper mill where he fed the pulp beaters. He and Doris also liked to build houses, sell them, and then move on to the next house project. Addison was a quiet man, with good humor and a twinkle in his eye. He died in 1986 from cancer at age 66. Doris later moved back to LaFollette, TN where she remarried an old acquaintance. She died in 1994.

Barbara Aileen Ayers Huckelby (1930 – present)

Aileen as she is called was born in 1930. She married Gene Huckelby in 1947 and they moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, soon afterwards. Aileen and Gene had two daughters: Brenda and Marsha. Aileen was always a homemaker while Gene worked in the same paper mill as Addison Ayers. He drove a fork lift. After being married for 62 years, Gene died in 2010. He was a quiet, gentle man, and had a strong religious faith. Aileen is very talkative and has a wonderful sense of humor, and she too is very religious. She has a strong memory and has been a great resource of family information. Aileen and Gene liked to spend winters in Florida, and Aileen still returns there with her daughter, Brenda.

William Riley Ayers (1933 – 2003)

Bill was born in 1933 and named after his grandfather. He married Rose Sharp in 1952 and they moved to Milford, Ohio also. He worked for a company that makes heaters. He and Rose had two sons: William and Timothy. Bill was a prankster and a cutup, and always liked to have fun. He loved bluegrass music and played the guitar and banjo as much as he could. He died of cancer in 2003 at age 70. Rose continued to live in Milford, but later died in December 2012.

Hannie Evelyn Ayers Chadwell (1935 – 1993)

Hannie, born in 1935, married Henry Chadwell. They moved to Indianapolis, Indiana in the 1950s. Henry worked for the railroad while Hannie was a homemaker. They had four children: Angie, Paul, Terry, and Tony. Hannie loved music and loved to laugh. She too died of cancer in 1993 at age of 57. Henry also died in 1996.

Aaron Tommy Ayers (1937 – 2008)

Tom, as he was called, was born in 1937. He never married and always stayed close to home, except for a tour in the Army in the 1950s when he was stationed in Maryland and in Germany. He was an MP in the service. Back home in LaFollette, Tom had a variety of jobs over the years including working at a shirt factory and working at a food store. He tended to have various physical ailments that mostly kept him from full-time work, and he continued to live with his mother until she died in 1994. He then continued to live in her house until heart trouble caused him to move in with his sister, Geneva in 2006. Tom was a laid back, easy-going individual who liked to read books. He was a great storyteller, and enjoyed watching television. He died of a heart condition in 2008 at age 71.

Alice Geneva Ayers Collingsworth (1941 – present)

Geneva, born in 1941 was the last child of Martin Ayers and Eullalia Hatmaker. She Married Frank Collingsworth, Jr. in 1959, and she always calls him Junior. Geneva and Junior have lived in LaFollette ever since they were married. They do not have any children. Geneva is a homemaker and Junior worked in construction and also later as a school janitor and maintenance man. Geneva is quiet, soft-spoken, and has an infectious laugh. They attend the Independent Baptist Church in LaFollette.

Ayers Black Sheep

April 27, 2011 Dennis No comments exist

I’ve been asked if we ever had any Ayers ancestors which were notorious or famous for reasons that were unfavorable in public opinion. Well, genealogists call such ancestors the family “Black Sheep”. Every family has Black Sheep whether they are proud of the fact or not. Normally, I don’t go looking for such information, but on occasion it just falls into my lap as I’m researching other points. Out-of-wedlock mishaps aside, our direct Ayers ancestors seem to come up pretty clean. However, there are some stories about other Ayers relations that I think are interesting, and give a feeling for the times in which they lived. The first two stories involve moonshine making in the mountains…..an activity that many participated in….some even for profit!

Although he wasn’t an Ayers, an uncle to Ira Ayers on his mother’s side named Everett DePew was about 10 years older than him. Everett had gotten in trouble with the law over moonshine activity and was summoned to Knoxville for a court appearance. He left home in Stinking Creek one day in 1925 to journey to Knoxville about 50 miles away. He apparently was going to walk to the main road and try to get a ride. A neighbor said they saw him near the mailbox on the road, but no one every saw him again after that day. His disappearance remained a total mystery for over 50 years. Then one day around 1980 a man named Douglas admitted on his deathbed to killing Everett. The actual reason is unknown, but probably he was afraid that Everett would snitch on him and possibly others to the law.

High Johnny Ayers — **“High Johnny” Ayers and Wife**

In recent times, Haskel “Hack” Ayers has been perhaps Campbell County’s most successful businessman. He is the son of John Wesley Ayers, aka “High Johnny” Ayers, who was Ira Ayers’ third cousin. Although Hack is most prominent now, he likes to tell the story about his father being a third generation moonshiner. In fact he wears it like a badge of honor. The tragic ending of the story is that on October 29, 1943, 7-year old Hack had accompanied his father to Kentucky where they bought a pickup truck load of whiskey and transported it back to Tennessee. Later on, after unloading the whiskey in their barn, state police arrived with weapons drawn.

Moonshine Still Operation — **High Johnny’s Still**

“My dad made the mistake of pulling out a double-barreled shotgun. Broke into a shootout; he was hiding behind a car. There was 32 bullet holes in that car,” Hack recalls. High Johnny had died instantly, shot through the heart. 68 years later, Hack proudly displays pictures of his father and a Moonshine Still in the lobby of his Hampton Inn near LaFollette. When I met Hack Ayers (who I have since learned is my fourth cousin) in October 2008, I asked him just how tall was his father to get the name “High Johnny”. He said he was 6 ft 4 in .

The last story is not about an Ayers Black Sheep, but it has a tragic ending nonetheless. James S. Ayers was Ira Ayers’ first cousin, once removed. He was a policeman in the small town of Jellico, Tennessee on the border of Kentucky when he was killed in November 1909. He died unjustly trying to uphold the law. He is buried in the Hall Cemetery near many of our Ayers ancestors and his tombstone is in the shape of a tree trunk.

Ira Ayers in World War II

April 23, 2011 Dennis 2 comments

LaFollette, TN

Ira Ayers married Helen Derrie in LaFollette, TN on 2 January, 1942, less than one month after the bombing of Pearl Harbor caused the United States to enter WWII. He was drafted in the Spring of 1942 and went to Georgia for induction into the Army. He probably traveled by bus to Georgia. He didn’t know that he had left behind a pregnant wife who would bear a son by the end of 1942.-

Fort Olgethorpe, GA

Ira was inducted at Fort Olgethorpe, GA on 13 April 1942 “for the duration of the war plus 6 months”. He was 5 ft 10 in tall and weighed 140 Lbs. His group was asked to volunteer to go over to the Army Air Forces. Not knowing what the best move would be, Ira decided to wait and see what most of the other soldiers would choose. To his dismay, his name was called first in alphabetical order. Without knowing what the others would do, he decided to step out and volunteer. This single decision may have saved his life as he spent the remainder of the war out of the infantry and mostly out of harms way.-

Wichita Falls, TX

Ira was then sent to Sheppard Air Field in Wichita Falls, TX for Basic Training in the Summer of 1942. This is where many Army Air Forces personnel went for training. He traveled to this station and others in the US by troop train.

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Brookley Field, Mobile, AL

After Basic Training, Pvt Ayers was assigned to the 7th Air Depot Group, a maintenance unit at Brookley Field in Mobile, AL. This assignment may have been the result of his prewar job being listed as “Gas and Oil Man”. This is where Helen went on a bus to visit him. Then his unit received orders to go overseas.

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New York, NY

Pvt Ayers sailed on a troop transport ship which left New York City on 6 August 1942. It was most probably the West Point pictured above which sailed on that day and later joined a convoy of ships from Nova Scotia to England. On the ship, the men slept in hammocks which were spaced only 2 feet apart.-

Avonmouth, Bristol, UK

His troop transport ship arrived at Avonmouth on 18 August 1942. His 7th Air Depot Group was assigned to the Eighth Air Force on 26 August 1942. From this location and others in England, the Eight Air Force ran countless bombing raids over German held territory.-

Belfast, Ireland

The 7th Air Depot Group was temporarily assigned to the airfield at Langford Lodge in Ireland for just a few months in late 1942. Ira mentioned Belfast, Ireland on several occasions when remembering back.-

Warton, Lancashire, UK

The 7th Air Depot Group moved back to England in Lancashire around 29 December 1942. I remember him telling me that he was stationed near Blackpool. A post card he wrote home not long after being assigned there indicated he was in the Repair Squadron. However, he was soon assigned as an orderly in the Officers Dining Hall. The officers really liked him and he remained in this position for the remainder of the war. In the Dining Hall photo, he is standing at the far right side. It was during this period that he was promoted to Corporal.-

Leave in London

On one occasion Ira went to London on a pass, but he didn’t stay long since the city was being bombed regularly and no place was safe.

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Three-Day Pass in Scotland

After the Allied invasion of Europe in 1944, three-day passes were given to the men remaining in England. Only four men at a time from a squadron were allowed to go and most headed to Edinburgh, Scotland. Many of the men had their picture taken at a studio in a Scottish kilt such as Dad is wearing here. The town was peaceful during this time, and it had a big dance hall with bands playing every night.

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Southampton, England

After the victory in Europe in May 1945 (VE Day), he left Southampton, England on 17 November 1945 and was transported back by ship to New York. The return ship was probably the Queen Mary, shown below, which carried 11,683 troops back on that trip. It arrived in New York on 27 November 1945. Ira was glad to be back stateside.

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Fort McPherson, GA

After return to stateside, Ira was temporarily sent to Fort McPherson, GA where he was separated from the service on 2 December 1945. In addition to his Honorable Discharge Papers, he was given a Certificate of Appreciation from Commanding General Hap Arnold of the Army Air Corps, and a Thank You Letter from President Truman.-

Return to LaFollette, TN

Ira didn’t arrive back home until the first week of December of 1945, but it was in time for Christmas, and he had returned unharmed! He had been away for 3 years and 9 months. A country boy had traveled overseas, had seen part of the world, and had participated in a glorious victory for the USA.