JASON C. AYRES of Dixon was born in St. Lawrence county, New York, Aug. 22, 1835.  He is a son of Colonel Sylvanus and Anna (Bean) Ayres and on both sides is descended from old families of New England founded by adventurous colonists from the mother country in early colonial days.  Both his grandfathers were revolutionary soldiers and his father served in the war of 1812.  His father was a native of Massachusetts and his mother of Saratoga, New York.  They settled first in Herkimer county and afterwards removed to St. Lawrence county, New York, where they resided for several years.  In 1836 the family moved to Indiana and settled on lands owned by them north of Fort Wayne, which was then a village, to make a home, in what was then an entirely new and undeveloped country.  Upon the death of the father some four years later the widow with her family returned to Buffalo, New York, where Jason C. Ayres passed his boyhood days and acquired his early education in the schools of that city.  He moved to Chicago in 1854 and in December of that year he visited Dixon for the first time, traveling by rail to Rochelle, Illinois, which was then the terminus of the Dixon Air Line, now the Chicago and Northwestern Railway and from thence by stage to Dixon.  in March, 1855 he located in Dixon, to which place the railroad had then been completed and has since resided here.  He engaged in the real-estate business as a junior partner in the firm of J. Crawford and Company, operating in the northwestern states in the location, purchase and sale of government lands.  The partnership was dissolved in 1863 and Mr. Ayres continued the business alone, and in connection therewith he held the office of city clerk and treasurer for some twenty years.  In the meantime he took up the study of law and was admitted to the bar in 1870 but has since continued to give the greater part of his time and attention to real-estate and financial operations.  He was one of the original stockholders of the Dixon National Bank and has been president of the bank for more than thirty years.
     He was married in May, 1861 to Lavina C., daughter of Dr. John S. Crawford of Williamsport, Pennsylvania.  Mrs. Ayres passed away Sept. 21, 1907, survived by one daughter, Mrs. Anna A. Dement, widow of Lewmon D. Dement of Dixon, who with her daughters, Carmen L. and Rosanna V.. Dement reside with her father in the old home, - her other daughter, Esther A. Dement, having been united in marriage with Morgan Lloyd Davies of Chicago and residing in that city.
     In politics Mr. Ayres has always been a republican, casting his first vote for electors for John C. Fremont, and has taken an active interest in political measures and efforts for party success, but has never sought office or any political preferment or reward.  Fraternally he is a Mason, a member of Friendship Lodge, No. 7, one of the oldest lodges in the state, and of Nachusa Chapter, of Dixon Commandery, K. T., and of Freeport Consistory, A. A. S. R. thirty-second degree.  Mr. Ayres is widely and favorably known as an active and efficient business man and a public-spirited and influential citizen.
Source:  History of Lee County, IL - Vol. II - Publ. 1914 - Page 5