Finding aid of the Colonel James J. Ayers' Speech on July 4, 1872
Kelsey Ransick
The Society of California Pioneers
© 2010
300 Fourth Street
San Francisco, CA 94107-1272
Phone: (415) 957-1849
Fax: (415) 957-9858
Email: pkeats@californiapioneers.org
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The Society of California Pioneers. All rights reserved.
Finding aid of the Colonel James J. Ayers Speech on July 4, 1872
Collection number: C057704
The Society of California PioneersSan Francisco, California
- Processed by:
- Kelsey Ransick
- Date Completed:
- February, 26, 2010
- Encoded by:
- Kelsey Ransick
© 2010 The Society of California Pioneers. All rights reserved.
Title: Colonel James J. Ayers Speech on July 4, 1872
Dates: 1872
Collection number: C057704
Creator:
Colonel James J. Ayers
Collection Size:
1 speech (11 pages)
Repository: The
Society of California Pioneers.
San Francisco, California 94107-1272
Abstract: Includes a packet with an eleven-page handwritten speech. The speech was written by Colonel J.J. Ayers as a celebration for
the 4th of July in 1872. Ayers� speech, given at San Buenaventura, focuses on patriotism and celebrating the founding of the
nation 96 years prior. The packet also includes a poem entitled Ventura!
Physical location: B001393
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Collection is open by appointment for research.
Property rights reside with The Society of California Pioneers. All requests for permission to reproduce or publish must be
submitted in writing to the Librarian.
Colonel James J. Ayers Speech on July 4, 1872. The Society of California Pioneers.
Biography / Administrative History
James Joseph Ayers was born in Glasgow, Scotland on August 27, 1830. His family moved to New Jersey when he was one year old.
By age 18, he was trained in printmaking and was the editor of the Republican in St. Louis. In 1849, Ayers traveled on foot
through Nicaragua to California. Because the Panama steamers were so crowded, the group he was traveling with built their
own boat and sailed to Cape San Lucas, where they were shipwrecked. Eventually, he made it to San Diego and was able to secure
passage to San Francisco. After finding mining less rewarding than he thought, Ayers began working in the printmaking business.
Ayers worked on the staff of multiple newspapers in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Honolulu, and other various cities in California
and Nevada. In 1878, Ayers was elected to the Constitutional Convention, which framed the foundation of the laws of California,
where he helped to ensure that both men and women could attend the University of California. Ayers died on November 12, 1897
while living in Azusa in Los Angeles County. He was a member of the Society of California Pioneers.
| 1872 | Colonel James J. Ayers' Speech on July 4, 1872 |
Scope and Content of Collection
Includes a packet with an eleven-page handwritten speech. The speech was written by Colonel J.J. Ayers as a celebration for
the 4th of July in 1872. Ayers' speech, given at San Buenaventura, focuses on patriotism and celebrating the founding of the
nation 96 years prior. The packet also includes a poem entitled Ventura!
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Ayers, James J., Colonel, 1830-1897
Ventura County (Calif.)
California-History
Institutional records
"Ayers, James Joseph" Obituary Records (vol. 6, pg. 37)
Archives Records (vol. 1, pg. 28)
Mortuary Record (1892-1906 pg. 88)