Thank you Fred Noer! W5074/W5068 Co. Rd. B (north side): Ayer Twin Barns, Upland Farm 1. Section 24, Walworth Township. Ginny Hall [Walworth County historian who lives in Delavan] tells of Edward Ayer and the Twin Barns Farm: “Edward Ayer was born in Southport (later Kenosha) in 1841, raised in Harvard, and studied at Cobblestone School in Walworth Township. He only attended school for three months a year, probably during the winter term. Edward didn’t own a book until 1864 when he began a collection that was unrivaled, some of which are in a hermetically sealed room in the Newberry Library in Chicago a facility where he was a trustee. “Like many men of that era, he went gold prospecting in California and worked in a Utah quartz mine in 1860. Ayer served in the Civil War and was a lieutenant when he was released. His father had a store in Harvard, Ill., and Edward had a 1/3 interest in it. He had a sense for business and started a company to provide wood for railroads, soon hiring 70 men for this. In 1866 he had a contract to provide railroad ties to the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad, and then the Union Pacific Railroad. By the time he was 30 years old, he was selling almost a million ties a year. The 1890s found him a member of the U.S. Board of Indian Commissioners. He had grown up as a youth under pioneer conditions and had seen many Indians. He had a large collection of North American Indian literature he gave to the Newberry Library. The Indian artifacts were given to the Field Museum in Chicago, of which he was the first president of the board of trustees. Ayer also donated a pewter collection and 100 rhinoceros cups. He had convinced Marshall Fields to donate $1,000,000 to start the museum. “He built a home called Fair Oaks on 12 acres of land near Geneva Lake. He bought this farm from Charles S. Cooper. Ayer called it Upland Farm 1. It consisted of 1,200 acres, of which 700 was tillable land and the rest in oak woods. There were two farms named Upland Farms, 1 and 2. He raised cattle, sheep, pigs, and horses. “A news article dated October 25, 1901 indicates `the foundation of the second barn on the place is nearly completed. Mr. Ayer is now having stone delivered for a mile of stone fence, which will add to the convenience and beauty of the place.’ In 1905 it was reported that over ten miles of tile were put in the Ayer farm. In this year Henry Tolman became the superintendent of the estate. “As you look to the barns from the road, the one on your right was used for beef cattle; the one on the left for dairy cattle. The interior of the beef barn is wide open. The large barns were built of Oregon fir. “A November 27, 1913, news item in The Delavan Republican noted that the Ayer farm Upland 1 was 1,000 acres and had two barns. Upland 2 was adjoining and had 200-plus acres and one barn. He had over 180 cows, of which 100 were milk cows. He also had 200 Duroc Jersey hogs. Mr. Ayer had installed a milking machine and had electricity throughout his operation. “Unfortunately both barns are in need of repair and restoration. When the Geneva Lake area was surveyed in August of 1985 looking for buildings with architectural and/or historical significance, the twin barns were mentioned as visually outstanding because of their weathered grey shake cladding. They were included because of their exceptional quality even though they were outside of the survey area. “There was an observation tower, 75 feet tall, that offered a panoramic view of Geneva Lake. Often Ayer would have his driver leave him at this tower and he would do his bookwork there. “Ayer owned many horses, and he was skilled at driving a four-in-hand. He was fond of showing his horsemanship by throwing his hat on the ground and picking it up at a full gallop. Mrs. Ayer rode her horse through the oak forest on their property and through the underground passageway of stone that was built beneath the road between their house and their farm. She did not have to worry about automobiles on the road. “A January 25, 1901, news article reported that Ayer shipped 7 wild turkeys to his farm, one of which was two years old and weighed 32 pounds. In October the newspaper reported that 75 head of black polled Angus cattle were shipped to his farm in Kansas City. He often received honors at the State Fair for prize animals. “Mr. Ayer offered the farm of 324 acres for sale at $200/acre in 1916 and sold it to G.L. Murphy, president of the American National Bank of Woodstock. That was Upland 2. In the fall of 1918 Upland 1 was sold. A news article indicated that his wheat production averaged almost 39 bushels to the acre that year. “Mrs. Ayer (Emma) was an excellent swimmer, a rarity in those days. In spite of heavy woolen swimming dress, woolen bloomers, and long stockings, she would swim from The Oaks, their home on the lake, to Holiday Home, across the lake just past Williams Bay. She swam from Harvard Club to Camp Collie in 2 hours and 10 minutes. “An extensive file on Edward Everett Ayer is available at the Lake Geneva Public Library. The Ayers were travelers. A June 20, 1939, article in the Lake Geneva Regional News reported they were the first Americans to tour Europe by automobile. Mr. Ayer owned a car in France before he had one in the United States. “Edward Ayer spent his last 15 years in California where he died in 1927. He is buried in the mausoleum he designed in Mt. Auburn Cemetery,Harvard, IL —
Posted on: Mon, 26 May 2014 13:24:38 +0000
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