Ayers

Malora Jane Ayers was born on May 8th, 1875 to Moses and Sara (Cash) Ayers. She was born several years after the end of the Civil War in Cornelia, Telfair Co., GA. She was one of at least 6 children, however, very little is known about her childhood. We do know that she married John Henry Ditmore on December 14th, 1890. It appears that she and her husband moved several times in their first few years together. They were married in Georgia, but their 2 oldest children, Minnie (1891) and Carl (1893), were born in Arkansas. Three years later, a daughter, Myrtle (1896), was born in Missouri. Their next five children, Glen (1899), Pearl (1900), Bonnie (1901), Oda (1904) and Ora (1906) were born in North Carolina. Their remaining 4 children, Frankie (1908), Troy (1909), Raymond (1911) and Lola (1914) were born in Oklahoma. She was my mother's favorite grandmother.

Malora's father, Moses Prince Ayers (1852-1898), started his life out as a child of wealth and privilege. His family owned a large plantation near Habersham, Georgia. Moses was no more than a boy at the outbreak of the Civil War. He married Sarah Francis Cash on March 19th, 1871. Living in Georgia, it is likely that his father, James Morgan Ayers (1825-1907), fought on the side of the Confederacy. No record of proof has been found that "our" James Ayers served. We do know that James Ayers, as well as his father, Moses Baker Ayers (1794-1876), owned slaves.

The name "Rogimalich", or at least something similar and just as odd, was the given name of Malora's grandfather and great grandfather Ayers. In researching this name, absolutely nothing surfaces. Rogimalich Baker Ayers, II and Rogimalich Baker Ayers, Sr. both dropped the peculiar name in adulthood and were known as Baker. Baker, Sr. was a Revolutionary War veteran and was granted land in Georgia for his service. He moved his family from North Carolina, where his children were born, to Franklin County Georgia.

Nathaniel Ayers (1699-1777) left a will in Halifax Co., Virginia. Part of the bequethe was to his son, Regimalick. The information from Nathaniel back becomes very sketchy at best. There were two Nathaniel Ayers, one in New Jersey and one in Virginia. Ironically, they list the same children. One is said to have come from Wales, the other being born in New Jersey. Also...numerous Payne's married Ayers, thus complicating matters even more. I am currently in the process of trying to determine, with at least some reasonable synopsis, who is who in this tangled web. Stay tuned......