the Civil war called him into military service. 



He enlisted as a private in the 2d battery, light ar- 

 tillery, Minnesota volunteers, and served till the close 

 of the war. He was mustered out Aug. 16, 1867, with- 

 out missing one day's service. 



In 1867 he went to Atlanta, Ga., where he had 

 charge of the largest sawmill in the South, but re- 

 turned in 1869 to St. Cloud and became deputy county 

 auditor for two years. 



' His experience in woodcraft and timbering opera- 

 tions resulted in his being appointed by the Northern 

 Pacific railroad in 1878 to select and appraise indem- 

 nity lands and investigate timber trespass cases, look- 

 ing after stumpage, and cutting permits and inspect- 

 ing tie cutting work. 



From that time until his death Mr. Ayer spent most 

 of his life in the forests of Minnesota. He traveled 

 extensively on foot and, according to W. T. Cox, state 

 forester, had probably estimated or cruised more tim- 

 ber than any man in America. 



In 1908 he was appointed by Gen. C. C. Andrews, 

 estate forestry commissioner and fire warden, to report 

 on the extent of the forest fires in Northern Minne- 

 sota and appraise the damages. 



He then turned his attention to mineral land pros- 

 pecting or "needling" for former Cong. C. B. Buck- 

 man, Little Falls, and four years ago assisted the fed- 

 eral government in taking the Indian census and 

 classifying Indians on the reservations of Minnesota, 

 more recently working for the Minnesota Forest Service. 



It was thus a very busy and useful life which ter- 

 minated when Mr. Ayer died. 



7 



