Education
Born in Montville, Maine, Ayer attended the common schools.
Born in Montville, Maine, Ayer attended the common schools.
He was engaged for a number of years in agricultural and mercantile pursuits. During the Civil War enlisted in 1861 in the Union Army as a private in Company A, Fourth Regiment, Maine Volunteer Infantry. He was subsequently promoted to first lieutenant and was mustered out as a captain on March 22, 1863, for disability.
He settled in Virginia in 1865 and located near Warsaw He served as delegate to the Virginia constitutional convention in 1867-1868.
Upon the readmission of the State of Virginia to representation Ayer was elected as a Republican to the Forty-first Congress defeating Conservative Joseph Eggleton Segar and Independents Daniel M. Norton and George West. Lewis and served from January 31, 1870, until March 3, 1871. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1870.
He engaged in agricultural pursuits. He returned to Montville, Maine.
He died in Liberty, Maine, December 14, 1896.
He was interred in Mount Repose Cemetery, Montville, Maine.
He served as member of the State house of representatives in 1888.