William Augustus Ayres

This article is about the Kansas congressman. For the Ohio congressman, see William H. Ayres.

William Augustus Ayres (April 19, 1867 – February 17, 1952) was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kansas and a Federal Trade Commissioner.

William A. Ayres
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kansas's 5th district
In office March 4, 1933 – August 22, 1934
Preceded by	James G. Strong
Succeeded by	John Mills Houston
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kansas's 8th district
In office March 4, 1923 – March 4, 1933
Preceded by	Richard Ely Bird
Succeeded by	District abolished
In office March 4, 1915 – March 4, 1921
Preceded by	Victor Murdock
Succeeded by	Richard Ely Bird
Personal details
Born	(1867-04-19)April 19, 1867 Elizabethtown, Illinois, U.S.
Died	February 17, 1952(1952-02-17) (aged 84) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political party	Democratic

Early life and career

William A. Ayres was born in Elizabethtown, Illinois. He moved with his parents to Sedgwick County, Kansas, in 1881. He attended the common schools and Garfield University in Wichita, Kansas. He was admitted to the bar in 1893 and commenced practice in Wichita, Kansas. He was clerk of the Court of Appeals of Kansas from 1897 to 1901, and prosecuting attorney of Sedgwick County, Kansas, from 1906 to 1910.

Political career

Ayres was elected as a Democrat to the Sixty-fourth, Sixty-fifth, and Sixty-sixth Congresses. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1920 to the Sixty-seventh Congress. He was elected to the Sixty-eighth and to the five succeeding Congresses and served until his resignation effective August 22, 1934, having been appointed a member of the Federal Trade Commission on June 30, 1934, in which capacity he served until his death in Washington, D.C., in 1952. He is buried in the Old Mission Cemetery in Wichita, Kansas.

References

• United States Congress. "William Augustus Ayres (id: A000354)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• The Political Graveyard