A Beautiful Tribute

I have an amazing treasure trove of information about my father's side of the family.  Frank's (my great-great grandfather) brother, James, wrote a life sketch of their father, Burton Ayres.  The preface to that sketch is a loving and beautiful tribute.  I was so touched by it that I wanted to share.

A Life Sketch of Burton Ayres

Preface

The world's worthiest ancestry who were born to what the world calls "humble" conditions of avocation, and yet with noble traits and generous impulses, have too often passed away "unhonored and unsung."  Many a so-called ordinary folk who have hewn out a home and a character in the wilds of the West, and yet not for themselves alone, but for their posterity have just claims upon the gratitude and remembrance of succeeding generations, and the records on high may yet reveal who had the greater part and the highest credit in reclaiming the earth from its wild state to render it a fit and beautiful world for God's children.

  The cordon of history that surrounds such lives is a romance of itself, and may be the inspiration of children's children. Gratitude is the highest impulse of the soul, and ingratitude is an unpardonable sin.

  The Dower of a Christian home, a civilized community, religious and secular education, the evolution of a free state and nation proclaims a just eulogy upon the lives and character of our fathers.

  Such reflections have led the writer of this little sketch to undertake a work that from lack of materials, which might in other conditions been obtained, must of necessity be very imperfect, and yet, whose meagerness may not excuse from recording what we know of one whose life was a continuous exploit, whose trade made him an industrial necessity, and whose honesty made him honorable, and widely known among the earlier and later settlers of Northern Illinois.

  To not record even what is known of such a father would be ungrateful and unfilial.

J.C.A.

James C. Ayres

Oh, that I could someday be worthy of such a tribute.