Ayers , the son of Jared and Dinah ( Benedict ) Ayres , was born in New Canaan , Conn , September 11 , 1817 . He graduated from Yale College in 1837 . For fifteen years after graduation he was employed as a teacher as follows in Berlin , Conn. ( 1837 – 38 ) , Miller 's Place , L. I. ( 1838 – 41 ) , East Hartford , Conn. ( 1842 – 44 ) , Sag Harbor , L. I. ( 1844 – 47 ) , and Boston , Mass ( 1845 – 52 ) . He began the study of medicine in Boston , and in 1854 received the degree of M.D. from Yale College . He then removed to San Francisco , Cal. , where he remained for nearly twenty years , engaged in practice . He also served as Professor of the Theory and Practice of Medicine in the Toland Medical College in that city . He removed to Chicago shortly before the great fire of 1871 , in which he suffered considerable pecuniary loss . About 1878 he returned to New Haven , and opened an office for the practice of his profession . From 1879 he also held an appointment as Lecturer on Diseases of the Nervous System in the Yale Medical School
great fire of 1871
Great Chicago Fire
William Orville Ayres