Less than a month after his marriage in 1840, he emigrated with his wife, Anne (née Potts), to South Australia, as a carpenter, with free passages.

In March 1863 Ayers was selected as one of the three South Australian representatives at the inter-colonial conference on uniform tariffs and inland customs duties.

This ministry resigned just 11 days later however, as council demanded that it should have an executive minister to represent the government and Dutton refused.

The Blyth ministry which was then formed included Ayers as chief secretary, but did not survive a general election and resigned on 22 March 1865.

He held the position of chief secretary in the Colton ministry from June 1876 to October 1877,[5] his last term of office.

In 1881, Ayers was elected President of the South Australian Legislative Council and, until December 1893, carried out his duties with ability, impartiality and courtesy.

He was in parliament for an unbroken term of 37 years and in no other Australian colony or state has a politician exercised so much influence or been in so many ministries while a member of the upper house.

They had four surviving sons[8][9] and two daughters: Ayers' remains were buried at the West Terrace Cemetery (Road 3, Path 19).