Hal W. Ayer

Hal W. Ayer (died August 12, 1913) was an American newspaper editor and politician who served as chairman of the North Carolina People's Party executive committee from 1896 to 1897 and as North Carolina State Auditor from 1897 to 1901.

Early life Hal W. Ayer was born and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, United States. His father was H. W. Ayer and his mother was Virginia Morris. His father served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War and was killed in battle in 1864 when Hal was two years of age.

When he was 15 years old, Ayer moved to Raleigh and took a job at Edwards & Broughton. He then served as a bookkeeper for Lee, Johnson & Company.

In August 1896 the Populists held their state convention in Raleigh to nominate their candidates for that year's elections. Ayer received the nomination for auditor but, unlike most of the Populist candidates, did not receive a complementary nomination from the state Republican Party. He served as state auditor from 1897 to 1901. He was sued while state auditor by North Carolina governor Daniel L. Russell over a tax issue. At the Populist state convention in May 1898, Ayer, Butler, and Cyrus Thompson led a faction which pushed for abandoning Fusion with the Republican Party in favor of cooperating with the Democrats and supporting white supremacy. Their faction won over the convention, but the Democratic convention declined to work with the Populists.

Later life After leaving public office in North Carolina, Ayer moved to New York City and worked on the New York Cotton Exchange. He retired from the exchange due to poor health His body was buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Raleigh two days later.