Summary
The Ames family is one of the oldest and most illustrious families of the United States.[1] The family's branches are descended from John Ames, the son of a 17th-century settler of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, and numerous public and private works throughout the U.S. are named after family members, including the city Ames, Iowa and the NASA Ames research center in California.
| Ames | |
|---|---|
| Family | |
 Arms matriculated to William Ames sometime before 1608 | |
| Country | United States |
| Etymology | Amyas; merchant of Amiens |
| Place of origin | Braintree, Massachusetts |
Origins edit
The scion of the American Ames family was William Ames who was born in England to John Ames and Cyprian Ames (née Brown) in 1605.[1] The family's earliest known ancestor died in 1560.[1] It is thought the family's surname was, at some point prior to emigration, changed from Amyas.[1] In the 16th century Amyas was frequently confused with Ames.[2]
William Ames immigrated to Massachusetts Bay in 1638, eventually settled in Braintree, and died in about 1653.[1] With his wife Hannah, he had one son, John, born in 1647.[1][a]
Heraldry edit
The heraldist William Armstrong Crozier recorded an heraldic achievement matriculated to William Ames, from an original grant issued by the College of Arms.[3]
- Shield
- Argent on a bend cotissed between two annulets Sable, a quatrefoil between two roses of the field;
- Crest
- A rose Argent, slipped and leaved proper, in front thereof an annulet Or
Notable family members edit
The children of William Ames' son, John (born 1647), included John (born 1672), Nathaniel (1677), and Thomas (born 1681). They, in turn, had a number of notable descendants.
Descendants of John Ames (born 1672) edit
- Samuel Ames (1824-1875), chief justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court[1]
- Marcus Ames (1828-1887), chaplain of the state institutions of Rhode Island
- Herman Vandenburg Ames (1865-1935), dean of the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School[4]
- Joseph Sweetman Ames (1865-1943), president of Johns Hopkins University[5]
- Louis Annin Ames (1866-1952), businessman and designer of the City of New York flag
Descendants of Nathaniel Ames (born 1677) edit
- Nathaniel Ames (1708-1764), almanac publisher[6]
- Fisher Ames (1758-1808), member of the United States Congress[6]
- Nathaniel Ames, (1741-1822), doctor and almanac publisher
- Nathaniel Ames (1796-1835), seafarer and author
- Ellis Ames (1809-1886), member of the Massachusetts General Court[7]
Descendants of Thomas Ames (born 1681) edit
The descendants of Thomas Ames, known for the Ames Manufacturing Company and Ames True Temper which was the source of their wealth, have principally been associated with North Easton, Massachusetts.[1] Stonehill College maintains the Ames Family Collection, containing documents related to the Thomas Ames branch dating from the 19th to 20th centuries.[8] They were donated to the college in 2000 by Elizabeth M. Ames, and later supplemented by additional deposits from other family members.[8]
- John Ames (1738-1805), military officer and industrialist
- Oliver Ames Sr. (1779-1863), industrialist
- Oakes Ames (1804-1873), member of the United States Congress[6]
- Oliver Ames Jr. (1807-1877), president of the Union Pacific Railroad[6]
- John Ames Mitchell (1845-1918), architect
- Oakes Angier Ames (1829-1899), industrialist[6]
- Oliver Ames (1831–1895), governor of Massachusetts[6]
- Frederick Lothrop Ames (1835-1893), member of the Massachusetts General Court[6]
- Winthrop Ames (1870-1937), playwright
- Oakes Ames (1874-1950), botanist[6]
- Frederick Lothrop Ames Jr. (1876-1921), socialite
Family tree edit
- John Ames / Susannah Howard
- David Ames
- Oliver Ames Sr. / Susannah Angier
- Oakes Ames / Evelina Orville Gilmore
-
- Oliver Ames / Anna Coffin Ray
- Oliver Ames Jr. / Sarah Lothrop
- Frederick Lothrop Ames / Rebecca Blair
- Frederick Lothrop Ames Jr. / Edith Cryder
- Harriet Ames (1819-1896) / Asa Mitchell (1819-1877)
Notes edit
- ^ A younger brother of William Ames, John, arrived in Massachusetts a few years after William Ames and settled in Duxbury. He fought in King Philip's War and had two sons, William and John.[1]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Cutter, William (1914). New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of Commonwealths and the Founding of a Nation, Volume 3. Lewis Historical Publishing. p. 1288.
- ^ Reaney, P.H. (1997). A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press.
- ^ Crozier, William (1904). Crozier's General Armory: A Registry of American Families Entitled to Coat Armor. Genealogical Association. p. 12.
- ^ Chamberlain, Joshua (1901). University of Pennsylvania: Its History, Influence, Equipment and Characteristics; with Biographical Sketches and Portraits of Founders, Benefactors, Officers and Alumni. R. Herndon Company. p. 442.
- ^ Dorsey, Ernest (1944). "Joseph Sweetman Ames: The Man". American Journal of Physics. 12 (135). doi:10.1119/1.1990567.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Crawford, Mary (1930). Famous Families of Massachusetts Volume II (PDF). Little Brown & Co. pp. 358–364.
- ^ Davis, William (1895). Bench and Bar of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Volume 2. Boston History Company. p. 199.
- ^ a b "Ames Family Collection". stonehill.edu. Stonehill College. Retrieved January 31, 2018.