Oliver Ames Sr., or "Old Oliver", (April 11, 1779 – September 11, 1863) was the family patriarch of the

Ames family The Ames family is one of the oldest and most illustrious families of the United States. 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 wo ...

Easton, Massachusetts Easton is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 25,058 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Greater Boston area. Easton is governed by an elected Select Board. Open Town Meeting acts as the legislative br ...

. He established the family shovel business, which over generations grew to become one of the largest family fortunes in New England.

Biography

Oliver Ames Sr. was born April 11, 1779, to Capt. John Ames and Susannah Howard, in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts. His father was a blacksmith who provided guns for the

Revolutionary A revolutionary is a person who either participates in, or advocates a revolution. The term ''revolutionary'' can also be used as an adjective, to refer to something that has a major, sudden impact on society or on some aspect of human endeavor. ...

army, and made a name for himself making shovels of high quality. Oliver began his career in Springfield, working for his elder brother David at the newly established

Springfield Armory The Springfield Armory, more formally known as the United States Armory and Arsenal at Springfield located in the city of Springfield, Massachusetts, was the primary center for the manufacture of United States military firearms from 1777 until ...

. David, a

gunsmith A gunsmith is a person who repairs, modifies, designs, or builds guns. The occupation differs from an armorer, who usually replaces only worn parts in standard firearms. Gunsmiths do modifications and changes to a firearm that may require a very ...

like their father, was appointed by

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...

as the armory's first superintendent. In 1802, David's term ended and Oliver returned to Bridgewater. Ames moved to

, in 1803 and bought a nail-making business, and converted it into a shovel factory. This factory eventually grew into the Ames Shovel Works, a major business in Easton, and the source a great family fortune. From 1807 to 1814, Ames supervised the shovel-making plant at

Plymouth Iron Works Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west. Plym ...

, but returned to his own shop in Easton, where business slowly grew. In 1844, Ames turned the business over to his sons

Oakes Ames Oakes Ames (January 10, 1804 – May 8, 1873) was an American businessman, investor, and politician. He was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts. As a congressman, he is credited by many historians as being ...

and

Oliver Ames Jr. Oliver Ames Jr. (November 5, 1807 – March 9, 1877) was president of Union Pacific Railroad when the railroad met the Central Pacific Railroad in Utah for the completion of the First transcontinental railroad in North America. Biography Born i ...

, and renamed the firm Oliver Ames & Sons. Ames gave each of his sons one-quarter interest in the company, retaining a third for himself. Ames died at

North Easton, Massachusetts Easton is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 25,058 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Greater Boston area. Easton is governed by an elected Select Board. Open Town Meeting acts as the legislative branc ...

, on September 11, 1863.

Politics

Ames was a member of the

Massachusetts House of Representatives The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from 14 counties each divided into single-member ...

from 1828 to 1829 and again from 1833 to 1834, and served as

state senator A state senator is a member of a state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. Description A state senator is a member of an upper house in the bicameral legislatures of ...

in 1845.

Religion

Ames was an active Unitarian, and helped establish the Unitarian society in Easton.

Family

Ames married Susannah Angier, daughter of Oakes Angier, a prominent lawyer, in April 1803. Ames was said to be fond of wrestling and

feats of strength Strength athletics, also known as Strongman competitions, is a sport which tests competitors' strength in a variety of non-traditional ways. Some of the disciplines are similar to those in powerlifting and some powerlifters have also successfully ...

. Ames died in Easton on September 11, 1863. On his death, his sons Oakes and Oliver took over the Shovel Works with grandson Frederick Lothrop Ames.

References

External links