|  Ames
Heritage:
William
Ames Curtright is the direct descendant and great-great-grandson
of William Leonard Ames of Easton, Massachusetts. William Leonard
Ames was one of the four sons born to Oliver Ames, Sr., known as
'Old Oliver.' Oliver Ames Sr. owned the oldest manufacturing company
in the United States, first known as Ames Shovel Company and later
as Ames Tool Company.
All
four sons had a considerable amount of power in Washington D.C.
around 1864 and all of the Ames family members started in the family
business. Hobart Ames made cannons, while William Ames helped run
the factory. Oliver Ames Jr. and Senior were responsible for developing
the first of over 750 tools. On the death of Old Oliver in 1863,
Oliver Ames Jr. became president of the company while his brother,
Oakes
Ames, became a US Representative for Massachusetts.
President
Abraham Lincoln held both Oakes and Oliver Jr. in high regard. In
fact, US Representative Oakes Ames noted in his records that late
one night Abraham Lincoln called Oakes to the White House. The President
then told Oakes that he wanted him to "take a hold of this
thing" (i.e., the Union Pacific Railroad) and "build it
and he would have all the means he needed to do the job." Lincoln
also indicated that he thought Oakes "was the man for the job"
and that "if he did not have enough, then he would have more."
 Upon
Lincoln's death, Oakes and Oliver put up everything they owned to
keep their word to the President and to continue building the Union
Pacific Railroad. Lincoln's successor, President Grant told the
Ames brothers they would have to raise the money from the banks.
The Ames brothers then started a company known as the Credit Mobilier
Company, issued the stock and gave or sold stock to members of Congress,
including the Vice President and possibly even Grant himself. At
the time, it was a great idea to unify all members of Congress with
a common goal of building the railroad, and it worked. The railroad
was built and, for many years, the Ames family members were the
presidents of the Union Pacific.
Later,
a very large monument, several stories high, was erected in Sherman,
Wyoming (home of Murphy’s Law) to recognize Oliver and Oakes.
In fact, Sherman, Wyoming was the highest place reached by the Union
Pacific. Oliver served both as a Senator of the State of Massachusetts,
as well as a Representative in the United States Congress. Cecil
B. De Mille made a movie entitled The Union Pacific, which repeatedly
mentions the Ames brothers and their part in building the railroad.
Today,
in Easton, Massachusetts, the Ames name is still famously and warmly
respected. Its eleven mansions dot the landscape with their remarkable
architecture by Harrison. The City of Easton is the primary location
of the Ames museum, the first of its nine shovel factories, as well
as numerous other buildings, including Stone Hill College that houses
the Ames memorial library and the Ames memorial hall. They stand
along with many other buildings initially established by the Ames
Family.
 Downtown
Boston contains the John Hancock Building, which was rented by the
Ames brothers and housed their retail store known as Ames Plow.
This was a center of the city's activity right down on the water
near old Boston's shipping center. Today, shirts and souvenirs are
still sold there. It stands as a monument to the history of the
Ames family and immortalizes the men responsible for the swords,
cannons, shovels, and plows that built the nation. It also represents
this nation's oldest existing company, now more than 225 years old.
The deed of its rental signed by John Hancock and Oliver and Oakes
Ames is still to be found, framed and mounted, on the wall of the
pub that exists just under the building known as Ames Plow &
Pub.
Oliver
Ames designed many of the tools you use in your garden today. The
Ames family has also had its share of other statesmen, including
Governor Oliver Ames (1831-1895); who served three terms in office.
But the Ames Family has been remembered for their generosity to
those around them.
I
bring this heritage as candidate for Governor of Oregon in 2006.
I mention these things because this is what I have been taught and
what I am, I hope. I learned early in life that what God has given
to us we need to return, if possible, by helping others. It is important
Family
History Links:
Stonehill
Industrial History Center
Ames
Family Collection
Centennial:
Celebrating 100 Years
History
of the Ames Family Way
Commonwealth
of Massachusetts Resolution ~ Oaks Ames (pdf)
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