Quick Facts
Biography
Capt. John Ames (April 7, 1738 – June 17, 1805) was a patriot, Captain in the American Revolutionary War, gunsmith, shovel maker, and ancestor of the Ames family of Easton, Massachusetts.
Biography
Capt. John Ames was born April 7, 1738, second son of Thomas and Keziah Howard. He married Susanna Howard in 1759 or 1757. Their children were: David, Keziah and Susanna, Huldah, Abigail, Cynthia, John, and Oliver Ames, Sr.
Blacksmith
Ames was a blacksmith in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. After the "nail and splitting mills" were outlawed by the government in Great Britain to give iron manufacturers in Britain a monopoly in 1773, Ames switched to making shovels. Despite having only a crude factory, he was able to make shovels of notable quality. In fact, he was said to have developed a shovel "so perfect that further improvement seems impossible."
Revolutionary War
John Ames made guns for the Massachusetts army during the American Revolutionary War.
During the war, Ames served in the Massachusetts Militia as a captain in Colonel Edward Mitchell's Regiment in 1776; as captain in Colonel Wade's Regiment, 1778; captain in Major Eliphalet Carey's Regiment, 1780; and Second Major of the 3d Regiment, 1780. Despite being promoted to major, he was known as "captain" for the rest of his life.
Captain John Ames died July 17, 1803 in Bridgewater, Massachusetts.
Ames family and legacy
The Ames family eventually became a very influential and wealthy family in Massachusetts, establishing two factories as well as having influence in the American railroad expansion and government.
Capt. John's son David Ames (born 1760) was appointed by George Washington to be the first head of the Springfield Armory.
Two factories were started by descendants of Capt. John Ames, in different regions of Massachusetts. Ames' son Oliver Ames, Sr. went on to found the Ames Shovel Shop in Easton, Massachusetts. Ames' descendants (grandchildren?), brothers James Tyler Ames and Nathan Peabody Ames, went on to found the Ames Manufacturing Company in Chicopee, Massachusetts in 1835.
His great-grandson Oliver Ames became governor of Massachusetts, 1887–1890.