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Born 1824, Oneida County
From Encyclopedia of the history of Missouri (1901), History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day (v. 1) (1883), Encyclopedia of the history of St. Louis, a compendium of history and biography for ready reference (v. 1) (1899)
Edgar Ames was born in Oneida County, N. Y., Oct. 26, 1824, and was the youngest of a family of three children, his father being Nathan Ames, of English descent, whose ancestors settled in Massachusetts in 1643. When he was four years old his family removed to Cincinnati, where, as stated above, his father resided for several years, engaged extensively in pork packing, his establishment being one of the largest of the kind in the city. Young Ames enjoyed the advantages of instruction in Cincinnati College, and was thoroughly taught in all the useful branches of an English education. When Nathan Ames removed to St. Louis and resumed the business of pork-packing, Edgar, together with his brother Henry, was admitted to partnership with his father. On the death of their father the two brothers succeeded to the business, and under their management it grew to immense proper tions. Their success was not, however, due to wild speculation, but was the result of thoughtful calculation, and the magnitude of their transactions and their remarkable success stamped them as among the great business men of the country. In St. Louis they enjoyed the friendly confidence and cordial personal regard of the leading members of the community.
Henry Ames died in 1866, and on the 9th of December, 1867, Edgar Ames followed him. Both were mourned by the entire community with a sincerity seldom witnessed. Long before their death the two brothers, between whom there existed the strongest ties of fraternal affection, were classed among the fore most business men of the city, not merely on account of their great wealth, but because of the free and generous use they made of it to advance the interests of St. Louis. A conspicuous illustration of the attachment existing between the two brothers is afforded in
\ an act of devotion seldom equaled on the part of Edgar Ames. His brother had been afflicted with gradual paralysis for some years before his death, and medical skill and science seemed powerless to arrest the slow but steady progress of the disease, which finally absorbed all power of physical action. It was advised to administer to him the poison of the crotalus, given in doses of increasing strength, with the hope that it might restore vigor and vitality to the power less limbs. The terrible reptiles were procured and the poison extracted by one of the prominent surgeons of St. Louis, and properly prepared, but before Edgar Ames would permit his brother Henry to take one particle of the ophidian virus, which it was hoped might prove to him a healing remedy, but which was an experiment only, and given as such, he insisted upon first taking it himself, saying that from the effect produced upon him the physicians could argue as to the probable result were his brother to take it; and despite the arguments used by his friends, that the medicine so prepared, which might prove harmless to a man whose whole body was the prey of disease, might act upon him like a deadly poison indeed, he persevered in his design and actually swallowed six doses of the preparation, until nature would bear no more, and violent headache, numbness, and nausea supervened. The poison failed to produce any effect whatever upon Henry Ames, but what more could brother do for brother than this ?
Edgar Ames was conspicuously identified with numerous public enterprises and institutions in which the commercial prosperity of St. Louis was involved. He was at one time vice-president of the Merchants’ Exchange, and a director in the State Savings Institution, Pacific Insurance Company, Atlantic and Mississippi Steamship Company, United States Insurance Company, Memphis Packet Company, and Belcher Sugar Refinery. Besides these, every public enterprise sought his counsel and aid and commanded his liberal sympathy. As an illustration of this, when it was proposed to rebuild the Lindell Hotel he volunteered to subscribe one hundred thousand dollars to the enterprise.
As printed in History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day (v. 1) (1883). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Ames, Edgar, one of the builders of a great industry in St. Louis, and a prominent and influential man of affairs, was born October 26, 1824, in Oneida County, New York, youngest of the three children of Nathan Ames, whose ancestors settled їп Massachusetts in 1643. His father removed to Сїпсїп. nati, Ohio, when the son was four years old, and Edgar Ames was educated in that city, completing his studies at Cincinnati College. After the removal of the elder Ames to St. Louis he was admitted to a partnership in the pork-packing business which his father established in this city, and in conjunction with his brother, Henry Ames, continued the business after the death of their father. They were among the pioneers in building up a business which has since grown to such vast proportions in Illinois and Missouri that these two States may be said to control the pork trade of the world. In their day the Ames brothers were among the largest operators in pork products in the United States, both careful, conscientious and conservative men of affairs, and useful and enterprising citizens. Henry Ames died in 1866, and Edgar Ames continued the business which they had conducted together until December 9, 1867, when he, too, passed away. He had accumulated large wealth, of which he made generous use to advance the interests of the city, and his death was mourned by all classes of people. He was one of the men who set on foot the movement to build the first grain elevator in St. Louis, and, after overcoming determined opposition to the project, finally erected, in 1864, the St. Louis Grain Elevator, which is still in existence. The State Savings Institution, the Pacific Insurance Company, the Atlantic & Mississippi Steamship Company, the Memphis Packet Company, and the Belcher Sugar Refining Company were corporations with which he was also identified, and in which he served at different times as a director. Almost every public enterprise seemed to seek his counsel and advice, and whatever helped to build up St. Louis interested him and received his substantial aid and encouragement. He helped to build the Lindell Hotel in 1864, subscribing $100,000 to that enterprise, and in all the commercial circles of the city his ripe wisdom and sound judgment gave value to his views and made him a trusted guide and counselor for financiers and men of affairs.
He was exceedingly popular, and his popularity was based on his high personal worth. Strict integrity characterized all his transactions. Large-hearted and large-minded, he was a man of liberal culture, loving wealth not for itself, but for what it would bring. When asked once why he worked so hard and untiringly to increase his wealth when he was already possessed of an amount far beyond his needs, his answer was: “I work to make money to beautify our city." Не died suddenly while still in the prime of life and in the full tide of success, at a time when his energies were engaged in plans from the execution of which, it is believed, the community in which he lived would have reaped large benefits. The devotees of literature, art and science found in him a friend and patron. His private benefactions were many. His sympathies were quick and active, and often he did not wait for an appeal ior help. In numberless instances, if misfortune overtook a friend, or only looked up threateningly, he proffered both counsel and financial assistance, and his timely and energetic action often arrested imminent disaster. Personally he was gracious and genial, and distinguished for his save and courteous manners. But only those who knew him well were aware of his rare excellencies and virtues. The relations which existed between him and his brother, Henry Ames, throughout their lives were of an idea character, and an incident of exceptional devotion on his part should be mentioned in this connection. After Henry Ames had been stricken with paralysis and had tried many remedies for the dread disease unavailingly, physicians advised that the poison of the "crotalus" should be administered to him. Айег the ophidian virus had been procured, Edgar Ames refused to allow it to be administered to his brother until its effect upon the human system had first been tested by a series of experiments upon himself. Such deep fraternal regard as this is seldom witnessed, but it was only one of many evidences of Edgar Ames’ boundless affection for those endeared to him by family ties. June 5, 1860, he married Miss Lucy Virginia Semple, second daughter of Judge James Semple, of Illinois, at one time a United.States Senator from that State. The children who survived him were Ada Semple Ames, Henry Semple Ames, Mary Semple Ames and Edgar Ames.
[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]
Ames, Edgar R
As printed in Encyclopedia of the history of St. Louis, a compendium of history and biography for ready reference (v. 1) (1899). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Ames, Edgar, one of the builders of a great industry in St. Louis, and a prominent and influential man of affairs, was born October 26, 1824, in Oneida County, New York, youngest of the three children of Nathan Ames, whose ancestors settled in Massachusetts in 1643. His father removed to Cincinnati, Ohio, when the son was four years old, and Edgar Ames was educated in that city, completing his studies at Cincinnati College. After the removal of the elder Ames to St. Louis he was admitted to a partnership in the pork-packing business which his father established in that city, and in conjunction with his brother, Henry Ames, continued the business after the death of their father. They were among tthe pioneers in building up a business which has since grown to such vast proportions in Illinois and Missouri that these two States may be said to control the pork trade of the world. In their day the Ames brothers were among the largest operators in pork products in the United States, both careful, conscientious and conservative men of affairs, and useful and enterprising citizens. Henry Ames died in 1866, and Edgar Ames continued the business which they had conducted together until December 9, 1867, when he, too, passed away. He had accumulated large wealth, of which he made generous use to advance the interests of the city, and his death was mourned by all classes of people. He
Google was one of the men who set on foot the movement to build the first grain elevator in St. Louts, and, after overcoming determined opposition to the project, finally erected, in 1864, the St Louiis Graiki Elevaitor, which is still in existence. The State Savings Institution, the Pacific Insurance Company, the Atlantic & Mississippi Steamship Company, the Memphis Packet Company, and the Belcher Sugar Refining Company were corporations with which he was also idenJtified, and in which he served at different times as a director. Almost every public enterprise seemed to seek his counsel and advice, and whatever helped to build up St. Louis interested him and received his substantial aid and encouragement. He helped to build the Lindell Hotel in 1864, subscribing $100,000 to that enterprise, and in all the commercial circles of the city his ripe wisdom and sound judgment gave value to his views and made him a trusted guide and counselor for financiers and men of affairs. He was exceedingly popular, and his popularity was based on his high personal worth. Strict integrity chacadberiaed all tiis itnansactions. Large-hearted and large-minded, he was a man of liberal culture, loving wealth not for itself, but for what it would bring. When asked once why he worked so hard and untiringly to increase his weaMi, wlTen he was already possessed of an amount far beyond his needs, his answer was: "I work to make money to beautify our city." He died suddenly while still in the prime of life and in the full tide of success, at a time when his energies were engaged in plans from the execution of which, it is beUeved, the cionMnundlty in whidi he Kvod would have reaped large benefits. The devotees of literature, art and science found in him a friend and patron. His private benrfactionis were many. His sympathies were quick and active, and often he did not wait for an appeal for help. In numberless instances, if misfortune overtook a friend, or only looked up threateningly, he pr(ered both counsel and finandal aissistamoe, and his timely and energetic action often arrested imminent disaster. Personally he was gracious and genial, and distinguished for his save and oourteious manners. But only ttJhose who knew him well were aware of his rare excellencies and virtues. The relations which existed between him and his brother, Henry Ames, throughout their lives, were of an ideal character, and an incident of exceptional devotion on his part should be mentioned in this connection. After Henry Ames had been stricken with paralysis and had tried many remedies for the dread disease unavailingly, physicians advised that the poison of the "crotalus" should be administered to him. After the ophidian virus had been procured Edgar Ames refused to allow it to be adminiartercd to his brother until its effect upon the human system had first been tested by a series of experiments upon himself. Such deep fraternal regard as this is seldom witnessed, but it was only one of many evidences of Edgar Ames' boundless affection for those endeared to him by family ties. June 5, 1860, he married Miss Lucy Virginia Semple, second daughter of Judge James Semple, of Illinois, at one time a United States Senator from that State. The children who survived him were Ada Semple Ames, Henry Semple Ames, Mary Semple Ames and Edgar Ames.
Ames, Edgar R. clergyman, was born in Adams County, Ohio, May 20, 1806, and was educated in Ohio University. During his collegfiate course he united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, and entered the Illinois Conference in 1830. In 1837 he was transferred to the Missouri Conference, and was stationed in St. Louis for two years. He was transferred to the Indiana Conference, and in 1840 was elected missionary secretary, giving special attention to the duties of his office in the West. In 1848 he became president of the Indiana Asbury University. In 1852 he was elected bishop, and filled the office till his death. His later years were spent in Baltimore.
As printed in Encyclopedia of the history of Missouri (1901). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Their biographies name Edgar Ames: Henry Ames Frank Ames Henry Ames (b. 1818)
The printed record stops around 1901. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.