gressions of France. On the death of Washington he pronounced his eulogy before the legislature of Massachusetts. He was elected president of Harvard college in 1804, but declined the honor on account of his health, and spent his last years in retirement. Though not a deliberate artist in words, his diction is highly pictorial, and he abounds in verbal felicities, in condensed, epigrammatic sentences and illuminated sayings that linger long in the memory. He rarely wrote out be- forehand any part of his speeches, but jotted down a few heads only, on which he studied till he had gained a complete mastery of his theme, and trusted for the rest to the inspiration and resources of the hour. In person Mr. Ames was somewhat above the average stature, well-proportioned, and very erect. His face had none of the strong and rugged lines that mark the highest type of greatness, but had a peculiarly benignant expression. His disposition was amiable, his manners gentle and winning, and his character without a blemish. He was a brilliant talker, and one of the wittiest and most sparkling of letter-writers. A collection of his works, with a life by Rev. J. T. Kirkland, was published in Boston in 1809 ; and his son, Seth Ames, published an enlarged edition (2 vols., 1854). In 1871 his grandson, Pelham W. Ames, published a selection from his congressional speeches, four of which are not contained in the former collections.
AMES, Joseph, painter, b. in Roxbury, N. H., in 1810; d. in New York, 30 Oct., 1872. He early began portrait painting, and, having attained moderate success in his own state, opened a studio in
Boston, and soon established a reputation, painting
the portraits of several prominent citizens. He
was wholly self-taught, and it is thought that some
of his best work was done in this first period of his
career. As soon as he could save the means he
went to Rome and studied there, painting a fine
portrait of Pius IX. On his return to the United
States he settled in Boston, but removed to Baltimore on account of his health in 1870. The change
did him no good, and he soon removed to New
York. He was elected a member of the national
academy of design in 1870. His success in New
York in genre work, as well as in portraiture, was
extremely flattering, and he soon had more orders
than he could fill. His best-known pictures are
portraits of Ristori, Prescott, Emerson, Rachel,
and President Felton,of Harvard, and "Gazzaniga."
Among his ideal paintings are "Miranda," "Night,"
"Morning," "The Death of Webster," and "Maud
Muller." The annual exhibition of 1872 contained
his last works, a portrait of Ross Winans and one
of a young lady of Baltimore, while in his studio he
left a finished picture of Madame Ristori as Medea.
He died of brain fever after a brief illness. His
widow has executed meritorious busts of Abraham
Lincoln and Gov. John A. Andrew, of Massachusetts.
AMES, Mary Clemmer (Mrs. Hudson), author, b. in Utica, N. Y., in 1839 ; d. in Washington, D. C., 18 Aug., 1884. She was educated at Westfield (Mass.) academy, and when very young began to write for the "Springfield Republican." Afterward she became a correspondent of the New York "Independent," to which, under the title of "A Woman's Letter from Washington," she regularly contributed for many years. Through these letters she was best known in the literary world. At an early age she married the Rev. Daniel Ames,
from whom she was afterward divorced. She was intimate with Alice and Phoebe Gary, whose biographies she wrote. She also published monographs on Charles Sumner, Margaret Fuller, George Eliot, Emerson, and Longfellow. She wrote three novels. "Victoria" (New York, 1864), "Eirene" (1870), and "His Two Wives" (1874); "Ten Years in Washington" (1871), "Outlines of Men, Women, and Things" (1873), and a volume of poems (Boston, 1882). With the earnings of her pen she bought a house in Washington, which was a social as well as a literary centre for many years, and in 1883 she
married Edmund Hudson, editor and proprietor of
the " Army and Navy Register." She was thrown
from a carriage in 1878, and received injuries from
which she never wholly recovered. A complete
edition of her works, in four volumes, was published in Boston in 1885, and a memorial by her
husband in 1886. She was an earnest and conscientious writer, and exercised a powerful and healthful influence upon public affairs.
AMES, Nathan Peabody, manufacturer, b. in Chelmsford, Mass., 1 Sept., 1803 ; d. in Chicopee, Mass., 23 April, 1847. He began business in 1829, and became known as a skilful sword-maker, furnishing large numbers by contract to the U. S. government. His business having increased, he removed to Cabotville, Mass., and with his associates incorporated in 1834 the Ames Manufacturing Company. In 1836 the works were supplemented by the addition of a foundery for casting bronze cannon and church-bells. This establishment soon became famous, and furnished most of the brass cannon for the U. S. army. The statues of De Witt Clinton, in Greenwood cemetery, Brooklyn, N. Y., of Washington, in Union sq., New York, and of Franklin, in School st., Boston, Mass., were cast at this foundery. In 1840 Mr. Ames visited Europe for the purpose of inspecting the various armories and of acquiring the latest information in regard to improved processes. In 1844 he received an important order from the British government for machines used in the manufacture of muskets.
AMES, Nathaniel, mathematician, b. in Bridgewater, Mass., in 1708; d. in Dedham, 11 July, 1764. He was a physician, but, inheriting a love of astronomy from his father, he began the publication in 1725 of a series of almanacs that won great success. In 1735 he removed to Dedham and kept a
tavern. Here he married Mary Fisher, and two sons were born to them—Fisher Ames (q. v.) and Nathaniel, who continued the publication of his father's almanacs until 1775, when he became a surgeon in the patriot army. He made several sea voyages, and published stories of nautical adventure, including "Mariner's Sketches" (1830) and "Nautical Reminiscences" (1832). He died in
Providence, R. I., 18 Jan.. 1835.
AMES, Oakes, manufacturer, b. in Easton, Mass., 10 Jan., 1804; d. in North Easton, Mass., 8 May, 1873. He was the eldest son of Oliver Ames, a blacksmith, who had acquired considerable
reputation in the making of shovels and picks. After
obtaining a public-school education, he entered his
father's workshops and made himself familiar with
every step of the manufacture. He became a partner
in the business, and with his brother, Oliver, Jr., established the firm of Oliver Ames & Sons.
This house carried on an enormous trade during
the gold excitement in California, and again a few
years later in Australia. During the civil war they
furnished extensive supplies of swords and shovels
to the government. In the building of the Union
Pacific railroad they were directly interested, and
obtained large contracts, which were subsequently
transferred to the Credit Mobilier of America, a
corporation in which Oakes Ames was one of the
largest stockholders. In 1861 he was called into
the executive council of Massachusetts. He served
