The Biographical Dictionary of America/Ames, Frederick Lothrop

AMES, Frederick Lothrop, capitalist, was born in Easton, Mass., June 8, 1835, the only son of Oliver and Sarah (Lothrop) Ames, his mother being a sister of George Van Ness Lothrop, United States minister to Russia. Frederick prepared for college at Phillips Exeter academy, and was graduated from Harvard university in 1854. He became a member of the firm of Oliver Ames & Sons in 1863, and its treasurer in 1876, but he had already engaged in extensive enterprises on his own account, especially in railroads; and he became one of the ablest advisers and directors in such enterprises, finally holding directorships in about threescore railroad companies. His business energies extended to many other fields, making him president of two banks and director in leading telegraph, trust and other companies. He was courteous and dignified, a man conversant with, and interested in the great questions of the day, with decided literary and artistic tastes. He was devoted to the welfare of Harvard university, giving large sums of money to the Arnold arboretum and the botanical department, serving as fellow and trustee of the university, and as a loyal son was devising liberal things for her benefit, the fulfilment of which only his death prevented. He was interested in horticulture, owned extensive green-houses at North Easton, and his collection of orchids was unsurpassed in variety, value and condition. His interest in architecture exercised a marked influence on the public and private buildings in Boston. At North Easton he directed the erection of the Ames free library building, built at his own expense; the railroad station, and his gate lodge, of moss-covered, irregular-shaped stones, all three being Richardson's designs. He was a liberal patron of fine arts, and possessed superb collections of paintings, tapestries, jades and crystals. In politics Mr. Ames was a Republican. He was once elected to the state senate, but cherishing no political aspirations his tastes disinclined him to accept any further office. His charities were large, and he not only gave freely of his money, but of his time and influence. He was president of the home for incurables, a trustee of the children's hospital, of the Massachusetts general hospital, and of the McLean insane asylum, and was constant and faithful in performing his duties to these institutions. His death occurred Sept. 13, 1893.