John C. Ames was the second mayor of the city of Streator, was founder and active head for many years of the Ames Lumber Company and eventually became a notable figure in the public life of Illinois. The late Mr. Ames was born in Freedom Township, LaSalle County, July 17, 1852.  His father, Isaac Ames, settled in La Salle County in 1848, was a farmer and was also identified with the early affairs of Streator as a merchant and banker, being one of the original stockholders of the Union National Bank.

John C. Ames grew up on a farm, was educated in the country schools and spent two years at the State Normal.  When he moved to Streator in 1872 he was a member of the drug firm of Dickerman & Ames and subsequently became associated with his father in the I. Ames & Son s hardware store.  This business was burned out in 1874, but John C. Ames continued to sell hardware until 1885.  In 1879 he became a lumber dealer and in 1891 incorporated the J. C. Ames Lumber Company.  In later years his son Carlos took the active management of the business, while John C. Ames was named president and principal owner.  He was at one time president of the Old City Bank.

In 1885 Mr. Ames was elected mayor of Streator to succeed Col. Ralph Plumb, the first mayor.  He has previously served as a member of the city council and during his two terms of mayor, being reelected in 1887, a substantial progress was made in the material improvement of the community.  His administrations settled the waterworks question, stared the sewer system and planned the physical growth of the city.

The late Mr. Ames was for many years one of the ablest leaders of the republican party in the state.  He was a man of engaging personality, diplomatic and practical and had a host of friends not only in his home city but all over North Central Illinois.  Governor  Fifter appointed him president of the Illinois and Michigan Canal Commission.  President McKinley appointed him United States marshal for the Northern Illinois district and he was reappointed by President Roosevelt.  Later President Roosevelt appointed him collector of the Port of Chicago and he was reappointed by President Taft and served until 1915 in President Wilson s administration.  This was an office of great responsibility, many millions of dollars being collected through the office.  He was also for several years custodian of the Federal Building at Chicago.  Mr. Ames retired from office and sold his lumber business at Streator in 1915.  He enjoyed the personal friendship of many prominent Americans and Illinoisans, including President McKinley, President Taft, President Roosevelt, Governor Fifer, Congressman Reeves and Judge Humphrey.  For several years after his retirement he spent his winters in Florida, and was one of the men identified with the development of the Lake Wales community in that state. Mr. Ames died at Lake Wales, March 21, 1922, but was brought back and laid to rest in Streator.

On March 2, 1875, he married Miss Minerva Ross, who survives him and has recently returned to Streator to make it her permanent home.  She was born in Marshall County, Illinois, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Hunter) Ross, being the twelfth of the thirteen children of her parents.  Her father and mother were both natives of Pennsylvania, her father of Cumberland County and her mother of Indiana County.  Her father was a pioneer farmer of Marshall County, Illinois.  Mrs. Ames is of Revolutionary ancestry through both her parents and for many years has been prominent in the Daughters of the American  Revolution, serving as state regent two years, as vice president general one year and was annually elected delegate to the national convention by the Streator chapter.  She became a charter member of the first literary club in Streator and was also prominent in the Kings Daughters Society.

Mr. and Mrs. Ames had three children, but the only survivor is Carlos Ames, who was born July 21, 1880 and who for a number of years was the active manager of the J. C. Ames Lumber Company at Streator, but is now a resident of Chicago.  He was a soldier with the rank of sergeant in the Spanish-American war and during the World war served with the rank of major.  Maj. Carlos Ames married Beulah VanHeyde and they have one daughter, Elizabeth Virginia, born June 28, 1913.

[Source:  O'Byrne, M. C.. History of La Salle County, Illinois. Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co., 1924. Vol. 3, Pg 629-632]

Sprague, Stuart Seely.Kentuckians in Missouri

This book is intended to aid those genealogists looking for Missourians of Kentucky descent.  Compiled from the biographical sketches contained in Missouri county histories, biographical compilations, and similar works - this book is a record of over 4,000 persons who were born in Kentucky but who later migrated to Missouri, some by way of Ohio, Indiana, or Illinois.

Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, MD   1983

Blue cloth hardcover, no DJ, gilt stamping, 209 pgVery Good       $20.00

Genealogy