Ames Plantation

• 19th Century History
• Historical Society
  • Membership Application
• Heritage Village
  • Stencil House
  • One-Room Schoolhouse
  • Farmstead
• Ames Manor House
  • The Grande Chase
• Heritage Festival
  • Map to Festival
• Cemeteries
  • Index
• Family Histories
  • Index
• Archives
• Index

Family Histories

One of the basic objectives of the Cultural Resource Program is to learn as much about the history of the 18,600 acres comprising today’s Ames Plantation as possible. Since the single most important component of an area’s history is its people, it is only natural that we research the Plantation’s 19th century occupants. Investigations into the lives and exploits of these families is helping to reveal details of our past as well as the role played by hundreds of individuals in the making of our history.

The family stories presented here attempt to describe each family's involvement with today’s Ames land base. The questions addressed are basic, yet they serve to document important details and events of each family. Where did they come from? When did they arrive in the area? Where on the landscape did they live? What was the makeup of the family? How did they earn their living? What personal triumphs or tragedies did they experience? Taken together, answers to these questions serve to paint a picture depicting the history of the land base through the lives of those who experienced it. While extended genealogies are important to family research it is not our purpose here to chronicle multiple generations, either forward or backward through time. Our focus is on what the families were doing while they were residing upon land that is today the Ames Plantation.

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information presented, however, complete and accurate detail is sometimes impossible to achieve. Incomplete or contradictory information necessitates a best interpretation approach by the author. In such cases, material is not presented as fact but rather is put forth as a possible scenario.

Material presented here is not considered by the author as the authoritative script on the subject. It is only as complete and accurate as information known to the author allows. If you have information, which complements or corrects this material, your input is encouraged. The main objective is, after all, to further our base of knowledge about these individuals who are your ancestors and those who made the history of the Ames land base.

There are currently only two family histories available. Primary data is available on dozens of other families and as time permits they will be included. Check back occasionally for additions. Visit each of the family histories by simply clicking on the index link under “Family Histories” on the left of your screen.