Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1904-01-27
MICHAEL AMES DEAD
A Pioneer Resident Of this Vicinity.
Was 90 Years Old. Funeral
Held Monday.

| Michael AmeS died at his home,
| North Montgomery street. on Friday
evening, January 20, in his ninty-
| fourth year.
| Mr.. Ames was pioneer resident Of
Dodge county, aud for the past twelve
years resided in this city. A bio
graphical sketchof this well-known
old manwill be of interest to every one,
and is as follows:
MI. Ames was born in County Donegal, Ireland,
September g. 1910, and grew to manhood in his
native country. He had a recollection of the
battle Of Waterloo in which a number of his
fathers neighbors took part, and was two years
OF age when our second war with England,
which closed at,New Orleans, was fought. His
long life covered period in the worlds history
which was fraught with the most important
| events. Most the greater discoveries In science
and commercial industries have been made
since he left the cradle.
At the age of % years he emigrated from Ire
land and after few weeks spent in Canada ar
rived In Montpelier, Vermont, in 1888. While at
that place he became acquainted with Admiral
DeWeys father, who was practicing physician,
and also knew Hon. Theodore Prentiss Of this
city, who was then boy at school. At that time
the c.pitol of the state was being removed from
Burlington and Mr.. Ames was employed on the
work of constructing the new statehouse
In 1885 he removed to LOWELL Mass, and was
employed on the Lowell & Boston Railway. one
of the first railway systems operated in this
country. He distinctly remembers the big fire in
Wall street, New York, in that year. Andrew
Jackson was president of the United States
when Mr.. Ames became citizen and he re-
members many of the stirring scenes in politics
which were the features of the campaign in the
early days of the country's history After a res
dence of two years in Lowell he removed to
New York and was employed on the work of
building the Croton waterworks, being engaged
in blasting rock, which craft he learned In his
native country. He afterwards was engaged in
the same capacity on the Erie Canal
While residing in.New York he was married
and moved west ii 1874, settling on farm
three miles north of this city in the town of
Emmett In section 22. The land at that time was
owned Dy the government and sold at $l.25 an
acre. Life at that time was nota bed of roses The
poor Irish and the poor Germans who came to
seek home in the wilderness of Wisconsin had
hard task before tn lem. The country was heavi-
ly timbered and 1t required constant labor to re-
claim sufficient land upon which to raise sub
sistence for the family until the next harvest
could be gathered They cut the timber, made
their log cabins and were content If they had
sufficient to eat. In those days money was
scarce and MI. Ames said that man could be
hired for 25 cents day the early settler could
not secure him as he would have nothing to pay
him with.
Wtox,h 1no~>
house standing upon the west side of the river
and there was no bridge on North Fourth
street. The settlers themselves got.together and
heWed timber enough to construct temporary
bridge at thai point. They hauled the timber
to the site in the winter and the work of building
the same was completed under the charge of Mr..
Labaree, after whom the bridge was named
The bridge was intended to be eighteen feet
wide, but they had only sufficient money to pay the
carpenters for portion of the work and for
some time there was only passageway nine feet
wide upon which to drive their OK teams when
coming to the city. There we're no horses in this
section in those days and the roads we're none
OF the best. By team to Milwaukee the distance
In miles was about the same as now, but when
the settlers started for the market it required
a two days trip and the price of his load would
only enable him to buy the very necessaries of
life and pretty small amount at that
Mr. Ames besides being one of the early
settlers in Dodge county also was one of the
most widely known. He never sought office but
held several positions In trust. In 1862 he was
elected county treasurer which Office he held
two years, and was willing to retire without any
effort for denomination. His wife died in 1859.
He is survived by three sons, Attorney Michael
Ames, Chicago; James Ames Ispheming, Mich,
and William Ames, this city-Daily Times
The funeral took place to St. Ber-
nard's church last Monday morning.