Biweekly Newsletter June 22, 2024 - EASTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND MUSEUM

Frederick Lothrop Ames

4/26/2025

The Easton Historical Society and Museum was fortunate to have Fred Ames, (the 4th Fred and the 6th generation of his family to live in Easton), speak at our Open House in January. Mr. Ames spoke primarily about his great-grandfather, Frederick Lothrop Ames, the 1st. Fred was an extremely successful entrepreneur and a great benefactor to Easton who brought many of the great artists of his day to Easton, including Augustus St. Gaudens, John LaFarge, F.L. Olmsted, and H.H. Richardson, and as a result, helped create a town with many unique and distinctive features.

F. L. Ames (1835-1893) built the Langwater Estate on Langwater Pond (also known as “Fred’s Pond) and funded the construction of the beautiful Richardson designed railroad station that now houses the Easton Historical Society and Museum. As a young man F. L. Ames graduated from Harvard College and went on to marry Rebecca Caroline Blair. Together they had six children, one, “Little Henry” sadly passed at age 7 months. A strong supporter of the Arnold Arboretum, F. L. Ames, was very interested in horticulture, keeping in his Langwater greenhouses, at one time, 8,000 plants and 1,700 different varieties of plants. Of course, orchids were a specialty. He shared this interest with the famous botanist Oakes Ames, his nephew. F.L. Ames was a founder of the Trustees of Reservations and an art collector. He owned two Rembrandts and many other fine artistic creations. The Rembrandts are now housed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

Mr. Ames (Fred the 4th) emphasized that his great-grandfather was very competitive and that his favorite number was the Number 1. He only built his Boston home at 306 Dartmouth St. when he could afford to build the largest house in the city. He served as Vice President of the Old Colony Railroad, director of the Union Pacific Railroad, was on the board of over 50 railroads, and worked alongside JP Morgan in the creation of General Electric. At one time F.L. Ames was the largest owner of real estate in the city of Boston. At the time of his death in 1893 he was one of the largest shareholders of Union Pacific stock and there was a fear that his death would adversely affect the stock market as his financial interests were so large and diverse. He died suddenly of a stroke aboard his steamboat Pilgrim sometime early in the morning of September 13, 1893, while traveling to New York. Our speaker, Fred Ames, has generously donated a portrait of his great-grandfather to the museum. Mr. Ames answered audience questions after his presentation. Altogether it was a very informative talk and a lovely afternoon.

Above is the portrait of F.L. Ames painted by Benjamin Constant and donated by Fred Ames. Benjamin Constant also painted the portraits of Queen Alexandra of England and Pope Leo XIII

Anne Wooster Drury

BANKS OF EASTON

4/10/2025

Did you know that Easton once had banks that issued their own money? In 1863 and 1864 National Banking Acts were enacted that allowed national banks to issue up to $500,000 of notes backed by U.S. Treasury bonds the bank deposited with the Treasury department. It only allowed each national bank to have one location. The First National Bank of Easton was granted a charter in 1864. The charter number was 416. John H. Swain was the first president, followed by Oliver Ames, then F.L. Ames. The First National Bank of Easton was located at 27 Main Street; it is pictured below.

Street view of bank showing horse and carriage. House partially seen to the right belonged to Oliver Ames.

The bank was next door to Oliver Ames’s house. Prior to the building of the bank Oliver Ames had a counting house attached to his home. Also located in the same building as the First National Bank of Easton was the North Easton Savings Bank, opened a few months later in 1864. The savings bank was not a national bank so could not issue its own currency. The building seen here remained standing in to the early 1950’s although in 1904 the North Easton Savings Bank moved to 66 Main Street, where it shared space with the Post Office.
A charter number allowed banks to issue their own money and oftentimes it looked different than the bills issued by the US government. The paper currency was also a larger size than it is now.

Interesting note: For approximately a hundred years an Ames was always president of the North Easton Savings Bank, and all passed away while employed in that office.
Although this type of ‘hometown’ banknotes were phased out during the Depression, all U.S. currency issued since 1861 remains valid and redeemable at full face value.
The First National Bank of Easton issued $1 dollar bills along with $5’s, $10’s, $20’s, $50’s, $100’s and in both 1865 and 1875, $2 dollar bills.

A view inside the National Bank at 27 Main Street.

Note the shovels on this bank check from The First National Bank.

Anne Wooster Drury

Sources:
Easton Historical Society
The Federal Reserve's History
The History of U.S. Currency