Cheney Ames

Hon. Cheney Ames died in Chicago yesterday at the age of eighty-four. For many years of his life, Oswego had no citizen better known than Cheney Ames, and few residents of this city have had a more active business career and none has ever exerted himself more vigorously in endeavoring to promote the welfare and prosperity of the city.

He was born in the village of Mexico where he spent his youthful years. In early life he learned the trade of a hatter and for several years was engaged in that business in the village of Cortland, N.Y. He came to Oswego in about the year 1839 or a year later, and opened a hat, cap and fur store on East First street, and from that time on down to within a comparatively recent period he was prominent as a merchant, forwarder, miller, and business man generally, engaging actively in any public enterprise calculated to promote the interests of the city of Oswego.

In his earlier days Mr. Ames was and active whig of the anti-slavery stripe and went into the Republican organization on the formation of that party. In the early days of the party Oswego county had no more active member than Mr. Cheney Ames. In 1858 he was elected state senator, and was again elected to the same body in 1864, making four years of service inthe Senate in which he was an active and influential member.

Among the important enterprises in which he took an active part for promoting the interests of Oswego was the railroad from Oswego to Richland, now an important link in the R.W. & O. road, of which he was one of the directors and one of the most active promoters. When the Midland road, now the N.Y.O. & W. was projected, he entered into the enterprise with zeal, was one of its early directors and exerted his energies until the road was substantiallycompleted.

In the course of his long business career in Oswego Mr. Ames at times had several partners, at one time being in business with Hon. George B. Sloan in the grain and commission business, during which time the firm was very prosperous.

Mr. Ames was appointed post- master of the city of Oswego in 1849serving four years, and again on the incoming of the administration of President Hayes in 1876, again serving a term of four years.

Cheney Ames was one of a numerous family of men and women all born in Mexico, Oswego county, who arrived at maturity and filled useful careers. The survivors of the family are Hon. Leonard Ames, proprietor of Ames Iron Works in this city, Henry M. Ames of California, Mrs.A.A. Hulett of Syracuse and Mrs.Dr. Rundell, of Mexico. His wife survives him as do his children, Coman and Cortland Ames of Chicago, Mrs. Belle Mudge of Minneapolis, Mrs. Frank E. Wheeler of Utica, Mrs. Frank Penfield and Miss Kate Ames of Chicago.

The remains will arrive in Oswego by the R.W. & O. road at 1:10, tomorrow. Services in the Congregational church at 2:30, conducted by Rev. B.W. Bacon.

Oswego Palladium September 15th 1892.