Ames, Frank M., son of Oakes and Eveline (Gilmore) Ames, was born in North Easton, Bristol County, August 14, 1833.
He was educated at Leicester and Andover academies. Upon leaving school he entered into the employ of the well-known firm of Oliver Ames & Sons, where he remained several years, and became practically acquainted not only with the mechanical part of manufacturing shovels, but also with the details of an extensive business.
In 1858 he removed to Canton to take control of the business of the Kinsley Iron & Machine Company. At the present time he is one of the chief owners in the corporation. He is also president of the Lamson Consolidated Store Service Company.
He has, in addition to the other business, been largely interested in railroads, and was for several years sole trustee and manager of the New Orleans, Mobile & Texas Railroad. He also owns and manages a large plantation of about twelve thousand acres, on the Mississippi River, directly opposite the city of New Orleans, where he has each year from thirteen hundred to fifteen hundred acres of land cultivated with sugar-cane, and a large area with rice, while the remaining portion is used for grazing purposes.
He has been active in public life. He was sergeant major and quartermaster of the 2d battalion infantry, which afterwards became the 4th regiment, of which he was also major. In 1869, and again in 1882, he was elected by his fellow-towns-men of Canton—where he still retains his legal residence—as representative to the General Court, where he served on the committee on railroads. In 1884 he was elected to the Senate, and served on the committee on drainage and on manufactures, and was chairman of the special committee on metropolitan police for the city of Boston. In 1884 he was a delegate to the national Republican convention at Chicago.