The John Quincy Ames papers (1834-1923) consist of his Civil War discharge papers, pension papers regarding his widow and two children, and four family photos. Ames was born in Morris, Conn., (then Litchfield South Farms) in 1845. In 1864, he enlisted in the army, serving in 2nd Connecticut Heavy Artillery, Co. A, during the United States Civil War. He was mustered out in 1865. He lived and worked in Salisbury, Conn., until moving to a farm on Beach Street in Litchfield in 1885. He married Lydia Stone Ames in 1867. Their one child died as an infant. Lydia died in 1900 and he later married Mary E. Ward Mitchell Ames. She had been married to Lawrence Mitchell, with whom she had one son, Benjamin Ward Mitchell. John Q. Ames and Mary Ward Mitchell Ames had two sons, Harold and Arthur. Ames died in 1918 in Warren, Mass. The papers also contain an account book (1834-1860) of John Mason of Ira, Vt. Mason was the town clerk there in 1820 and then from 1823 through 1852. He was also a farmer and carpenter. The account book contains transactions related both to his town clerk duties and his other activities, including the sale of farm goods and the construction of coffins. A connection between John Quincy Ames and John Mason has not been established.