AMES, Ruth and Neal

Ruth and Neal AMES

UPDATE - this photo of Ruth and Neal Ames has been claimed and is going home! This photo of siblings Ruth and Neal Ames was located in February 2017 in the Pomona Antique Mall, in Pomona California. There is no studio stamp to help guide me to the correct location. See also the next post on AMES, PHINNEY and VAIL photos from the same basket.

However, I do find these siblings on the 1900 Federal Census in Chicago IL.

1900 Census - Chicago IL, Emerald Avenue
AMES Isaac, head, 38 (b. May 1862), Illinois of NY parents, occupation: artist
AMES Anna P., wife, 35 (May 1865), Arkansas of Ark parents
AMES Edwin Neal, son, 6 (July 11, 1893), California

AMES Ruth A., daughter, 5 (May 1895), California

(Click for larger)

Ancestry.com was extremely helpful with the remaining information. A Family Tree there filled in all the blanks.

Parents Edwin Ervin Isaac Ames (1862-1932) and Anna Paula Wright (1865-1940) had two children; Edwin Neal Ames (1893-1945) and Annie Ruth Ames (1895-__).  Father Edwin Isaac Ames died in March 1932 in Pasadena. His obituary appeared in the Los Angeles Times 15 March 1932.

Ruth grew up and married Rev. Donnell Jefferson Smith. In 1920, they resided in San Francisco and had one daughter at that time; Ruth Pauline Smith (born 1918). On the 1930 Census, the family lived in Portland Oregon and the family had grown to include three more daughters (Mildred, Evangeline and Elizabeth) and a son (Donnell Jefferson Jr.). The dad was a minister at the Church of the Nazarene.

By the time of the 1940 Census, Ruth was widowed (her husband died in 1936) and working as a high school teacher in Portland.

Ruth's brother Edwin Neal Ames remained in California. He attended college at El Rodeo of the University of Southern California, learning the law profession. In his senior class with him, was Donnell Jefferson Smith, whom he undoubtedly introduced to his younger sister Ruth. Neal was admitted to the bar in 1920.

(Click image at left to see larger version.)

Neal married his childhood sweetheart Ester P. Brown on June 30, 1922.


The 1929 Pasadena City Directory lists Edwin Neal Ames (lawyer) and wife Ester P Ames living at 2666 San Marcos Drive. Neal died 20 Oct 1945.