AZ History: Obits for John and Sophia Ames

  The Arizona Daily Gazette, Tuesday Morning, August 2, 1892, page 5, Col. 1.
Probable Last Ride
Almost Fatal Termination of a Runaway. Rev.
Ames of the Baptist Church the Victim.
His Chances of Recovery are Almost Hopeless - His Friends are With Him.
Rev. Ames lies at the point of death at the residence of J. F. Elwell, on the corner of Cortez and Jefferson streets, from the effects of injuries received Sunday in a runaway scrape.  The man's head and face are very badly bruised from the force of the fall against an electric light pole in front of the Kellner corner fruit stand, and his left thigh is broken at the joint.  His scull is not fractured, but the concussion has caused serious internal injuries and blood has passed from both ears.  Up to a late hour last night he was still in an unconscious state, having only been partly conscious twice since the accident.  At one time he asked for Mr. McFall and at another time inquired for his wife, who is almost prostrated with grief at their home, near McFall's.  The lady is not confined to her bed, as has been reported, but is too ill to come to town, thought it required the combined efforts of her friends yes
terday to persuade her from coming in to see her injured husband.  Dr. Hughes is attending the man, and thinks there is a possible chance for his recovery.
The reverend gentleman was driving in from his country home Sunday morning to attend divine services at the Baptist church, of which he was recently chosen pastor, and while passing up Washington street his horse become frightened at a traction engine which belonged to H. M. Lewis, but he had managed to get the horse past the big machine, and was about twenty feet in advance of it when Frank Smith, the engineer, gave a couple of sharp toots with the whistle, which sent the animal off as though he had been shot out of a gun, and down Washington street he came at a furious rate of speed, and when he turned the corner at Kellner's store, the frightened man jumped out and lit on his feet, but going at such rate of speed sent him on against the big pole with the force that he was knocked senseless and hurt as before stated.  He was picked up and carried to Frake's livery stable and a physician called.  The horse ran
 into Ryder's lumber yard, where he was caught; the only damage there being a broken shaft and single line.  Had Mr. Ames stayed in the buggy no doubt he would not have been hurt.  The unfortunate man came to Phoenix with his wife and two little children a few weeks ago to take the pastorate of the Baptist church.  The members of his church are doing all in their power to make him comfortable, and nothing will be left undone to cause his recovery.

The Weekly Phoenix Herald, Thursday, August 4, 1892, Vol XVIII, No. 21, pg 2, col 1.
A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.
Rev. Ames Gets Thrown From His Buggy.
Yesterday morning about 10:50 a runaway occurred that may prove the death of Rev. Ames who now lies at death's door with a fractured skull and other serious injuries.
He was driving up Washington street on his way to church when the monster steam threshing outfit of H. M. Lewis came onto the street and blew its whistle to clear the track.
Rev. Ames's horse became frightened and started up Washington street on a mad run.  When it came to Montezuma the horse turned down that street, but it was going so rapidly that it could not make the turn and ran into the ditch on the west side of the street near Donefrio's fruit stand.  When the buggy went into the ditch Rev. Ames slid from the buggy seat as though shot out of a cannon, and was thrown against a hitching post with terrible force.  His head seemed to partially bend over the top of the post and his skull was crushed and his face badly cut.  His entire body was bruised and cut in a very painful manner.
As soon as the accident happened several started out for a doctor, but Drs. Hughes & Dameron were the first on the ground and did all that was possible to be done for the injured man.  He was carried to Frakes's livery stable near by, out of the sun, where his injuries were examined.  He was unconscious and it was feared that the shock would result in his death in a few minutes.  The doctors worked with him and made his condition as good as possible.
He was taken home and a nurse placed in attendance.  Today his condition was considerable improved and the physicians have hope of pulling him through, though the chances are very slight.
The injured man came to Phoenix with his family this summer from South Dakota, to take the pastorate of the Baptist Church of this city, and during the short time that he has been in Phoenix he has made many friends.
The Accident appears all the more sad when the fact is known that Mrs. Ames is very sick, and the two children are also in a delicate state of health.  this sad accident places the family in a bad situation, but there is no lack of aid in taking care of them.
The members of the church are doing everything in their power to make the injured man comfortable, and if care and medical treatment will do anything he will be brought through.

The Arizona Daily Gazette, Friday Morning, August 12, 1892, page 3 , Col. 1.
Rev. Ames still lies in an unconscious condition and may be expected to die any time, though his physicians have not yet given him up.  He has never yet realized what hurt him and in his mauddling talk, inquires for the man who was hurt, apparently thinking it was some one else who was in the wreck.  A brother of Mr. Ames arrived Wednesday from South Dakota, and a sister and her husband from Iowa have been in the city several days, but their injured brother has never recognized them.


The Arizona Daily Herald, Friday, August 12, 1892, Vol No. XIX-36, page 3 , Col. 3.
Rev. Ames Dead.
He Passes Away This Morning Very Quietly.
Rev. J. F. Ames, who was injured several weeks ago in a runaway, after lingering between life and death, died this morning at 5 o'clock.
the funeral will take place this evening at 5 o'clock.
Rev. Ames was born in De Ruyter, N. Y. on May 13th, 1858.  He was a graduate of the Madison, (N. Y.) University, and also the Rochester Theological Seminary, where he graduated with high honors.
He was stationed at Genoa, N. Y., and Madison, S. D. from which pace he came to Phoenix on account of the poor health of his wife.
He was called to the pastorate of the Phoenix Baptist Church, which he had under advisement at the day of the accident.
He is one of a family of eight boys all of whom survive him.
He leaves a wife and two children, a boy and girl of tender years.
while Rev. Ames had been in Phoenix but a short time he had made many friends who admired his manly courage in living up to his conviction.
The widow has the sincere sympathy of the entire community in her loss and the Herald assures her that there are many true hearts who fully appreciate the great loss she has sustained in the death of a loving husband and kind father.

The Arizona Daily Gazette, Saturday Morning, August 13, 1892, page 4 , Col. 5.
Rev. J. F. Ames, who was injured in a runaway a few weeks ago, died at the residence of Mr. Ellwell yesterday morning at 5 o"clock and was buried last evening at 5 o'clock.  Deceased was born in De Ruyler, N. Y. May 13, 1858.  He was a graduate of Madison N. Y. University and the Rochester Theological Seminary, and was stationed at Genoa N. Y. afterward at Madison S. D. from which place he came to Phoenix a few months ago.  He leaves a wife and two children to mourn his death.

The Arizona Daily Gazette, November 20, 1892, page 5, Col. 2.
Mrs. Fred Ames, wife of the baptist minister who was killed recently by a runaway horse, died in phoenix yesterday and will be buried this morning.  the lady, it will be remembered was too ill at the time of her husband's death to be brought into town from Mr. McFall's place three miles north of her to see him.

Rev. John Fremont Ames and Sophie Wall Ames
I Visited Phoenix, Arizona 9/16/98 and went to the Pioneer Cemetery to see the Grave of John Ames and his wife Sophie Wall Ames.  On the side of the tombstone was written "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord."  On the west side of the stone was "Sophie Wall Ames, Died Nov. 19, 1892, 31 yrs, 4 ms, 25 ds."  On the East side of the stone was written"Rev. J N O F. Ames Aug. 12, 1892, 34 yr, 4 mos."

I visited with Marge West (602-931-1883) at the Department of Recreation for the city of Phoenix.  She told me that some of the streets in the area were renamed.  Cortez is now 7th Ave. and Mohave is now 15th. Ave.
The City Directory of Phoenix, AZ 1892 lists one Baptist Church in town.  It was located on Jefferson and Mohave.  Sunday services, 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.:  Sunday-school, 9.30 a.m.; prayermeeting, Wednesday, 7 p.m.; convenant meeting, monthly; Rev. F. D. Rickerson, Pastor.
Pioneers' Cemetery Association, Inc.
PO Box 63342 Phoenix, AZ 85082-3342 Phone 602-253-2734

The oldest existing cemeteries within the city limits of Phoenix are in Pioneer and Military Memorial Park at 15th Ave. and Jefferson.  They were established between 1884 and 1898.  The burials ceased in 1914.  The largest of these cemeteries lies south of Madison street comprising four acres of fraternal grounds and four acres dedicated to city burials.  It was the only organized cemetery in the area prior to 1890.  It contains a "Who's Who" in early Phoenix history consisting of all races and economic backgrounds.