Robert Eames (also spelled Robert Emes) was an American miller and political figure who served as Saugus, Massachusetts first representative to the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
Robert Eames | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from Saugus | |
| In office 1816–1816 | |
| Preceded by | District created |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Cheever |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1790 Roxbury, New Hampshire |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Miller |
Early life
editEames was born to Robert and Sally Eames in about 1790 in present-day Roxbury, New Hampshire. His family was involved in politics, with his father serving as Roxbury's first town moderator and brother Daniel Adams Eames also holding political office in Roxbury before moving to Saugus. Through Daniel Adams Eames, Eames was the uncle of Joseph Alexander Ames and Nathan Ames.[1] Eames had one son, Lucius (born 1815) and one daughter, Elizabeth Willis (born 1817).[2]
Business career
editIn 1809, Eames constructed a fulling mill below the Sluice Pond Dam in Lynn, Massachusetts. He sold the mill in 1815 to silk dyers Andrew and John Hall of Malden, Massachusetts.[3]
In 1811, Eames' brother Joseph started a Morocco leather manufacturing business on the Saugus River. He later added a gristmill and fulling mill to the property. Robert Eames joined his brother in this business in 1813. In 1817 the gristmill was converted into a facility to grind dyes, particularly camwood. In 1821, the Eames brothers ended their partnership and Joseph Eames ran the business solo until it burned down in 1847. He sold the property to Francis Scott of Salem, Massachusetts and it became the site of Scott's Mills.[4]
From 1815 to 1822, Eames leased the grist and saw mills previously owned by Benjamin Sweetser to manufacture dyewoods, principally camwood.[5]
Politics
editIn 1814, Eames was one of the citizens of Lynn's West Parish who petitioned the Massachusetts General Court to have the area set off from Lynn and established as a separate municipality. On February 17, 1815 the West Parish was incorporated as the town of Saugus, Massachusetts.[6] Eames was chosen to represent Saugus in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.[7]
References
edit- ^ Historical New Hampshire: Volumes 56-57. New Hampshire Historical Society. 2001.
- ^ Vital records of Saugus, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849. Salem, Massachusetts: The Essex Institute. 1907. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
- ^ The Register of the Lynn Historical Society for the Year 1903. Lynn, Massachusetts: Frank S. Whitten. 1905. p. 69. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
- ^ Huard, D. Hamilton, ed. (1888). History of Essex County, Massachusetts. Philadelphia: J. W. Lewis & Co. pp. 411–412. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
- ^ Duane Hamilton Huard, ed. (1888). "Saugus". History of Essex County, Massachusetts. Philadelphia: J. W. Lewis & Co. ISBN 9785873700752.
- ^ Atherton, Horace H. (1916). History of Saugus, Massachusetts. Citizen's Committee of the Saugus Board of Trade. pp. 81–82. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
- ^ "Sketch of Saugus". The Bay State Monthly. John N. McClintock and Company. 1885. p. 149. Retrieved 25 April 2022.