21 



nacs of thirty-eight successive years, with extracts from 

 the different issues and the various jottings on the mar- 

 gins and interleaved pages, the whole forming a valuable 

 contribution to our local history. 



Nathaniel Ames was born at Bridge water, July 22, 

 1708, he was the son of Nathaniel, grandson of John, 

 and great grandson of William, the immigrant ancestor, 

 born at Bruton, Somersetshire, England, Oct. 6, 1605, 

 and settled in Braintree, Mass., as early as 1640. He 

 was a distinguished physician and mathematician, and 

 removed to Dedham in 1732. At the age of seventeen 

 he calculated his first almanac, which was published in 

 1726. His almanacs were superior to those of his con- 

 temporaries, and obtained a great circulation ; 60,000 

 were annually sold in the New England colonies. He 

 died July 11, 1764. The almanacs were continued for 

 several years by his son Nathaniel, a graduate of Har- 

 vard in 1761, a physician, and died at Dedham in 1822. 

 The celebrated Fisher Ames "one of the most brilliant 

 men this country ever produced," was his third son, born 

 April 9, 1758, graduated at Harvard 1774, and died July 

 4, 1808. "In the old church yard at Dedham, is a plain 

 white monument, on which is the simple inscription 

 Fisher Ames." 



This communication was referred to the Publication 

 Committee, and will probably be printed in the "Histori- 

 cal Collections." 



The Secretary announced the following correspond- 

 ence : — 



From New England Historic-Genealogical Society. Feb. 2; Pennsylvania Histor- 

 ical Society, Feb. 2; Throndhjem Kongelige Korske Videnskabernes-selskab, Sept. 

 28, 1870; Boardman, S. L., Augusta. Me.. Jan. 25; Brigham, W. T., Boston, Jan. 25; 

 Hotchkiss, Frank E.. New Haven, Conn.. Jan. 17, 23; Mann, Mary. Cambridge, 

 Dec. 1, 1870; Paine, N., Worcester, Jan. 24, 25, 28; Preble, George Henry, Charles- 

 town, Dec. 18, Jan. 31; Perry, Wm. Stevens, Geneva, X. Y., Jan. 20; Stephens. 

 Wm. Hudson, Copenhagen, X. Y., Jan. 27; Trippe, T. Martin, Alexandria, Minn., 

 Dec. 30; Williams, X. M., Methuen, Jan. 26. 



