J. A. Ames was born in New York in 1859, came to Dakota in 1887, and settled in what is now Griggs County. Lenora Township on Section 12. He was married to Mary J. Harsk. He hauled all the trees from the Sheyenne River woods and planted them on their homestead. He was a sheep man and also built small houses in Aneta, North Dakota in the early days using only a hammer and saw, no other tools. Eventually they moved to Aneta. Many picnics were held in Mr. Ames' grove of trees.

Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 335