John Judson Ames

John Judson Ames (May 18, 1821 – July 28, 1861; pen name, "Boston") was a California Pioneer and the editor and proprietor of the first newspaper published in the city of San Diego, California.

Early years Ames was a native of Maine and his family was from Marshfield, Massachusetts. The family home was at Calais, Maine, but he was born at Islesboro on May 18, 1821. His father was John Gilkey Ames, a ship builder and coast trader, and his mother, Abigail Dodge. Judson appears to have left home at an early age to make his own way. His account of this reads as follows: "On the day on which we completed our sixteenth year, a wise father turned us out into the world with the parting words: 'Jud, you are now old enough to take care of yourself, and I think there is enough of the Yankee in you to insure your success. If you make a good beginning, I will render you any assistance you may require,—if not, you must try again. Be industrious— practice economy—shun wine and women—and I'll insure you for ten per cent, on your original cost.'" Little is known about Ames's early life, but he appears to have alternated some schooling with a number of sea voyages and several scrapes, until about his 25th year. He had a younger brother, Hudson N. Ames.

Career About the year 1847, he entered the employ of Henry O'Reilly, the builder of pioneer telegraph lines, and aided in the construction of the first through line from Memphis southward to New Orleans. Soon after his arrival in Louisiana, he turned his attention to newspaper work and established, at Baton Rouge, the new capital of that State, a paper which he called The Dime Catcher, and devoted his energies to the support of General Zachary Taylor's candidacy in the presidential campaign of 1848. He then moved to San Bernardino and began to publish the San Bernardino Herald; it was the first newspaper in San Bernardino County.

Personal life Ames was a Mason; he helped organize the first lodge in San Diego (which was also the first in Southern California), and was for a time its Master.