The people of Meeker county have voted twice against erecting a new court house. The present accommodations are very poor for holding courts, and all the public records are exposed to destruction from fire. The public offices are very deficient in accommodations for the proper transaction of public business. The county commissioners have arranged with Henry Ames to erect a brick building for a court room and public offices, which they agree to rent of him for five years. (The Saint Paul Daily Globe, Monday Morning, January 26, 1880, Volume III, Number 26, Page 2)
3 miles north-east of Litchfield, Meeker county, by Henry Ames, 500 M. yearly at $7; (The Geological and Natural History Survey of Minnesota, The Eighth Annual Report for the Year 1879, Submitted to the President of the University, Feb. 18, 1880, The Pioneer Press Company, St. Paul, MN, 1880, Page 120)
Litchfield News-Ledger: Henry Ames will have five or six families of negroes here this summer, most of them to be employed in his brick yard. (The Saint Paul Daily Globe, Tuesday Morning, April 13, 1880, Volume III, Number 104, Page 3)
Page 240. The largest business of brick-making in Meeker county is that of Henry Ames, three miles northeast of Litchfield, on the way to Forest City. This business was begun in 1875. The yearly product is about 500,000, sold at $7 to $8 per thousand. One-fifth as much sand as clay is needed for tempering. The section here is soil, 2 feet; then gray clay, with irony stains, 8 to 10 feet; underlain by quicksand, yellowish gray, of undetermined depth.
Page 241. Through the summer an average of eight men and two mules are employed. This deposit of clay extends over an area of two hundred acres or more. (A Report on the Geological and Natural History Survey of Minnesota, 1882-1885, The Geology of Minnesota, Volume II, N. H. Winchell and Warren Upham, Pioneer Press Company, St. Paul, Minnesota, 1888)
Reply of Litchfield Brickyard, of Litchfield, Minn., manufacturer of brick. [Established in 1878. Capital invested, $10,000.] For ten years average value output, $7,000; amount 1,000,000 to 1,500,000 brick per annum; capacity of the yard, 3,000,000 per annum. We desire a revenue tariff pure and simple, with an income tax. There is no protection needed – not one cent. The wholesale prices, in 1884, $7.50; in 1890, $5.50; in 1892, $5.50; same prices now. Domestic competition has increased. Wages are reduced 25 cents per day and $3 per month. Good board is $2.50 and $3 per week. Should judge a man and wife with 3 children under 12 years, at present prices of the necessities, could live comfortably on $6.25 per week. Wages this season will be $1.25 to $2 per day and $17 per month, the last with board; last season $1.50 per day and 420 per month, the first without and last with board. Believe the best interests of the most people will be served by revenue tariff and believe in an income tax. Am an old soldier and believe the pension list should be a role of honor. Have never asked for pension. Any stagnation of business here is through loss of crops and the uncertainty of legislation makes all timid about investing. (Replies to Tariff Inquiries, Bulletin No. 6, Committee on Finance, United States Senate, Schedule B, Earths, Earthenware, and Glassware, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1894, Page 110)
Litchfield. Brickyards – Henry Ames & Son. Second Inspection 1900. Adults – Male - 25. Total No. Employed - 25. No. Hours Labor Each Day - 10. Average No. Weeks Employed in Year - 20. (Seventh Biennial Report of the Bureau of Labor of the State of Minnesota, 1899-1900, Pioneer Press Company, St. Paul, Minnesota, 1900, Page 134)
Henry Ames, of Litchfield, Minn., president of the Northwestern Brick Manufacturers’ Association, is making a tour of the clayworking machinery plants of Indiana and Ohio. He contemplates putting new stiff clay brick machinery in his plant, which at present has a capacity of 3,500,000 bricks per annum. He called at The Clay-Worker sanctum, renewed his subscription, and reported a very satisfactory trade situation in his section. More brick are being used there than ever before, and there is but little doubt but that the situation will be even better next year. The brickmakers of Central Minnesota have no combination or association, but they are on friendly terms, as a rule, and the business is conducted on lines that admit of a fair profit. This is as it should be. (The Clay Worker, T. A. Randall & Co., Indianapolis, October 1900, Volume XXXIV, Number 4, Page 54)
Wanted – Brick Setter. Job to Nov. 1. Free board; state wages and experience. Henry Ames & Son, Litchfield, Minn. (The Minneapolis Journal, Wednesday Evening, April 30, 1902, Page 15)
Wanted – Man and Wife, No Children; man teamster, woman cook; long job. Henry Ames & Son, Litchfield, Minn. (The Minneapolis Journal, Saturday Evening, December 13, 1902, Page 11)
Married Man on Stock Farm; No Milking; one who understands handling corn crop and feeding cattle and hogs; will rent to responsible party. Henry Ames, Litchfield, Minn. (The Minneapolis Journal, Friday Evening, December 26, 1902, Page 13)
Machinery For Sale or Trade For 35 or 45-horse-power boiler: One 36-in. by 10-ft. boiler; two 60-in. and one 30-in. wire cable sheaves, 125 ft 15-16-in. shafting, with boxes and couplings; two friction-clutch cutoffs, used 16 months and in excellent condition. Henry Ames, Litchfield, Minn. (The Minneapolis Journal, Saturday Evening, January 17, 1903, Page 14)
Jan. 27 My Entire Dairy Herd, 50 High-grade Guernsey and Holstein cows and my cheesemaking outfit at auction. Henry Ames, Litchfield, Minn. (The Minneapolis Journal, Friday Evening, January 23, 1903, Page 19)
Wanted – Man and Wife; No Children; woman cook; brickyard boarding-house; man drive team. Henry Ames & Son, Litchfield, Minn. (The Minneapolis Journal, Wednesday Evening, February 25, 1903, Page 15)
Henry Ames & Son, New Paynesville, Minn., advise us that they are starting a brick plant at that place, with very pleasing prospects. They have 107 feet of fine plastic clay, which has been thoroughly tested. (The Clay Worker, T. A. Randall & Co., Indianapolis, May 1903, Volume XXXIX, Number 5, Page 582)
Henry Ames & Son, formerly of Litchfield, Minn., have now practically completed the removal of their plant from Litchfield to New Painesville, Minn., where they will have a yard with a capacity of 5,000,000 brick per annum. The firm has excellent shipping facilities, having side tracks from both the "Soo" line and the Great Northern. (Brick and Clay Record, Windsor & Kenfield Publishing Company, Chicago, IL, August 1903, Volume XIX, Number 2, Page 60)
Gordon Ames, the junior member of the brick manufacturing firm of Henry Ames & Son, New Paynesville, Minn., was married September 8, at St. Paul, Minn., to Miss Marie Mueller. The young couple will reside in New Paynesville. (The Clay Worker, T. A. Randall & Co., Indianapolis, October 1903, Volume XL, Number 4, Page 390)
Cash Renter For 160-Acre Farm in high state of cultivation; three miles from courthouse. Henry Ames, Litchfield, Minn. (The Minneapolis Journal, Saturday Evening, November 14, 1903, Want Ad Section, Page 4)
Cheese Factory Equipment, including primost, 2 wheel scrapers, 2 dump carts, 2 60-inch and 1 30-inch wire cable, cable sieves. Henry Ames, Litchfield, Minn. (The Minneapolis Journal, Saturday Evening, March 19, 1904, Want Ad Section, Page 4)
Man and Wife on Brick Yard; No Children; woman cook, man work on yard; also a good brick baker, wire cut machine. Henry Ames & Son, Litchfield, Minn. (The Minneapolis Journal, Wednesday Evening, March 23, 1904, Page 18)
Man and Wife on a Stock Farm; One with elderly man who can chore about place preferred; references, age and children. Henry Ames, Litchfield, Minn. (The Minneapolis Journal, Monday Evening, March 28, 1904, Page 15)
Cheesemaking Outfit, Two-Wheel scrapers, three dumpcarts, two friction-clutch cutoffs, two 36-in. by 12-in. pulleys. Good order and cheap. Henry Ames, Litchfield, Minn. (The Minneapolis Journal, Monday Evening, September 12, 1904, Page 13)
Man With Help To Work 260 Acre stock and grain farm; monthly salary and share in profits; state age, help, experience. Henry Ames, Litchfield, Minn. (The Minneapolis Journal, Saturday Evening, December 24, 1904, Page 13)
For Sale – Or Long Cash Lease. Walnut Grove Stock and Dairy farm, 260 acres, fine farm, brick buildings, two miles from county seat; also 380-acre farms. Henry Ames, Litchfield, Minn. (The Minneapolis Journal, Friday Evening, September 22, 1905, Page 25)
For Sale – Or Long Cash Lease – Walnut Grove stock and driving farm; 260 acres, fine farm, brick buildings, two miles from county seat; also three 80-acre farms. Henry Ames, proprietor, Litchfield, Minn. (The Minneapolis Journal, Sunday Evening, October 1, 1905, Page 26)
Married Man, No Children, Woman cook, man work in brickyard; small crew men. Henry Ames & Son, Litchfield, Minn. (The Minneapolis Journal, Sunday Evening, March 4, 1906, Want Ad Section III, Page 1)
Walnut Grove Stock and Dairy Farm, two miles from county seat; 260 acres, level black loam, brick buildings; a gentleman’s home; take some city residence property. Henry Ames, Litchfield, Minn. (The Minneapolis Journal, Sunday Evening, April 1, 1906, Want Ad Section, Page 7)
Walnut Grove Stock and Dairy Farm, two miles from county seat; 260 acres, level black loam, brick buildings; a gentleman’s home; terms or exchange for southern California. Henry Ames, Litchfield, Minn. (The Minneapolis Journal, Saturday Evening, June 23, 1906, Page 13)
Walnut Grove Stock and Dairy Farm, 260 acres, level black loam; two miles from county seat; brick buildings; a lovely home; southern California or twin city rental. Henry Ames, Litchfield, Minn. (The Minneapolis Journal, Thursday Evening, September 13, 1906, Page 15)
Near Litchfield and Kingston, brick yards operated for years on some laminated clays apparently formed in basins in the ice. Limey concretions occur in certain layers. The gray drift north and west of Litchfield consists largely of clay, but is somewhat pebbly. (Clays and Shales of Minnesota, Frank F. Grout and E. K. Soper, The University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1914, Page 129)