Reply #32: The Ames Family in Wisconsin

[bobthedrummer]

The Ames ancestors came from England and settled in Vermont. By the time of the Civil War one of the family, George Ames, (even though a teenager around 16-17) joined the Union forces and served briefly in the Army of The Potomac.

After the war young George Ames married and moved to Green Bay, WI. He was a foreman in a logging camp. George and his wife had a son, Jesse Hazen Ames.

Jesse Hazen Ames moved to River Falls, WI. where he became an educator and President of the River Falls State Teachers College from 1917-1944. Known as "J.H." he was quite a prominent citizen in River Falls.

Jesse H. Ames also had children, sons and daughters. Most of them would face alcohol related problems in their lives.

One of the sons of Jesse H. Ames (President of River Falls State Teachers College) was born in Brandon, WI. in 1905-Carleton Cecil Ames.

Carleton C. Ames also became an educator. He earned a Master's degree in history at the University of Minnesota and became a teacher in New Richmond, WI. For some reason (possibly alcohol related) Carleton was dismissed from his duties in New Richmond.

Despite objections from faculty and staff Jesse got Carleton a position teaching European and Asian history at River Falls State Teachers College. Carleton settled in that community and married a former student of his, Rachel Aldrich (originally from New Richmond) who was 13 years younger than him. Rachel Aldrich Ames also became an educator.

Carleton and Rachel also had a family. A son was born May 26, 1941 named Aldrich Hazen Ames, but called Ricky by his family.

Carleton had continued advancing his own education and earned a PhD in history in 1949 with a doctoral work on the effect of the British Empire in Burma.

One quiet day in 1951 a visitor from Washington D.C. visited Carleton in River Falls. Carleton was "recruited" by the young CIA which needed "experts" in every field.

Carleton took his intelligence training in 1952 and then was assigned to Rangoon, Burma in 1953 posing as a scholar for a privately funded foundation but really working Counterintelligence for the CIA. This was highly dangerous-it was NOC (Not Official Cover).

Of course his family lived in Rangoon with him for a couple of years. When the Ames family returned to the US Carleton was put on probation for a half a year (due to alcohol related problems) but continued to be employed in Counterintelligence in the CIA.

His son, Aldrich Hazen Ames (Rick) found part time work in the CIA as a young man and applied to be an agent. It took 8 years for Rick to earn a degree and get into the Agency, but he did it. His first assignment was in Turkey, working Counterintelligence/CI.

Rick married a fellow CIA agent, Nancy.

Things went on for Rick in the Agency despite heavy drinking and marital problems, he became the head of Soviet CI and sold his knowledge to the former KGB for millions of $$$.

Aldrich Hazen Ames was arrested for espionage on President's Day February 21, 1994.

Former WH spokesperson DeeDee Meyers remarked on Ames arrest in a Press Briefing the next day (2-22-1994) a transcript of that PB is below.
http://www.loyola.edu/dept/politics/intel/wh-19940222pc.txt

Ames family history derived from "Betrayal" 1995 by Tim Weiner David Johnston and Neil A. Lewis (Wheeler Publishing Inc) and "Nightmover" by David Wise 1995 (Harper Collins).

On edit-since Sibel Edmonds was asked by a lot of people to translate old case documents (because they didn't trust the translations given at the time of these old cases) I can't help but wonder if any of the material pertained to Aldrich Hazen Ames, super traitor and KGB mole born in River Falls, Wisconsin.