Merritt Ames (1825-1914), was born in Poultney, Vermont, coming to Glens Falls, New York in 1846.

Mr. Ames was a preacher, and studied chemistry and astronomy on his own. He became a professional photographer and friend of famous George Eastman. While developing his own lantern slides, Mr. Ames realized that he was generating waste from the developing process that contained silver. After experimentation, he began collecting this residue from photographers around the country, purified the wastes into silver nitrate to be reused by photographers, silver for the U.S. Mint, and for making mirrors and medicine.