Descendants of William AMBROSE I

submitted by Willis Dillon

A "First Family" of Macoupin County IL

WILLIAM AMBROSE I (of probably JOSEPH) was born Abt 1778 in VA, and died Abt 1848 in Plainview Hilyard Twp Macoupin County IL. He married ELIZABETH Abt 1801 in VA. Elizabeth was born abt 1780 in VA, and died October 20, 1867 in Plainview Hilyard Twp Macoupin Co IL. Elizabeth is buried in the Morrison Cemetery located near the boundary of Hilyard and Gillespie Townships Macoupin County and just north of IL Route 16. Elizabeth's grave is marked. The stone says Elizabeth was 87 years of age at death.

See Notes Below

Children of William AMBROSE and Elizabeth are:

i. MAHALA AMBROSE, b. Abt 1804, VA; d. Abt 1865, Greene County IL; m. JAMES R PRUITT, March 05, 1826, Greene County IL. Mahala is buried in Greene County IL.

ii. WILLIAM AMBROSE II, b. November 22, 1805, VA; d. October 09, 1849, Greene County IL; m. ELIZABETH, Abt 1835. William is buried in Edwards Cemetery, Roodhouse Greene County IL. Info from gravestone and William's probate records. His brother-in-law, James R PRUITT, was appointed executor of William's estate.

iii. VINCENT AMBROSE, b. Abt 1808; m. UNKNOWN, Abt 1826.

iv. JOSEPH AMBROSE II, b. October 29, 1818, KY; d. April 12, 1865, Plainview Hilyard Twp Macoupin County IL; m. ANNA WAGGONER, September 05, 1839, Plainview Hilyard Twp Macoupin County IL. Joseph is buried in Morrison Cemetery located on the border of Hilyard and Gillespie Townships Macoupin County IL north of IL Route 16.

v. SARAH AMBROSE, b. Abt 1822, IL; m. WILLIAM C DRENNEN, November 07, 1839, Macoupin County IL.

Possible Child: Polly AMBROSE, m (1) Charles DAVIS 16 Jan 1831; m (2) Alexander PRUITT, abt 1834

Possible Child: Robert AMBROSE (no information)

Possible Child: Elisa AMBROSE, m. Daniel PRUITT, February 17, 1842.

For more information on this family, contact:

Willis D Dillon 340 Oakleigh Woods Dr Ballwin, MO 63011 WDillon.Ballwin@worldnet.att.net

Notes

BIOGRAPHY: William Ambrose's place of birth in Virginia has not been verified.

There was a Joseph Ambrose listed in the 1790 census of Richmond Co., Moratico Pct., Va.(my notes say 1783). The record lists 5 Whites and 26 Blacks. I would assume that the 26 Blacks were Joseph's slave holdings. The 5 Whites were his family and would seem to fit the following birth records if we assume that Joseph's youngest son had not yet been born.

Church records for St. Stephens? church in Northumberland Co.(Next door to Richmond Co.) lists a Joseph & Mary Ambrose as parents of a John b. Jul/1775, a William b. Dec/1778, a Mary b. Sep/1781, and an Elijah b. Dec/1783.

There is recorded in Richmond Co. the marriage bond of William Ambrose and Elizabeth Hinson on 3 Aug 1801 with Jonas & Haney Hinson as parents of the bride & the Bondsmen were James Marks & James Hinson.

The marriage bond for Elijah Ambrose & Nelly Jenkins on 7 Jul 1806 appears in these same records. James Jenkins in listed as the bondsman. While I have not verified it I think that the William & Elijah in these two records are Joseph Ambrose's sons.

According to the 1810 census of Richmond Co. William & Elijah Ambrose are both listed. William Ambrose would be 31 yrs and Elijah 26 yrs at this time. Grave headstone data would approximate Elizabeth (William's wife) as 23 ys. The census lists 1 male 26/45, 1 female 16/26, 2 males & 2 females 0/10. This would fit William & Elizabeth's ages.

I've not been able to establish William's family structure. I know that he had the following sons William Jr., Joseph and possibly sons Vincent and Robert. His known daughters were Mahala, Sarah and possibly Polly & Elisa. There could have possibly been other children that I haven't found.

Deed books for Richmond Co., Va. record the change of deed of 46 acres of land that had been inherited by a Polly Hinson wife of Jonas Hinson residents of Christian Co., Ky. to a Richard Merriner on 23 Jun 1819.

There is also a transfer occurring on 26 Jan 1819 from Jonas Hinson & wife Mary Dye Kelly living in Kentucky. One of the witnesses to this document was a William Ambros who signed it in June 1815. Either Jonas was married several times or Haney, Polly & Mary are one and the same or possibly both scenarios. Polly is a nickname for Mary.

1817 & 1819 Tax records for Christian Co., Ky (1818 records are not available) show the following: 1817--William Ambrose-1 wh. male-2 horses-$40 William Ambrose-1 wh. male-3 horses-$50 Jonas Hinson-1 wh. male-2 horses-$40

1819--William Ambrose-1 wh. male-2 horses-$80 (Lived on W.Fork Watershed) James Hinson-1 wh. male-2 horses-$80 (Lived on Muddy Fork Watershed) Jonas Hinson-1 wh. male-1 horse-$30 (Lived on Elk Fork Watershed) James Marks-1 wh. male-$0 (Lived on Cumberland Watershed) None of the above names are listed in the 1820 Tax Records. The two William Ambroses in 1817 could have been father & son.

All of the names mentioned in these records lead me to believe that they had all began migrating from Virginia between about 1810 & 1815 westward to the frontier of Kentucky in Christian Co.

William's youngest son Joseph(my ggrandfather) is listed in all census as being born in Ky. This would seem to fit with the above info.

In the 1820 census of Madison Co., Ill. there is a William Ambrose and a William Ambers listed. William Ambers household is listed as 1 male 0/10, 1 male 10/16, 1 male 16/26, 1 male 26/45--3 females 0/10, 2 females 10/26, 1 female 26/45. William Ambrose household is listed as 1 male 16/18, 2 males 16/26, 1 male 26/45, 1 female 0/10, 1 female 10/16, 1 female 16/26, 1 female 26/45.

William probably stayed in the Greene and Macoupin Counties IL area during the 10 year period between 1820 and 1830.