In this post, I will dive into the family history of the woman whose name still lives in the community: Mary Ambler.
We will look into her family history and how she fits into the Ambler Family.
The Jansen/Johnson Family
Mary Ambler was descended from Claus Jansen (1658-1745) who was one of the early settlers of Germantown until officially settling down in Skippack Township in 1708.
Casper Johnson (1720-1806), the grandson of Claus Jansen, lived in Germantown at his father's estate. During the 18th century, Casper owned tracts of land in Upper Dublin, Richland, and Skippack, possibly part of the tract that belonged to Claus Jansen then to Casper's father Jan Jansen (1695-1777).
Casper's son Benjamin Johnson (1762-1837) inherited his father's plantation in Richland where he lived throughout his life with his children, including his daughter and future local hero Mary Ambler (1805-1868).
The Ambler Family
The beginnings of the Ambler family began on May 1, 1723 with Joseph Ambler II (1691-1776) who purchased 90 acres of land in Montgomery Township from William Morgan. In 1734, he built a farmhouse where he and his family lived for over 90 years.
It was passed down to his descendants until it reached his grandson Edward Ambler about his wife Ann, raising their son Andrew (1793-1850) and his siblings at the old farmstead.
His farmstead is now a restaurant and a wedding venue.
Mary Ambler and Her Family
On May 14, 1829, Mary married Andrew Ambler, and they lived at his parents' farmstead until Andrew completed his 3-year apprenticeship with his father in the weaving trade.
In 1832, Andrew purchased 80 acres of land in Ambler on Main Street and Tennis Avenue as well as the Fulling Mill that operated along the Wissahickon Creek. Mary, Andrew, and their son Lewis (1839-1908) operated the Fulling Mill until Andrew's death in 1850. The building that was rebuilt by Andrew is still standing with his and Mary's initials (A & M Ambler 1844) on the east side of the home.
Fun Fact #1: The Fulling Mill was used to ship wool to the Union Army during the Civil War.
Mary gained some medical skills in minor ailments like powwowing, which explains her heroic efforts to nurse the injured from the infamous 1856 train wreck near the Wissahickon station. On July 20, 1869, one year after her death, the North Pennsylvania Railroad Company changed the name of the Wissahickon station to Ambler in her honor.
Mary was described by friends as a frail woman who was willing to help those in need. When she heard the cries from the wreck, she grabbed necessary materials like lint and bandages, and walked towards the scene on foot.
The Ambler family were members of the Gwynedd Friends Meeting.
Her son Isaac (1833-1918) also learned the wool manufacturing at his father's mill and took over the mill with his brother Benjamin (1831-1858) after his father died. He owned a tract of land along Bethlehem Pike in Ambler, and became a successful farmer.
He other son David (1837-1909) moved to Fitzwatertown to work as a clerk in a general store. He then moved to Quakertown to work in the coal and lumber business with his uncle and Mary's brother David Johnson. David worked in the coal and lumber business after his uncle died, but returned to Ambler after his mother died and purchased his old homestead. In 1874, David returned to Quakertown and returned to the coal and lumber business.
David was involved in both communities in Quakertown and Ambler. He was part of the Quakertown Borough Council, director of the Doylestown National Bank, one of the organizers and board of directors of the First National Bank of Ambler, and a director of the Ambler School District.
Her eldest son Joseph (1830-1895) purchased the farm of his father in-law, Solomon Cleaver, in Spring House until 1876 he returned to Ambler where he retired.
The Ambler Homestead
The home they occupied was built before the Revolutionary War, possibly in 1756. The home and the Fulling mill were built by the Morris family. The mill was built by David Morris between 1725 and 1733.
It was owned by Arthur Bradis with 24 acres, the house, and the mill. He added 55 more acres to his original tract in 1793. Suddenly he came into possession 83 acres of land.
In 1809, Arthur passed on the land to his daughter Mary and her husband Isaac Davis, who then in 1832 sold 83 acres to Andrew Ambler.
When Andrew purchased the land, he noticed the home need some repairs. He ended up rebuilding the home as well as the mill to make it larger.
The home was occupied by the Ambler family until 1869 when the heirs sold the home to Anthony Johnson. During his ownership, Anthony detached the mill, the house, and 35 acres. There were three houses on the land. He sold one part to John H. Bringhurst. It was John H. Bringhurst who was responsible for the fire destruction of the mill on December 31, 1869.
John then sold his land to Mary's son David, then to Charles O. Yocum in 1873 for two houses and 15 acres. Finally, in 1892, the land was sold to William C. Walker.
NOTE: In the 1877 map below, you can see Joseph M.E. Ambler's home across from Charles Yocum's home. It was the home he spent in after living in Spring House.
In the summer of 1911, William C. Walker renovated the old homestead and the surrounding grounds: the walls were re-plastered, and the electric lights were installed as well as hot water heat and other modern-day equipment.
Bibliography
"50th Wedding Anniversary." Ambler Gazette. May 3, 1906. Page 1. http://digitalcollections.powerlibrary.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/wivp-gazett/id/4460/rec/24.
"Claus Nicholas Jansen (1658 - 1745)." WikiTree. Last modified March 18, 2021. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Jansen-1149.
"David Ambler." FamilySearch. Accessed January 7, 2022. https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/KFPK-JKP/david-ambler-1790-1871.
Dowling, Tim. "Joseph Ambler." Geneanet. Accessed January 7, 2022. https://gw.geneanet.org/tdowling?lang=en&pz=timothy+michael&nz=dowling&p=joseph&n=ambler&oc=1.
Franklin Survey Company. Montgomery County 1949 Vol D, Plate 15, 1949.
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"Local History Sketch. Interesting Local Matter Collected by 'E.M.' The Oldest House in Ambler--The Old Ambler Fulling Mill--James Morris--Andrew Ambler--C.O. Yocum--W.C. Walker." Ambler Gazette. July 6, 1911. Page 3. http://digitalcollections.powerlibrary.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/wivp-gazett/id/10418/rec/1.
"Montco's Best Outdoor Dining." Valley Forge & Convention Board. Accessed January 16, 2022. https://www.valleyforge.org/restaurants/outdoor-dining/.
Morris, William E, and Smith & Wistar. Map of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania: from original surveys. [Philadelphia: Smith & Wistar, 1849] Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/2012590207/.
"Old Places and Families Associated With Ambler--The Ambler Family--Historic Mills Hereabouts--By E.M." Ambler Gazette. May 12, 1898. Page 2. http://digitalcollections.powerlibrary.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/wivp-gazett/id/708/rec/8.
Roberts, Clarence Vernon. Early Friends Families of Upper Bucks, with Some Account of Their Descendants : Historical and Genealogical Information about the Early Settlers in Upper Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1975): 302-314.
Roberts, Ellwood. Biographical Annals of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Containing Genealogical Records of Representative Families, Including Many of the Early Settlers and Biographical Sketches of Prominent Citizens, Volume 2. (New York, Chicago: T.S. Benham & Co. and The Lewis Publishing Co., 1904): 312-317.
Scott, J. D. Montgomery County 1877, Gwynedd, North Wales, Ambler, Royer's Ford, Limerick Station, 1877.
Smith, J.L. Montgomery County 1893, Ambler Borough, 1893.
Sullivan, Nancy. "How Wissahickon Became Ambler." The Historical Society of Montgomery County PA. Last modified March 30, 2017. https://hsmcpa.org/index.php/learn/found-in-collection/item/19-how-wissahickon-became-ambler.