Evan J. Ambler (1841-1893) was born on January 8, and the 7th son of local hero Mary Ambler at his family's homestead in Ambler. When his father died, his name was mentioned as one of his heirs of the homestead. His brother Isaac ended up taking over the family homestead.
Meanwhile, Evan established a home and store on Butler Avenue and South Main Street which he operated for many years. After he died in 1893, his wife Mary Jenkins, daughter of William H. Jenkins who operated a farm and store near the William Penn Inn, took over his business until she retired.
Prior to building his home and store, he operated a store on the first floor of the former Sunnyside Academy building.
Architecture
This building reminds me of the Spring House Tavern based on the architectural style it was used and the additional building sections that surrounds the original structure.
Right away, the most noticeable feature on the building is the mansard roof. Whenever you see a mansard room, you would know this roof feature is common in Second Empire buildings. Other notable features on the building besides the stone structure were the details above the windows.
Bibliography
"Google Maps Area Calculator Tool." DaftLogic. Accessed April 16, 2022. https://www.daftlogic.com/projects-google-maps-area-calculator-tool.htm
"Local History. 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/1.
Mueller, A. H. Atlas of the North Penn Section of Montgomery County, Pa., Plate 26, 1916.
Roberts, Clarence Vernon and Warren Smedley Ely. 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 Company, 1975): 164.
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): 315.
Scott, J. D. Montgomery County 1877, Gwynedd, North Wales, Ambler, Royer's Ford, Limerick Station, 1877.
"Sunnyside Pupils Meet." Ambler Gazette. June 29, 1916. Page 1. http://digitalcollections.powerlibrary.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/wivp-gazett/id/8954/rec/6.
"Town Topics." Ambler Gazette. March 17, 1898. Page 5. http://digitalcollections.powerlibrary.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/wivp-gazett/id/807/rec/2.