Los Angeles County, CA, Biographies

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

 

Charles D. Ambrose

Charles D. Ambrose. - Among the prominent men in the business circles of Pomona during the 
past three years, is the gentleman whose name heads this sketch.  He is a native of Jackson 
County, Michigan, born May 3, 1840.  He is a descendant of old families of New England.  His 
parents, Samuel and Mary A. (Maine) Ambrose, settled in Washtenaw County, Michigan, in 1836, 
and later in the county of his birth.  In 1849 his father came to California as one of the pioneers of 
this State, and the subject of this sketch then entered the family of his uncle, who resided in Winnebago 
County, Wisconsin, where he was reared and schooled until the age of fifteen years.  He then engaged 
as a clerk in a general merchandise store and followed that occupation until reaching his majority, at 
which time he entered into business upon his own account, establishing a store at Omro, Winnebago 
County, which he conducted until 1865.  In that year he engaged in trading and freighting upon the 
Michigan shore, and to Lakes Huron and Superior, owning a fine schooner used in his trade, and which 
in the second year he took charge of as its master.  During the winter seasons he engaged in driving 
cattle from the Fox River Valley to the copper mines of Lake Superior, a distance of over 250 miles, 
through the almost trackless forests of Wisconsin.  Mr. Ambrose followed these laborious and active 
pursuits until 1868, and then came to California.  After a visit to the mining sections, he located at San 
Jose and entered the employ of T. W. Spring, a prominent merchant of that city, as a clerk, salesman 
and auctioneer.  He was thus employed until 1872, when he entered into the clothing business at Vallejo, 
with A. P. Voorhees, under the firm name of Voorhees & Co.  In 1875 he moved to Ukiah, Mendocino 
County, and for many years was engaged in one of the largest mercantile and trading establishments in 
that section.  He first established the business under his own name, which after several changes was 
conducted under the well-known firm name of Taylor, Taft & Ambrose.  The failure of the hop crops in that 
section preceding 1886 resulted in a suspension and dissolution of the partnership, and Mr. Ambrose, 
after meeting his obligations, found himself nearly round financially; but, nothing daunted, he sought new 
fields of labor, and, coming south, established his residence in Pomona.  His only capital was a active, 
energetic disposition, trained business habits and square, straightforward dealing.  These soon secured 
his success in business as a real-estate dealer and agent, and gained him a large circle of friends.  Mr. 
Ambrose has considerable landed interests in the county, among which is a fine 240-acre tract of San 
Dimas, at the mouth of the San Dimas Canon.  The present improvement upon this land is six acres of 
citrus fruits.  Fully eighty acres of this land are specially adapted to citrus �fruit cultivation, having plenty 
of water and rarely affected by frost.  The subject of this sketch is deeply interested in the future growth 
of the city of Pomona, and always lends his aid to any enterprise tending to advance its interests.  In 
December 1888, he was appointed a notary public and still holds that office.  He is a member of the Master 
of Pomona Lodge, No. 246, F. & A. M.  He is a member of the Baptist Church, in which he takes a great 
interest.  Politically, he is a straight-out Republican and working in the ranks of his party.  In 1869 Mr. 
Ambrose married Miss Ada H. Treadway, the daughter of Dr. Richard M. Treadway, the daughter of Dr. 
Richard M. Treadway, a former resident and well-known physician of Sonoma County.  Her mother, Nancy 
J. (Chapman) Treadway, was a native of South Bend, Indiana.  Mrs. Ambrose died November 7, 1879, 
leaving one child, Mary Louise.  In 1885 he married Miss Laura Brown, a native of Lexington, Virginia, the 
daughter of John L. and Susan J. (Agner) Brown, also a native of that State.  By this marriage there is one 
child, Nellie Edwards.  The father of Mr. Ambrose is now a resident of Tuolumne County, this State, engaged 
in mining, and an occupation, which he has followed in California for nearly forty years.

An Illustrated History of Los Angeles County, California � Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1889  
Page 370-371

Transcribed by Pat Houser, March 27, 2006