Ambrose Family Album

Generation 1. Joseph Ritner 'Rit' Ambrose (1839-1910).

Husband of Margaret Ann Dougherty, youngest son of Benjamin Ambrose and Ann Shearer. This photo is undated. The photographer's mark is C.C. Shadle of Kittanning, PA.

Rit was probably born on his parent's farm near Cowansville. When he was about three years old his mother died; five years later his father passed on as well. Presumably he was raised by his stepmother or perhaps by his older brothers and sisters. Records in the Armstrong County Court House show that he had several guardians.

Rit was close to his older brother Frank, who was farming in Franklin (now East Franklin) Township. Frank's wife, Rebecca Dougherty, had a younger sister named Margaret, whom Rit married in February of 1858. In December 1858, Rit bought a farm near Frank's.

Rit and Margaret farmed in Franklin Township until 1874, when they purchased land in Cowanshannock. Their farm was where Yatesboro is now located. A fire destroyed all the buildings on their farm sometime in the 1890's. Margaret died in 1897, and by 1900 Rit had moved into a house in Rural Valley. Evidently he was involved in politics, because his obituary states 'Mr. Ambrose held a number of offices, the last being assessor of Rural Valley borough.' For a while he was the town lamplighter. His granddaughter Maxine Stewart remembered watching Rit light the gas street lamps that lined Main Street in Rural Valley.

Rit died in 1910. He is buried in Rural Valley Cemetery near quite a few of his descendants, while Margaret is buried in West Glade Run Cemetery in East Franklin Twp., the resting place of her parents and other members of the Dougherty family.

Rit and Margaret were the parents of: Thomas Harper (1858-1925), Benjamin Franklin (1860-1953), Samuel Ellsworth (1864-1935), Grant W. (1870-1932), Margaret Jane (1873-1906), Laura Kerr (1876-1951) and James G. (1880-1958) Ambrose.

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