John Walker Ambrose and Salome Sarah "Sally" (Knable) Ambrose are buried in Bender Cemetery (a.k.a. Old Hopewell Cemetery), on Hopewell Ridge near Viola, Forest Twp., Richland Co., WI. Thanks to Find-A-Grave for making this image available.

Morton L. D. Weston Death Record.

John Walker Ambrose was born July 21, 1798 near Ligonier, PA, and died Aug. 7, 1880 in the Town of Forest, Richland Co., WI. He married Salome Knable (7), Jan. 22, 1824 in Somerset County. She was born Dec. 30, 1804 in Milford Township, Bedford (now Somerset) Co., PA., and died Nov. 27, 1882 in the Town of Forest, Richland County, WI. Both are buried in the Old Hopewell Cemetery on Hopewell Ridge near Viola, WI.

The Ambrose and Knable families were originally neighbors in Somerset Co., PA, but John's father moved to Ligonier Valley in Westmoreland Co. about 1790. Their new home was about twenty‑five miles distant, over Laurel Hill on the Forbes Road to Pittsburgh ‑ not too far to maintain contact with friends and relatives in Milford Township but a rugged trip over the mountains nevertheless. It seems that John Walker was the only one of the family to return to Somerset Co. for his bride, and according to the baptismal records of Sanners Lutheran Church they remained near their Knable relatives.  

In 1845 they joined Sally's parents in moving with their entire family to Clinton Co., IN. All but the four youngest of this family of fifteen were married at this time. Nine years later, Levi Kanable with nine of his sisters and their families migrated to the frontier in Richland County, WI. They had been preceded by other Clinton Co. residents who had returned and told them of this land which was now available and so much like their earlier home in Somerset County. Did they long for the wooded hills during their stay on the plains of Indiana? Farming may have been easier there, but clearing the land of trees and building log cabins had been the heritage of these families for three generations.  

Orion on the Wisconsin River was the center of settlement and supplies. The Ambroses remained here for a few months, then went into the woods to take up land in the Town of Forest whose village settlement came to be called Viola.  

The first town meeting was held at the home of John Walker Ambrose April 1, 1856. The following year he was elected a supervisor of Richland County. He was known as a successful farmer and held an honored place in the community.  

The children of John Walker and Salome (Sally as she was known) Kanable were:

Caroline Amanda 1824-1903 Mar. 1) John Counts 2) Ed Thayer

Hiram William 1826-1901 Mar. 1) Mary Ann Gifford 2) Caroline Austin

Jacob Kanable 1829-1904 Mar. Rachel Ewing

Susannah 1831-1850 Mar. Bedford Gifford

Maria 1833-1912 Mar. Levi Gochenaur

Mary Magdalena 1836-1909 Mar. Simon S. Blake (3)

Harrison 1839-1863 Died of wounds during Civil War. Buried at Gettysburg.

Samuel 1842-1928 Mar. 1) Rachel Bender 2) Emma Short

Elizabeth 1845-1924 Mar. Morton Weston

Early History of Forest
By Salma Rogers

In the years 1854 and 1855, the town of Forest was comprised of the towns 11 and 12, range 2 west, now known as Sylvan and Forest. The first town meeting of the joint towns was held at the house of William Ogden, in Sylvan, April 3, 1855; fifteen votes polled at that meeting; was duly organized by the election of the following officers of the meeting: Elijah Austin, chairman; Silas Benjamin, William Wood, associates; E. B. Tenny, Asahel Savage, clerks. At the same meeting the following officers were duly elected for the ensuing year: E. B. Tenny, chairman; R. J. Darnell, William Wood, associates; Levi C. Gochenaur, clerk; William Ogden treasurer and Asahel Savage, assessor.

In the year 1855, the town was divided; the geographical town 12 retained her political name of Forest, and town 11 assumed the political name of Sylvan. The first town meeting held in the town after the division was made, was held at the house of John W. Ambrose, on the first day of April, 1856. R. J. Darnell, presided as chairman; Salma Rogers and Cyrus D Turner, as associate supervisors; Levi C. Gochenaur, clerk. At said election the following officers were duly elected for the ensuing year: Jesse Harness, chairman; William Mathews and J. V. Bennett, associate supervisors; Hartwell L. Turner, clerk; Levi Kanable, assessor; Andrew Carpenter, treasurer; Harvey C. Goodrich, Jeremiah D. Black, Salma Rogers, justices of the peace; William Clift, Emanuel P. Bender and George Pitsenborgner, constables.

In the year 1852, in the month of April, the first piece of land was entered, it being the southeast corner of section 33, town 12 north, range 2 west, by Alexander Barclay, now owned by Charles Marshall. On July 2, following, Mr. Barclay was drowned in the Wisconsin river at Orion. The first settlers in the town were Daniel and William Bender. Daniel Bender entered his land, it being the northwest quarter of section 33, town 12 north, range 2 west, in the month of April, 1854, and built his house, the first that was built in the town, on the 12th day of May, the same year, and moved with his family into the house on the 15th, and buried his wife on the 24th day of May, 1854, this being the first death that occurred in the town. Ten persons were present at the burial and only two of that number were resident of the town. The fall of 1854 the town was settled very rapidly.

On Sept. 20, 1854, H. L. Turner, William Turner, Cyrus D. Turner, Salma Rogers and J. Lyman Jackson, settled at Viola, in the Kickapoo valley; Laal and William Clift came to the Kickapoo valley, June 8, 1854, where Laal Clift now resides. Cyrus D Turner laid out and platted the village of Viola. In October, 1854, Levi Kanable and David Johns settled in the southwestern part of the town, and in the same month, John W. Ambrose, Jacob K Ambrose, Levi C. Gochenaur, Jacob P. Neher and R. J. Darnell, settled in the southeast part of the town.

Chapter 24 - Town of Forest.

The town of Forest forms the northwest corner of Richland county, being composed of congressional township 12 north, range 2 west. It is bounded on the north and west by Vernon county, and on the east and south by the towns of Bloom and Sylvan respectively. The surface of this town is very broken and uneven, the Kickapoo river traversing the northwestern portion. Some portions of the valley of this river is excellent farming land, having a soil of rich black loam, made up chiefly of washings from the surrounding hills. It is well adapted to raising all cereals common to this latitude, and being well watered it makes excellent pasturage for stock. The Kickapoo river enters the town by way of section 6, and passing through sections 6, 7, 18 and 19, leaves through the latter section. This stream furnishes splendid water power privileges, which have to a large extent been improved. South branch of Bear creek has its source on section 2, and flowing northward leaves the town by way of the same section. Camp creek enters the town from the east and flows across the center of the town to empty into the Kickapoo. These streams have many spring tributaries, some small, while others are of considerable size, which abundantly water territory more remote from the larger streams. Upon the higher and more uneven lands the soil is made up of a clayey loam; the original soil of black loam having by the action of the elements been largely washed into the valleys.

Early Settlement.

The first settlement in this town was made in April, 1854, by Daniel and William Bender, two brothers who came together from Pennsylvania. Daniel entered 160 acres of land on section 32, where the first house in the town was erected and where he still lives. William entered 160 acres of land on section 29, where he still lives.

In the following June (1854) the Bender brothers were joined by Laal Cliff, who entered forty acres on section 7, where he still lives; and William Cliff, who selected eighty acres on section 8. William now resides in Minnesota. The Cliffs were natives of Vermont.

Jeremiah D Black came during the same year and entered eighty acres on section 15. He is now dead.

On the 17th of September, 1854, quite a party of pioneers arrived, consisting of Cyrus D Turner, Salma Rogers, Hartwell L Turner, William Turner, J L Jackson and John Fuller. Cyrus Turner entered 320 acres of land on sections 18 and 19. He is now dead. Mr. Rogers selected the forty acres of land on section 19 which he still occupies. H L Turner entered 320 acres on section 19, but now resides just over the line in Vernon county. William Turner entered forty acres on section 18. J L Jackson entered land in the town of Liberty, Vernon county. John Fuller remained only a short time and then went to California, where he died.

John H Crandall, a Baptist preacher, came here from Indiana in 1854, and entered 320 acres of land on sections 19 and 30. He lived here a few years, then removed to the town of Eagle. He is now dead.

E P Fay came in 1854 and entered land on section 18. He settled there in 1855. He is now dead.

Jacob Bennett came here in 1854, and the year following located on section 7. He is dead.

George Fruit and James Guthrie came at an early day and located on section 12, where they still live.

Levi Knable also came in 1854, and entered land on section 30, where he now resides.

David Johns came in October, 1854, and entered eighty acres of land on section 30.

He was followed the same year by J K, H W and J W Ambrose. J K entered 120 acres of land on section 34, where he now resides. H W entered 120 acres on section 28, where he still lives. J W selected 120 acres on section 34, where he died in 1881.

J P Neher came in 1854 and entered eighty acres on section 34. He now resides in California.

Jeremiah Clark came in 1854 and entered 160 acres of land on section 26, where he still lives.

R J Darnell was also one of the settlers of 1854. He bought a farm of eighty acres on section 36. He removed to Kansas from here, but now lives in Illinois.

Levi Gochenour came in 1854 and entered 160 acres of land on section 27. He remained there until the time of his death, in 1861. His widow still lives there.

In 1855 George Croninger, Andrew Carpenter, John Booher, Isaac Phifer, James Rockwell and Mr. Todd all came. Mr. Croninger bought land on sections 8 and 17, erecting a house on the former section, where he still lives. Mr. Carpenter settled on the southeast quarter of section 10. John Booher located on section 11. Mr. Rockwell located on section 10. He is now dead. His son, H L, who came with him, now lives on section 3. Mr. Phifer settled on section 11. He now lives in Iowa.

Alfred Loveless, a native of the State of New York, came here in 1856 and bought forty acres of land on section 18, where he lived until the time of his death. He was a prominent man in the county and held many positions of trust and responsibility. His son, J A Loveless, still occupies the old homestead.

SAMUEL AMBROSE is the owner of a fine landed estate in Forest and Marshall townships and is one of the representative farmers of the county. He is a native of the old Keystone State, having been born in Westmoreland county, Penn., March 16, 1842, and being a son of John W. and Salome (Kanable) Ambrose, both of whom were likewise born in Pennsylvania, whence they came to Richland county, Wis., in 1853, first settling near Orion and removing to the town of Forest in 1855, here passing the remainder of their lives. The father was a successful farmer, reclaiming his land from the forest and being one of the honored and influential citizens of his township. He was a member of the town board in an early day and identified himself with the Republican party at the time of its organization, thereafter continuing a stanch supporter of its cause. Samuel Ambrose, the immediate subject of this review, secured his rudimentary education in Pennsylvania, having been eleven years of age at the time of his parents' removal to Wisconsin, and having continued his studies in the district schools of Forest township, where he was reared to manhood on the home farm. Save for a period of a few years, during which he was engaged in the general merchandise business at Ash Ridge, this county, his vocation has been that of farming, and he is now the owner of a fine farm of 200 acres in Forest township and 160 acres in Marshall township. In politics he is a stanch supporter of the Republican party and he has been called to serve in various offices of public trust, having been township treasurer four years and having served as assessor, as postmaster at Ash Ridge, as notary public and as census enumerator in 1900. Dec. 15, 1870, Mr. Ambrose was united in marriage to Miss Rachel Bender, who was born Dec. 22, 1847, and who died July 21, 1880. Of this union were born five children, whose names, with respective dates of birth, are as follows: Pearlie Gilbert, Oct. 25, 1871; Susannah Maria, Apr. 30, 1873; Marvin Custer, Jan. 16, 1875; Ninetta C., Jan. 13, 1877; and Mary, Feb. 14, 1879. Pearlie and Marvin are deceased; Susannah is the wife of Charles Hall; Ninetta is the wife of Aaron Fruit; Mary is the wife of Tracy Benson. Feb. 4, 1883, Mr. Ambrose married Miss Emma Short, who was born in Marshall township, this county, April 16, 1861, her parents having been pioneers of Richland county. They were born in Germany and first settled in Pennsylvania, whence they came to Wisconsin. Mr. and Mrs. Ambrose have six children, whose names and dates of birth are as follows: Martha E., Dec. 7, 1883; Irwin J., Nov. 16, 1885; Prudence F., May 18, 1888; Clyde, Jan. 12, 1891; Bonnie B., June 15, 1893; and Zuey Zelma, March 27, 1895. Martha E. is now the wife of James D. Winter. Mrs. Ambrose is a member of the United Brethren church.