JAMES J. AMBROSE. Noteworthy among the active and prosperous business men of Nashville is James J. Ambrose, head of the Ambrose Printing Company, which makes a specialty of various kinds of work, including the printing of railroad blanks, loose binders, and being known far and wide as the largest railway tariff printers in the entire South. This enterprising firm likewise does special work as book and job printers, and as blank book makers, in addition having a finely-equipped store, fully furnished with the most approved modern machinery and furniture appliances, and with the assistance of its many competent workmen are prepared to fill all orders correctly, and promptly. Mr. Ambrose was born in the city of Bath, England, coming from excellent English ancestry.

His father, Moses Ambrose, was a native of Newbury, England, where his parents were life-long residents. After his marriage he opened a mercantile establishment in the city of Bath, and was there engaged in business until his death, at the early age of forty-five years. He married, in Wiltshire, England, Caroline Warman, who was born in Wiltshire, where her father, John Warman, spent his entire life. She survived her husband, passing away at the age of seventy-eight years. She reared six children, as follows: Joshua H., who with his brothers and sisters came to America, and settled in Nashville, became treasurer of the Nashville, Chattanooga & Saint Louis Railway; Amanda married Edwin Hughes, of Nashville; Oliver T. is employed in the office of the Nashville, Chattanooga & Saint Louis Railway; Rosa resides in Nashville; James J., with whom this sketch is chiefly concerned; and Albert, who died unmarried.

After the death of his father James J. Ambrose went to Wiltshire to live with his uncle, Henry Davis, who not only owned and operated a farm and grist mill, but conducted a general store. There he made himself useful, receiving a fine business training under the instruction of his uncle, with whom he remained until twenty years of age. Enlisting then in the British army, Mr. Ambrose served six months in England, six months in Africa, and five years in India, after which he was honorably discharged from the service. Immigrating to America in 1887, Mr. Ambrose located in Nashville, Tennessee, and soon after secured a position in the freight department of the Nashville, Chattanooga and Saint Louis Railway, with which he was associated for two years. Forming then a partnership with Herman Hasslock, he embarked in the printing business as junior member of the firm of Hasslock & Ambrose, which succeeded to the ownership of the Union and American Job Printing Plant. This plant is the oldest printing plant in the city, having been established in 1865 by Colonel Burch. Mr. Ambrose was in company with Mr. Hasslock for several years, but since severing the partnership has conducted the business alone. He is exceedingly well patronized in the city and its suburbs, being an expert in his art, and his work at all times most satisfactory.

Mr. Ambrose married, January 29, 1891, Miss May Dew, who was born in Columbia, Tennessee, of substantial colonial ancestry. Her father, Col. Joseph Dew, came from Virginia to Tennessee, and for many years carried on farming, with the assistance of slaves, in Maury county, this state. Colonel Dew married Margaret Oatman, a daughter of Colonel Oatman, who was born and bred in Vermont, but after his removal to Maury county, Tennessee, operated a farm with the help of slaves, although during the Civil war he was a stanch Union man. Mr. and Mrs. Ambrose have five children, namely: Dew, James, May, Victoria, and Rosanna. Mr. Ambrose is prominent in social and fraternal circles, belonging to the Commercial Club and the Hermitage Club, and being a Knight Templar and a Scottish Rite Mason. He is also a member of the Nashville Board of Trade. Religiously he is a member of Christ Episcopal church.

Additional Comments: From: A history of Tennessee and Tennesseans : the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry and modern activities by Will T. Hale Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co., 1913

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb [at] gmail [dot] com August 28, 2005, 4:52 am Author: Will T. Hale