William Amberson Jr. (1755 - 1838)

Born 11 Mar 1755 in Salem County, New Jersey

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Smith) Amberson — married [date unknown] in Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died 4 Jan 1838 at age 82 in Mercer, Mercer, Pennsylvania, USA

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Biography

Deputy Muster Master General, Lieutenant William Amberson Jr. served with 8th Pennsylvania Regiment, Continental Army during the American Revolution.

Lt. William Amberson Jr. was Wounded in Action during the American Revolution.

William Amberson Jr. is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A002151.

William Amberson Jr. is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor.
NSSAR Ancestor #: 103185
Rank:

William was born in 1775. He was the son of William Amberson and 1 of 3 brothers, the others being James and John.^[1] He passed away in 1838.

The State Historical Society of Wisconsin gives a bio: "William Amberson was born Mar. 11, 1755, on board ship from Ireland to America. He first lived in New Jersey, then entered the Indian trade at Pittsburgh. On the outbreak of the Revolution he was commissioned lieutenant in the Eighth Pennsylvania, was wounded at Brandywine, and marched west with Mcintosh, for whom he served as adjutant. Later he was muster-master general in the Western Department. He settled at Pittsburgh where he was the first treasurer of Allegheny County. Upon removal to Mercer, Pa., he opened the first store. He became a judge, acting in this capacity for over thirty years. He died at Mercer, Jan. 4, 1838. These facts Dr. Draper obtained from Amberson's descendants. See Draper Mss., 481, 8NN98."^[2]

He served as an officer in the Revolution.^[3] He was a prominent citizen of Pittsburgh before moving to Mercer Co. in 1803. A street in the middle of Pittsburgh still bears his name. William amassed a large store in 1787. He ran for the state assembly in 1799 as an anti-federalist and lost. William married the daughter of Devereaux Smith, another very prominent early settler of Pittsburgh. William and Devereaux, as well as William Powell, father-in-law of James Amberson, were among the signers of the petition to create Allegheny Co. William became a very prominent citizen of Mercer, his house, located in the town of Mercer, was still standing in 1888 and at that time was the oldest house in town. He was a Mercer Co. judge for many years. He and Mary had 10 children, with all except the last being born in Pittsburgh:

a) Elizabeth, b 5/10/83, m John Findley

b) Silas, b 10/10/85, married with children

c) Clarissa, b 1/7/88, unmarried

d) Presley Neville, b 2/5/91, m Sarah Cunningham

e) Mary, b 2/14/94. m Robert Johnson

f) Nancy, b 10/1/96, m George Flake

g)William, b 1/1/99, died in infancy

h) William, b 12/25/99, m Clara Flake

i) Caroline, b 12/24/02, died in infancy

j) Tarleton E., b 9/4/04, m Emaline Flake

Sources

1. ↑ Draper Manuscript, "Notes Of Border History" - Interview with Silas Amberson, Esq., son of James Amberson and Grandson of William Amberson, Sr, 1850, Pg. 1
2. ↑ Kellogg, Louise Phelps, Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Vol. 23: Frontier Advance On The Upper Ohio, 1778-1789, The Society Madison, 1916, pg. 140 https://archive.org/stream/collectionsstate23stat#page/140/mode/2up/search/Amberson
3. ↑ Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed 6 Oct 2023), "Record of William Amberson", Ancestor # A002151.

• "United States Census, 1790," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHK5-YKW : accessed 8 May 2017), Willm Amberson, Pitt, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, United States; citing p. 126, NARA microfilm publication M637, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 9; FHL microfilm 568,149.

• "United States Census, 1810," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH28-LH8 : accessed 8 May 2017), Wm Amberson, Mercer, Mercer, Pennsylvania, United States; citing p. 930, NARA microfilm publication M252 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 52; FHL microfilm 193,678.

• "United States Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers, 1818-1872," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24Q-VK39 : accessed 8 May 2017), William Amberson, 04 Apr 1818; citing Pennsylvania, United States, NARA microfilm publication T718 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1962), roll 1; FHL microfilm 1,319,381.

• "United States Census, 1820," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHL5-ZHN : accessed 8 May 2017), William Amberson, Mercer, Mercer, Pennsylvania, United States; citing p. 125, NARA microfilm publication M33, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 107; FHL microfilm 181,412.

• "United States Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers, 1818-1872," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24Q-PCCS : accessed 8 May 2017), William Amberson, 04 Mar 1835; citing Pennsylvania, United States, NARA microfilm publication T718 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1962), roll 10; FHL microfilm 1,319,390.

• Find a Grave, database and images, memorial page for Judge William Amberson (11 Mar 1755–4 Jan 1838), Find A Grave: Memorial #102088130, citing Old Mercer Graveyard, Mercer, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, USA; Maintained by Amby (Joyce) & Jerry (contributor 47464129).

• Foreman, Harry E., Conococheague Headwaters of Amberson Valley. Chambersburg, Penna.: Author, 1968. Print.

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/102089263/mary-amberson

• Brown, Runk History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania: Its Past and Present 1888 https://archive.org/stream/historyofmercerc00unse#page/651/mode/2up

• Kellogg, Louise Phelps, Frontier Retreat On The Upper Ohio, 1779-1781 https://archive.org/stream/frontierretreato00kellrich#page/498/mode/2up

• https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-19-02-0677#GEWN-03-19-02-0677-fn-0009

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Brent Biggs for starting this profile. Click the Changes tab for the details of contributions by Brent and others.