Person:Cornelius Ambrose (1)

About Cornelius Ambrose

Cornelius Ambrose was born 1841 in Champaign County, Illinois per his Civil War enlistment records. His parentage has not been established. On 17 November 1859, Cornelius Ambrose married Anna Margaret "Annie" Cheek (1843-1923), daughter of James Cheek and Elizabeth Hackney in Coles County, Illinois [Illinois Marriage Records]. In 1860, Cornelius [age 19] and Margaret Ambrose [age 17] were listed in the U.S. Census records as living in Paradise, Coles County, Illinois. They had one child together; Mary Elizabeth "May" Ambrose, born 7 November 1864 in Mattoon, Coles County, Illinois.

There was an "M. Ambrose", male [age 31-40] with a female [age 21-30] listed on the Illinois State Census Collection [1825-1865] taken on 3 July 1865 in Pesotum, Champaign County, Illinois that MAY be somehow related to this Cornelius Ambrose, but additional research is needed. This is included here as a potential tip to other researchers.

Cornelius enlisted for the Civil War on 11 August 1862 in Shelby County, Illinois. [Civil War Records, National Archives]. During the Civil war, he served in the 115th Illinois Infantry, the Pioneer Corps/Brigade and the 1st. Regiment, U.S. Veteran Volunteer Engineers until 11 June 1865 when he was listed on the Company Muster-our Roll at Camp Harker, Tennessee. It has been suggested by some [family story?] that Cornelius Ambrose may have died in the Battle of Bull Run, but since that battle was fought between August 28-30, 1862, the battle was fought in Prince William County [the majority of Cornelius Ambrose's service was in Kentucky and Tennessee] and military records clearly show that Cornelius had served well into June 1865, this suggestion has been disproven. It is likely however that Cornelius died at the end of the Civil War or shortly thereafter.

Cornelius Ambrose appears to have died prior to 1868, as his wife Anna Margaret "Annie" Cheek had re-married to John B. Kinser. Records proving when and where Cornelius Ambrose died have not yet been found.

Possible Ambrose Relatives

Ambrose marriages in Marion County, Indiana: (4th listing, Mary Ambrose is Cornelius' daughter, others listed are possible nieces or nephews of Cornelius)

• AMBROS HANNIE, DANIEL FRANK MAY 8 1877 MARION 14 460
• AMBROSE JAMES, ELLEN HURLEY MAY 26 1875 MARION 13 410
• AMBROSE JOHN M., FANNIE FLETCHER MAY 8 1881 MARION 17 58
• AMBROSE MARY, JAMES ATKINSON DEC 21 1880 MARION 16 666
• AMBROSE SYLVESTER, MARGARET ENGLAND AUG 22 1881 MARION 17 174

Civil War Records of Cornelius Ambrose

From Civil War Records, National Archives.

Cornelius Ambrose, Sgt., Company "F", 115 Regiment, Illinois Infantry. Enlistment, Aug. 11, 1862, Shelby County, Illinois Age: 21 years, Height: 5', 11", Born in Champaign County, Illinois

• Detailed with Pioneer Corps, April 7, 1863. Permanently transferred to U.S. V.V.E. July 27, 1864

• August 11, 1862 - Joined for Duty, Camp Butler, Shelby County, Illinois
  
• September 13, 1862 - listed on Company Muster-In Roll
  
• September 13 to October 31, 1862 - Present - Received one month's advance pay as private balance yet due.
  
• November 1862 - Absent sick
  
• December 31, 1862 - Absent from company, Left in Hospital Sick at Richmond, Kentucky, December 20, 1862
  
• December 1862 - Absent det. serve Pioneer Corps July 1863
  
• February 16, 1863 - Appointed 3rd Sergeant
  
• April 7, 1863 - detailed with Pioneer Corps
  
• Sept/October, 1863 - Company "D", 4th Battalion, Pioneer Brigade, present at Station at Carters Creek, Tennessee
  
• November/December, 1863 - Company "D", 4th Battalion, Pioneer Brigade], present at Station at Ashton's Mill, Tennessee
  
• January/February, 1864 - Absent

Information on the Pioneer Brigade:

Pioneers were skilled soldiers who were given detached duty to clear roads, construct bridges, dig trenches, and erect fortifications and as such fell under the Engineers Corps. In the Union Army, initially, there was no formal organization for Pioneer COMPANIES. As the war dragged on, Pioneers were drawn from the veteran Reserve Corps and the USCT. Some army commanders formed pioneer companiesby assigning two or three men from each company. There were few formal pioneer units in the Confederate Army, which at the beginning of the war used slaves for such work. (Source: http://civilwarindiana.com/)

• March/April, 1864 - Absent
  
• May/June, 1864 - Absent
  
• July/August, 1864 - Absent
  
• July 27, 1864 - Transferred to U.S. V.V.E by order of Gen. Thomas
  
• November 1864 - Transferred to 1 U.S. Veteran Volunteer Engineers - November 7, 1864, Chattanooga, Tennessee

1st Regiment Engineers were organized in the Dept. of the Cumberland from Pioneer Brigade, Dept. of the Cumberland, July 8, 1864. Duty in the Dept. of the Cumberland repairing railroads, building block houses and bridges and in general engineering duties until September, 1865. Mustered out September 26, 1865. (Source: http://www.civilwararchive.com/Unreghst/unvetvol.htm)

Cornelius Ambrose, Sgt. Company "A", 1st Regiment, U.S. Veteran Volunteer Engineers.
Company Muster and Descriptive Roll dated Chattanooga, Tennessee, July 23, 1864.
Born in Champaign County, Ohio, age 23 years, occupation Blacksmith. Enlisted Aug 11, 1862 in Oconner, Illinois for a three year period. Eyes: hazel, Hair: Brown, Complexion: Dark, Height: 5', 11".

• Mustered in Chattanooga, Sept. 13, 1864
• November 1864 - Absent on Veteran furlough since Nov. 8. 1864
• December 1864 - Absent without leave since December 18. 1864
• January 1865 - Absent without leave since December 13, 1864.
• June 11, 1865 - appears on Company Muster-out Roll, Camp Harker, Tennessee

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 National Archives.
2.   United States. 1860 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M653).

   Name: Cornelius Ambrose
   Age: 19
   Birth Year: abt 1841
   Gender: Male
   Birth Place: Ohio
   Home in 1860: Paradise, Coles, Illinois
   Post Office: Paradise
   Dwelling Number: 895
   Family Number: 895
   Occupation: Blacksmith
   Personal Estate Value: 100
   Household Members: Name Age
   Cornelius Ambrose 19
   Margaret Ambrose 17
   George W Smith 19 - Note: the relationship with George W. Smith is unknown, he may have been a boarder living with Cornelius and his wife Margaret.

3.   United States. Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865. (Ancestry.com Operations Inc, Provo, UT, 2009).

   Name: Cornelius Ambrose
   Residence:
   Enlistment Date: 11 Aug 1862
   Rank at enlistment: Sergeant
   State Served: Illinois
   Survived the War?: Yes
   Service Record: Enlisted in Company F, Illinois 115th Infantry Regiment on 13 Sep 1862.Mustered out on 27 Jul 1864.Transferred to on 27 Jul 1864.
   Sources: Illinois: Roster of Officers and Enlisted Men