| Notes |
- Home in 1860: Not Stated, Alamance, North Carolina
Household Members:
Name Age
J R Montgomery 37
C C Montgomery 36
E L Montgomery 11
D F Montgomery 9
J D Montgomery 7
S E Montgomery 5
James Montgomery 2
Burlington, N.C.
December, 1895
To my children,
Thinking you would like to know something of the genealogy and history of your ancestors, I give the information obtained from my father and other sources, together with my own knowledge, which is as near correct as it is possible to get it.
The Montgomerys are of ?Scotch Irish? decent and emigrated to this country from ?Mongomo? in Scotland, about the latter part of the sixteenth century. My great, and your great great grand father, come from Pennsylvania in 1770 and settled in Guilford county on the waters of north Buffalo, about three miles from Bethel Church and died there at an extreme old age of 70 years; His name was William, left one son also named William, who inherited his father?s estate and was a well to do farmer until his wife died leaving four children, three sons, William (my father), Hugh and Patterson, and one daughter, Hannah. He married again and soon lost all his property, becoming poor and dependent, bound to father the oldest son (then but a plow boy), to a man by the name of Forbis, who was a cruel and tyrannical man to all under his charge, soon died at 70 years old.
My father often told me he learned to read while laying in a horse trough to watch when the horses were done eating, it being common to feed the stock in a lot, instead of barns or stables; In the mean time the old man to when he was bound passed away; Then he left the widow, and apprenticed him-self to learn the trade of black-smith; After working at that business for two or three years, he again changed his occupation to that of a carpenter and cabinet maker, and after acquiring, as he thought, skill enough to go it on his own hook, he contracted to build a house for an old German Physician by the name of Vanstory, who lived in Guilford county on the waters of Reedy Fork. While xxxxx working out his contract, he was delighted in reading his employer?s medical books, and when his work was done, he proposed to become a medical student, the old doctor kindly took his such, boarded him free of charge and give him all the necessary instructions and help he could in the prosecution of his studies; In the mean time, he often visited the sick with his preceptor and thereby learned much of the practical work of his chosen profession. After two years study, the old man in his charity, give him a few vials of medicine, a pair of saddle bags and a small pony, and located him ten miles East of Danville in Virginia; His first professional call was to see a patient was in a fight was stabbed in the abdomen, on his arrival he found a portion of the bowels had protruded, he replaced them, sewed up the wound and having nothing else to do, remained and nursed his patient until he got well; His success gave him some little notoriety and he enjoyed a lucrative practice at that place for two of three years; During that period he succeeded, after paying all expenses, in laying up a few hundred dollars which he brought over to Randolph county and invested in a small farm, built on it a house and laid off lots for a village or town, which he called Liberty and by that name it has ever since been known. While there he married Sarah, the daughter and only child of ?Post-Master? Daniel Albright, (so called because he was Post-Master for forty years); After marrying he sold his place Liberty, to one Abram Brower and moved down to Orange and lived with his father in law; Soon took an active part in Politics and was elected in 1824 to a seat in the Senate of the State Legislature from Orange County over Michael Holt, the father of Edwin M. Holt, and served as Senator successively for ten years, except on term when he was defeated by James Mebane, the father of Giles Mebane; Was then elected a representative in Congress, the district then composed of Wake, Orange, and Person Counties, first over General Daniel Barringer, next over Washington Haywood of Raleigh, and then over Governor William A. Graham of Hillsboro; Served as such continually for eight years until 1841, then retired to private life and died November 1843 at 54 years of age.
For a series of years, the old United States Bank, Nick Biddle President, received and disbursed all the funds of the general government; In 1836 when General Jackson was President, he recommended in his message the establishment of a sub treasury, for the safe keeping and disbursing of public funds; In a heated discussion on this question between my father and his colleague, Kenneth Rayner of Bertie, angry words was spoken that resulted in a
fight, which did by little damage save a few bruises on the faces of both parties; Was surgeon to John Bynum, in a duel with Jennifer of Maryland. He dies as above stated, leaving nine children, six daughters, and three sons, of which only three are now living; Nancy Elizabeth, married General Benjamin Trolinger, is now a widow, eighty years old, now living at ?Old Hundred? in Richmond County, on the Wilmington and Charlotte Rail Road.
Sarah Louisa, married William Bauldin of Caswell and died June 1839, age 23 years.
Daniel Archibald, born May the 16th, 1819 Living.
Delilah, married Benjamin Roney, had two daughters and on e sone, died at the age of 43 years.
James Rudy, married Cornelia Trolinger, had two sons and one daughter, died at the age of 47 years.
Mary Ann, died single at 18 years old.
Martha Harriet, died single at 20 years old.
Cornelia, married Wesy Holt, had one son, died at 19 years of age.
Maria, died single at 36 years of age.
William Vanburen, born July 1840 now living.
Hugh, second son of my grand father went to Norfolk as a soldier in the war of 1812, was afterwards Post Master at Asheville, N.C. ten years, then moved to Rome in Georgia, when I lost sight of him, and know nothing more of his history.
Patterson, the youngest brother of my father William, and Hugh, married Sarah, daughter of John Brower of Randolph; Was a cabinet maker and lived where Julia May died, had two sons and two daughters; In 1836 moved to Fulton County
Illinoise, his oldest daughter married, Rev. Sidney Y. McMasters, a very eminent and learned Minister of the Episcopal Church moved to St. Paul Minnessota, and
died there; His second daughter, married the Sheriff of Fulton County and was living when last heard from.
Patterson died at an advanced age.
Hannah, married James Bennefield, emigrated to Tennessee, was in the battle of New Orleanes under General Jackson in 1812, and afterwards moved to Martin County Indianna, carrying with him, my great grand mother Montgomery, who died there at a very ripe old age; Hanna also died there 79 or 75 years old.
Our ancestors on our mothers side was full German; My great, and your great great grand mother, Elizabeth Klapp, ( a member of the German reformed Church)
come from Reading Pennslyvania, riding all the way on horse back to North Carolina, on Beaver Creek near the Brick Church, died at the age of 98 years;
Never spoke the English language; Had four sons, John, George, Jacob, and Daniel; All lived to old age, ranging from 75 to 85 years; One daughter, Elizabeth, all members of the German reformed church
My grand mother married ?Post Mater? Daniel Albright, had one daughter my mother Sarah, and died 96 years old.
Thus you will see our ancestors were a race of long life people, perhaps none more so, could be found in this part of the country.
To my sons, John, William, Walter, James, and Thomas, and to my daughters, Estelle, and Bessie, this document is dedicated, with the request that it be preserved and handed down to your future generations.
D. A. Montgomry
(Dr. Daniel Archibald Montomry)
|
1823 - 1870 (47 years)
