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Montgomery Family History & Genealogy

55,226 biographies and 113 photos with the Montgomery last name. Discover the family history, nationality, origin and common names of Montgomery family members.

Montgomery Last Name History & Origin

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History

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Name Origin

Montgomery is in origin from Normandy, France.

Spellings & Pronunciations

Montgomerie, Montgummery,

Nationality & Ethnicity

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Famous People named Montgomery

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Early Montgomeries

These are the earliest records we have of the Montgomery family.

William Montgomery was born in 1772. He was in a relationship with Ailsey Crittenden Montgomery, and had a child Hiram Montgomery. William Montgomery died at age 64 years old in 1836. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember William Montgomery.
Robert Montgomery Sr. was born on January 5, 1774 in Antrim, Northern Ireland United Kingdom, and died at age 51 years old on August 10, 1825 in Newberry, South Carolina United States. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Robert Montgomery Sr..
Esther (Spence) Montgomery was born on May 2, 1777 in Newberry, South Carolina United States to Andrew Spence and Mary (Caldwell) Spence. She was in a relationship with Robert Montgomery Sr., and had a child Robert Montgomery Jr.. Esther Montgomery died at age 82 years old on November 10, 1859 in Belfast, TN. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Esther (Spence) Montgomery.
Ailsey Crittenden Montgomery was born in 1780. Ailsey Montgomery was in a relationship with William Montgomery, and has a child Hiram Montgomery. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Ailsey Crittenden Montgomery.
Alexander Montgomery of Australia was born in 1795 to Andrew Montgomery and Agnes Montgomery. Alexander Montgomery died at age 64 years old in 1859.
Hiram Montgomery was born in 1796 to William Montgomery and Ailsey Crittenden Montgomery. He was in a relationship with Milkey Cavender Montgomery, and had a child Alsie (Montgomery) Neal. Hiram Montgomery died at age 71 years old in 1867. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Hiram Montgomery.
Edward Montgomery of Australia was born in 1798, and died at age 82 years old in 1880.
Agnes Montgomery of Australia was born in 1798, and died at age 70 years old in 1868.
John Montgomery
John Montgomery was born on June 15, 1800. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember John Montgomery.
Ellen Montgomery of Australia was born in 1800 to Brown Mich Montgomery and Anne Harnet Montgomery. Ellen Montgomery died at age 80 years old in 1880.
Henry Montgomery of Australia was born in 1802, and died at age 72 years old in 1874.
Ellen Montgomery of Australia was born in 1802, and died at age 70 years old in 1872.

Montgomery Family Members

Montgomery Family Photos

Discover Montgomery family photos shared by the community. These photos contain people and places related to the Montgomery last name.

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Montgomery Family Tree

Discover the most common names, oldest records and life expectancy of people with the last name Montgomery.

Most Common First Names

Updated Montgomery Biographies

Marilyn Jean (Montgomery) Linduff was born on October 31, 1935. Marilyn Linduff was in a relationship with HJ Linduff, and has children Kenneth D. Linduff and Patricia Linduff-West. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Marilyn Montgomery-Linduff.
Though a perfectionist to her family, she was loving and generous, known for giving money and food to the needy on the streets. She loved her grand daughter Sophie no less than PAPA and her soul is with her last grand babies, Addie and Liam. She was easy to laugh with and let us play jokes on her all the time. Code word eaglebeak. She gave her all to her children
David came out to Australia with his brother John They left from Glasgow on 1st May 1853 on the Catherine Glen with 293 passengers and arrived in August 1853
John Montgomery of Mt Rouse Shire Australia was born in 1826 in Edinburgh, Edinburgh County, Scotland United Kingdom to Alexander Montgomery and Agnes Dixon Montgomery. He had a brother David Montgomery. He married Dora (McGuiness) Montgomery, and had children Lucy Dora Montgomery and William Alexander Montgomery. John Montgomery died at age 59 years old on August 16, 1886 in Penshurst, Southern Grampians Shire County, Victoria Australia, and was buried at Boram Boram Cemetery, in Penshurst, VIC.
Dora (McGuinness) Montgomery of Ballarat Australia was born in 1836 to Martin Mcguinness. She married John Montgomery, and had children Lucy Dora Montgomery and William Alexander Montgomery. Dora Montgomery died at age 52 years old on March 30, 1889 in Ballarat, and was buried at Ballarat New Cemetery in Invermay Park, City of Ballarat County, VIC.
Lucy Dora Montgomery of Brighton, City of Bayside County, VIC Australia was born in 1858 in Smythesdale, Victoria to John Montgomery and Dora (McGuiness) Montgomery. She had a brother William Alexander Montgomery. Lucy Montgomery died at age 58 years old on October 16, 1917 at Middle Brighton, in VIC, and was buried at Brighton General Cemetery in Caulfield South, City of Glen Eira County, Victoria.
The Age, Melbourne. 20th July 1959. CHAMPAGNE PARTY ON HIS 100TH BIRTHDAY. BALLARAT, Sunday. Mr. W. A. Montgomery, of Lyons Street, Ballarat, was 100 today and celebrated the fact with a glass of champagne. Surrounded by friends and relatives, and puffing on a new pipe, Mr. Montgomery attributed his centenary to clean living and to the fact that longevity runs in the family. Mr. Montgomery was born on the goldfields at Smythesdale, where his father, John Montgomery, had a store tent. The Montgomery family's connections with Ballarat date back to before the Eureka stockade. John Montgomery was an associate and close friend of John Lynch - Peter Lalor's right-hand man in the affair at Eureka. At his party today, Mr. Montgomery received congratulatory messages from the Queen, the Governor General ( Sir William Slim ), the Governor ( Sir Dallas Brooks), and the acting premier ( Mr. Rylah ).
Belline Jean Montgomery of Ballarat Australia was born on June 22, 1914 in Ballarat, City of Ballarat County, VIC, and died in 1914 in Ballarat.
Bettine Joan Montgomery was born on June 22, 1914 in Ballarat, City of Ballarat County, VIC Australia to William Alexander Montgomery and Elizabeth Marie (Hyne) Montgomery, and has siblings Marjory Alexandra Mary (Montgomery) Cartwright, Keith Hyne Montgomery, Leonard George Montgomery, Colin William Baird Montgomery, Margaret Helen (Montgomery) Polson, and Ewen Malcolm Montgomery. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Bettine Joan Montgomery .
Ewen Malcolm Montgomery was born in 1918 in Ballarat, City of Ballarat County, VIC Australia to William Alexander Montgomery and Elizabeth Marie (Hyne) Montgomery, and has siblings Marjory Alexandra Mary (Montgomery) Cartwright, Keith Hyne Montgomery, Leonard George Montgomery, Colin William Baird Montgomery, Margaret Helen (Montgomery) Polson, and Bettine Joan Montgomery. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Ewen Malcolm Montgomery .
Married to William Alexander Montgomery on 22nd October 1903 at St. Andrew's Church, Colac, Victoria.
Bettine Joan Montgomery of Ballarat Australia was born in 1914 in Ballarat to Elizabeth Marie (Hyne) Montgomery and William Alex Montgomery. Bettine Montgomery has siblings Colin William Baird Montgomery, Bessie Wilma Baird Montgomery, Ewen Malcolm Montgomery, Noel David Montgomery, and Colin William Band Montgomery. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Bettine Joan Montgomery.
Margaret Helen (Montgomery) Polson was born on April 14, 1923 to William Alexander Montgomery and Elizabeth Marie (Hyne) Montgomery, and had siblings Marjory Alexandra Mary (Montgomery) Cartwright, Keith Hyne Montgomery, Leonard George Montgomery, Colin William Baird Montgomery, Bettine Joan Montgomery, and Ewen Malcolm Montgomery. Margaret Polson married David Polson in 1957, and died at age 88 years old on April 4, 2012. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Margaret Helen (Montgomery) Polson.
Margaret Helen Montgomery of Violet Tn Australia. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Margaret Helen Montgomery.
Leonard George Montgomery of Queenscliff, Victoria Australia was born in 1908 in Ballarat to William Alexander Montgomery and Elizabeth Marie (Hyne) Montgomery. He had siblings Marjory Alexandra Mary (Montgomery) Cartwright, Keith Hyne Montgomery, Colin William Baird Montgomery, Margaret Helen (Montgomery) Polson, Bettine Joan Montgomery, and Ewen Malcolm Montgomery. He married Dorothy Nellie (Hassall) Montgomery, and had children Ian Baird Montgomery, Russell Montgomery, Keren Elizabeth (Montgomery) Lewis, and John Alexander Montgomery. Leonard Montgomery died at age 73 years old on March 16, 1982 in Geelong, and was buried at Geelong Eastern Cemetery 141 Ormond Rd, in East Geelong, Greater Geelong City County, VIC.
Dorothy Nellie (Hassall) Montgomery was born on September 1, 1910 at 42 Clyde St, in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire County England to Joseph Arthur Hassall. She married Leonard George Montgomery, and had children Ian Baird Montgomery, Russell Montgomery, Keren Elizabeth (Montgomery) Lewis, and John Alexander Montgomery. Dorothy Montgomery died at age 79 years old on January 4, 1990 at Geelong Hospital in Geelong, Greater Geelong City County, VIC Australia, and was buried circa January 8, 1990. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Dorothy Nellie (Hassall) Montgomery .
Marjory Alexandra Mary (Montgomery) Cartwright of Ballarat Australia was born in 1904 in Ballarat to William Alexander Montgomery and Elizabeth Marie (Hyne) Montgomery. She has siblings Keith Hyne Montgomery, Leonard George Montgomery, Colin William Baird Montgomery, Margaret Helen (Montgomery) Polson, Bettine Joan Montgomery, and Ewen Malcolm Montgomery. Marjory Montgomery married William George Larkin Cartwright in 1936. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Marjory Alexandra Mary (Montgomery) Cartwright .
Colin William Baird Montgomery was born on February 11, 1912 in Ballarat, City of Ballarat County, VIC Australia. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Colin William Baird Montgomery .
Marie Dora (Montgomery) Lalor was born in 1891, and died at age 64 years old on November 30, 1956 in Elwood, Port Phillip City County, VIC Australia. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Marie Dora (Montgomery) Lalor.
Keith Hyne Montgomery of Ballarat Australia was born on February 4, 1906 in Ballarat to William Alexander Montgomery and Elizabeth Marie (Hyne) Montgomery. He had siblings Marjory Alexandra Mary (Montgomery) Cartwright, Leonard George Montgomery, Colin William Baird Montgomery, Margaret Helen (Montgomery) Polson, Bettine Joan Montgomery, and Ewen Malcolm Montgomery. Keith Montgomery died in 1906 in Ballarat, City of Ballarat County, VIC.

Popular Montgomery Biographies

Candace L. (Wheeler) Montgomery
Candace Lynn Wheeler was born to Perleg N. and Emma C. Wheeler. She had a sister, Elsie. Candace Wheeler was 20 years old when she married 25 year old James Patrick Montgomery on October 6th, 1970 in El Paso, Texas. The couple had a son, Ian Patrick Montgomery, in October of 1974, and a daughter. In June of 1980, a woman named Betty Gore was brutally murdered in her home in Texas. The perpetrator struck her with an ax 41 times. Subsequently, Candace Montgomery, who was a friend of Betty's, was accused of the murder. Candace had previously been having an affair with Betty's husband, Allan Gore, but the affair had ended. During the trial, Candace argued that she had acted in self-defense. She claimed that Betty had discovered the affair and attacked her with the ax. In the ensuing struggle, Candace had managed to wrest the ax away from Betty and had used it to strike back in self-defense, resulting in Betty's death. In the end, the court found Candace "not guilty" of the murder. She subsequently moved to Georgia with her children and worked as a therapist with teens and adults. By that time, she had divorced her husband James, who later went by the nickname "Pat". A book, "Evidence of Love" and a show on Hulu, "Candy", were made about the incident. See a 2022 article about both with more details about the incident at Everything To Know.
Diana Serra (Montgomery) Cary
Born as Peggy-Jean Montgomery, later known as Diana Serra Cary, but known in silent films as "Baby Peggy", she was the first big child screen star, earning over a million dollars a year in the early 1920s! From 1921 through 1924, she starred in over 150 short films and some popular features. Then her career (at the ripe old age of 6) crashed and she became a "has been." Her father, Jack Montgomery, moved his family from San Diego to Los Angeles so that he could be a horse-riding stuntman in movies. While visiting her father's set, she was "discovered" by a director (at 19 months old) and put in a short film with Brownie the Wonder Dog. Her father negotiated the same pay for her that he got as a stunt double - $7.50/day - and her career began. She became such a huge star that Gimbel's Dept Store created a doll of her and she appeared onstage with FDR in the 1924 Presidential convention. Unfortunately, while she earned over 1 million dollars a year (and, according to her, was worth $4 million by age 10), her parents didn't save any of her earnings. And, her father wasn't easy to get along with - so she was blackballed from movies. Then a relative absconded with all of her money, leaving the family destitute. She never really returned to Hollywood (silent film stars were considered "has beens") and she eventually became a writer in the 1970s, writing about the old days of Hollywood as well as an autobiography, Whatever Happened to Baby Peggy? . Diana, or Baby Peggy, died on the 24th of February, 2020, at the age of 101. One son and a granddaughter survive her. Her 2nd husband, to whom she was married for 48 years, died in 2003.
Maeline Kay (Montgomery ) Smith
I'm Billieand Lylas adopted daughter.and I'm trying to get a picture of my daddy. My home burnt down and I lost everything.
Dorothy Nellie (Hassall) Montgomery was born on September 1, 1910 at 42 Clyde St, in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire County England to Joseph Arthur Hassall. She married Leonard George Montgomery, and had children Ian Baird Montgomery, Russell Montgomery, Keren Elizabeth (Montgomery) Lewis, and John Alexander Montgomery. Dorothy Montgomery died at age 79 years old on January 4, 1990 at Geelong Hospital in Geelong, Greater Geelong City County, VIC Australia, and was buried circa January 8, 1990. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Dorothy Nellie (Hassall) Montgomery .
Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Keren Elizabeth (Montgomery) Lewis.
Billie Joe Montgomery of Prague, Lincoln County, OK was born on April 13, 1925 in Eufaula, McIntosh County. He was married to Lyla Lee (Cox) Montgomery and they later divorced. He had children Maeline Kay (Montgomery ) Smith, Ashley T Bruce, Brookelynn Smith, Billy Joe Bruce11, and Candice Nichole Ertman. Billie Joe Montgomery died at age 79 years old on June 7, 2004 in Prague, Lincoln County, and was buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Eufaula, McIntosh County.
Jerri Gale (Reynolds) Montgomery was born on November 5, 1945, and died at age 58 years old on September 5, 2004. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Jerri G Montgomery.
Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Richard Montgomery.
Gladys D. McCloud was born to Bill McCloud (born 1910) and Daisy Montgomery (1917 - 1956). She had one full sister and half-siblings Lawrence, Andrew Willliams McCloud Jr. and a half sister and brother. Gladys had eight sons: Wilbert, Cleotha, Willie, Jerry, Leonard, John, Tyrone, and Frederick; and two daughters: Marsha and Rosalyn. See Gladys D Montgomery: Obituary.
Frank E Montgomery
Frank E Montgomery of Bayfield, La Plata County, CO was born on July 10, 1895, and died at age 76 years old on January 15, 1972.
Lori Diane (Montgomery) of Cortez, Montezuma County, Colorado United States was born in October 1964 in Cortez to Beverly Ann (Meadows) Opferkuch and Leland Dewight Montgomery. Lori Dianne Montgomery has a sister Connie Doreen (Montgomery) Johnson. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Lori Dianne Montgomery.
Catherine Mae (Ficken) Montgomery of hagerstown, washington County, Maryland us was born on March 13, 1921 in Pottsville, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania United States, and died at age 84 years old on November 27, 2005 at Washington Hospital Center in Washington, District of Columbia County, DC. Catherine Montgomery was buried on December 1, 2005 at Cedar Lawn Memorial Park 17636 West Washington Street, in Hagerstown, Washington County, MD.
Leonard George Montgomery of Queenscliff, Victoria Australia was born in 1908 in Ballarat to William Alexander Montgomery and Elizabeth Marie (Hyne) Montgomery. He had siblings Marjory Alexandra Mary (Montgomery) Cartwright, Keith Hyne Montgomery, Colin William Baird Montgomery, Margaret Helen (Montgomery) Polson, Bettine Joan Montgomery, and Ewen Malcolm Montgomery. He married Dorothy Nellie (Hassall) Montgomery, and had children Ian Baird Montgomery, Russell Montgomery, Keren Elizabeth (Montgomery) Lewis, and John Alexander Montgomery. Leonard Montgomery died at age 73 years old on March 16, 1982 in Geelong, and was buried at Geelong Eastern Cemetery 141 Ormond Rd, in East Geelong, Greater Geelong City County, VIC.
Jeffery G. Montgomery
Jeffery G. Montgomery was born in 1898, and died at age 77 years old in 1975. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Jeffery G. Montgomery.
Lewis Earl Montgomery
Lewis Earl Montgomery was born on June 12, 1908. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Lewis Earl Montgomery.
Nyoka D Montgomery of Flint, Genesee County, MI was born on April 22, 1978, and died at age 23 years old on February 8, 2002.
Jimmy Frank Montgomery
Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Jimmy Frank Montgomery.
Lucy Maud Montgomery
Writer - author of 'Anne of Green Gables' She published 20 novels as well as 530 short stories, 500 poems, and 30 essays. Born on Prince Edward Island, Lucy's mother was Clara Woolner MacNeil Montgomery, who dies when Lucy =was 21 mos old (of TB). He father, Hugh John Montgomery was "stricken with grief" and placed her with her maternal grandparents and when Lucy was 7, her father moved to what is now Saskatchewan. Despite the fact that many of her maternal relatives were close by, Lucy stated that she was extremely lonely during this time, which led to her creating "invisible playmates". Lucy married Ewen ("Ewan") Macdonald in 1911 and they had children Chester, 1912-1963, Hugh, 1914-1914, and Stuart, 1915-1982. About the "Spanish flu" (1918-1920): Lucy (according to Wikipedia): "was stricken with and was almost killed by the "Spanish Flu" pandemic that killed between 50-100 million people all over the world in 1918–1919, spending ten days bed-ridden with the Spanish flu. In her diary on December 1, 1918, Montgomery wrote after a visit to Toronto in November: "Toronto was then beginning to be panic stricken over the outbreak of the terrible "Spanish flu." The drug counters were besieged with frantic people seeking remedies and safeguards". Montgomery wrote in her diary about being infected with Spanish flu: "I was in bed for ten days. I never felt so sick or weak in my life," going on to express thanks to God and her friends for helping her survive the ordeal. Montgomery's best friend Frederica Campbell MacFarlane was not so lucky and died after contracting the Spanish flu on January 20, 1919. Montgomery was upset that her husband had been indifferent to her as she was dying of the Spanish flu, which drove her to think about divorce (something very difficult to obtain in Canada until 1967; between 1873 and 1901, there were only 263 divorces out of a population of six million). Ultimately, Montgomery decided it was her Christian duty to make her marriage work." Lucy battled depression throughout her life. On April 24, 1942, she died in her bed in her home in Toronto. Her death certificate stated that she died of coronary thrombosis. In 2008, her granddaughter said her depression may have led her to take a drug overdose. A note next to her on her night table said: ".. I have lost my mind by spells and I do not dare think what I may do in those spells. May God forgive me and I hope everyone else will forgive me even if they cannot understand. My position is too awful to endure and nobody realizes it. What an end to a life in which I tried always to do my best" Some view this as a suicide note, some view it as a note for her journal. There is no consistent or verifiable explanation - all that is known is the note exists.
Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember John Alexander Montgomery.
Martha Louise (Montgomery) Newman was born on December 5, 1920 in Clarksdale, Mississippi United States to William Robert Montgomery and Marie Louise (Moss) Montgomery. She married Alfred Newman on November 6, 1947 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, and they were married until Alfred's death on February 17, 1970 in Los Angeles. She had children David Louis Newman, Thomas Montgomery Newman, and Maria Louise (Newman) Hosfeld. Martha Newman died at age 84 years old on May 9, 2005 at Pacific Paradise Travel 6650 Hayvenhurst Ave, in Los Angeles. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Martha Louise (Montgomery) Newman.

Montgomery Death Records & Life Expectancy

The average age of a Montgomery family member is 71.0 years old according to our database of 42,493 people with the last name Montgomery that have a birth and death date listed.

Life Expectancy

71.0 years

Oldest Montgomeries

These are the longest-lived members of the Montgomery family on AncientFaces.

Ted Montgomery was born on January 27, 1860, and died at age 115 years old in October 1975. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Ted Montgomery.
115 years
Maybelle S Montgomery of San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas was born on December 4, 1895, and died at age 110 years old on September 22, 2006.
110 years
John Montgomery was born on February 6, 1820, and died at age 111 years old in June 1931. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember John Montgomery.
111 years
Dorothy S Montgomery of Mitchell, Davison County, SD was born on July 25, 1899, and died at age 110 years old on December 31, 2009.
110 years
Virginia C Montgomery of Pittsford, Monroe County, NY was born on September 5, 1902, and died at age 108 years old on February 9, 2011.
108 years
Annie J Montgomery of Wirtz, Franklin County, VA was born on December 21, 1898, and died at age 108 years old on March 26, 2007.
108 years
Joe Montgomery of Lewistown, Fergus County, Montana was born on August 7, 1876, and died at age 107 years old in February 1984.
107 years
Amelia R Montgomery of Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach City County, VA was born on May 9, 1890, and died at age 106 years old on March 28, 1997.
106 years
Anna R Montgomery of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA was born on January 9, 1902, and died at age 107 years old on May 21, 2009.
107 years
Ethel Montgomery of Kennett, Dunklin County, MO was born on October 18, 1889, and died at age 105 years old on March 14, 1995.
105 years
Henrietta Montgomery of Buffalo, Erie County, NY was born on September 13, 1867, and died at age 105 years old in June 1973.
105 years
Tola Montgomery of Greenfield, Dade County, MO was born on March 23, 1896, and died at age 105 years old on February 16, 2002.
105 years
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Willow, Okla. April 16-1918 Mr. Charlie Montgomery My Dear Charlie

Will take the greatest of pleasure in answering your most gladly rec'd
letter which came to hand a few days ago. I was so blue the day I gotten
your letter and it cheered me up so much. I can hardly wait till your
letters come. "Gee" but I get so lonesome out here sometimes. I don't know
what to do with myself. But I have been sick the past days. Have not
spoken a word out loud all day. I think I have lost my voice. I'm thinking
I will be better by morning any way. Hope you got to go to the place.
Quanah I believe it was. Hope you had a nice time. I am so glad you think
you are not going to France. I hope not too. How is old Bill and why don't
he write me. Tell him I will be ????? at him if he don't write soon. And
dear where did you get that stuff about me going to the city? No I am not
going now for mother's health is too bad. I meant to visit a girl friend of
myn. I don't think I will get to go now before summer. Well I am feeling
so bad will close as I am writing in bed so please excuse this short letter.
Answer real soon. Yours Truly "Eula"
Goodlet, Tex April 3, 1918

Dearest Bro. I will write you a few lines. We read your letter to-day. Was
glad you was well and doing fine. This leaves us all doing fine. Mama is
able to sit up. She has been up nearly all day today. And the baby is
doing fine. She sleeps nearly all the time. She sure is good.

Well we haven't got any rain yet. It sprinkled here a little Friday eve.
You would not know it rained any tho unless you would be out in it. We had
an egg hunt at the school house. Well we all went from the school house
Friday eve and went down on the creek to hide the eggs. Miss Porterfield
bought the eggs and we got what eggs we found. I found 7, Earl 15, Cephas 2
and Estelle 4. Earl found more than anyone else. These six I sent you was
some of them. It sprinkled on us as we came home. There was a singing
convention at Goodlett Sunday. Estelle and me didn't go but sis and Walter
was over there and run ???? joint and they said there was about a thousand
people there. Walter took in thirty five dollars. Maryon Watkins said he
went to the church and as he stepped in at the front door some one stepped
in the back door and shoved him out. I claim that was a pretty crowd for
Goodlett. They are going to have one at Holeane the fifth Sunday of June and
Estelle and me are planing to go by there if we can. Sis got a letter from
cuz Lidia Henley a few days ago and Jim is a soldier. His address is J. I.
Smith Co. K. 348 inft. Camp Pike, Ark. Well as ever your sis, Eudira.
Goodlett, Tex 3/18/18 Mr. Chas Montgomery kind son

We got your letter today and was glad to know you was well. This leaves us
doing very well and hope it will find you well and doing the same. Well we
shore had two days of bad Sandys last week. One day from the west and the
next from the north. It shore was bad. Well if nothing bothers me will get
over our field this week all tho I have got to take Mr. Mclister home. Thay
are going to plow where thay had sowed wheat. Well I hope you all had a
fine time in your Sham Battle altho I guess it seamed real part of the time
and I guess you all use lots of amanation. Well I am glad you are getting
your pay days regular. Do you have enough money to last from one to the
other? Well I have not heard from that allotment yet and I wish you would
ask some of the officers about it as to when I aught to get it and let me
know. Well your uncle Joe and famley stayed with us last Friday night and
Mr. R. C. C. famley spent Sunday with us all but him and Walter.Thay was at
work an ???? river Brige. one of them windy days the Brige burned up and
thay had to bild a new one. He has him all day and part of the night since
the burn. Well you aught see them pigs. Thay shore are fine. I never did
have ever as pretty as they are. Well I want you to be good and stay well
and learn lots and write as often as you can. So hoping you the best of
luck and good health. I beg to be remembered as your loving father. H. F.
Montgomery
Willow, Okla. March 18-1918. Mr. Chas. Montgomery My Dearest Friend:

Will take the greatest of pleasure in answering your most gladly rec'd
letter. If you will pardon me for waiting so long. I do get so awful about
writing. But I do write one and two letters every night and then I get
behind. But if you will pardon me for waiting so long I will answer real
soon next time by return mail if you say so. But don't think for once that
I wasn't glad to hear from you for I surely was. If there is any thing I
want is more letters from you. So please write fast. How is every little
thing with you now? So glad you were better satisfied when you were ????.
Guess if you get to stay a long time you will just love the dear old camp.
ha. ha. Don't you Jack!

Well what did you boys do to celebrate yesterday? There is a political.
party in town tonight. I meant to go but my pal did not get in in time.
Glad I stayed at home so I can have more real enjoyment writing to my ????
friend for there is not enough boys here to have a real good party. Most of
them are young married kids. "Gee" but I'll bet you boys did cry when they
turned that gas on for I know that must be something awful any way. But
"War" is "hell" any way you take it.

Say you was speaking of having some pictures made. Will you please send me
one? I would thank you sweetly. And be so glad to have a picture of my
friend. There was a large bunch of we kids went to the Granite Mts. and
springs yesterday Kodaking. We sure did have some time only I like to have
scared the bunch to death with my driving. We got in a race with another
car and I ran myn in to a ditch once and in a bank once. It sure was a
narrow escape for us all and if I had of gotten scared like the rest of the
kids we sure would have been blow up. But we sure did have some keen times.
It is about 12 miles from here and a beautiful place. "Now Say kid" you
must be kidding me about my letter for you surely couldn't enjoy them so
much. But if you do I am glad you can. How is "Billie the Kid"? I must
write him and he will be right over to France with out telling me good by.

Well I guess this is enough of this stuff so by. Will see you in dreamland.
Answer real soon. as ever your Friend. "Eula."
Hello Bud:

How are you. I'm just fine and dandy. Well it is now 8:5 and I am ready to
go to school. Saw Cecil Sunday. Mrs. Carroll and all the kids spent the
day here. Had a fine time. Well I have got to go or I'll be tardy. Write
real soon and a long letter.

Your sis, Estelle
Goodlett Texas Mar. 19, 1918 Mr. Chas. G. Montgomery

Dear Bro: How are you by now? This leaves us all well fat and dandy. Well I
guess you have got back from the trenches by this morning. The grass is
beginning to look a little green. Papa has a little garden planted but not
any to amount to any thing. Uncle Joe's folks were here Friday night and
went to Gaylords Saturday. Mrs.Carroll, Cecil and the other kids stayed all
day here Sun.

The railroad bridge across ???? burned and Mr. Carroll and Walter was at
work on it some.

Tony Reeves told me to ask you about that Mr. Moore down there, You know we
was talking about him xmas. Is he still down there? His name on the honor
roll was Leonard L. Moore. Well as news is scarce and I have got to get
ready for school I will be going so answer soon. as ever sis. =Janie=
letter: Goodlett Tex 4/3/18 Mr. Chas G. Montgomery kind and loving son. We got your letter ok and was glad you was well. This leaves us all doing very well and hope this will find you doing fine. Well as for the raine we did not get it. We are getting lots of Sandys and that don’t wet well. I guess you all will be glad when you all get your classes. I guess you all will be well scattered if thay keep on. Well tomorrow is your birthday and I wish I had something to send you. Well you can change your old close for new ones as that has bin the rule. A new suit on your birthday. Well Charlie I trust that 44¢ I got out of that ___ with that 10 spot you sent me I want to get enough to get me a suit of close. All tho I think it will take a long time to get them but I don’t aime to spend that 10 no other way I can helpe it. Well that heffer shore has got a dandy calf. It is as big as a jack rabbit and that is the only calf we will have this year. Well maby if we can make a crop this year you boys may get to helpe us gather it. Well you aught to see your little black headed sister. She shore is a good baby. Now well I want you to be good and write as off as you can and tell of your funn. Well I hope I can have some thing to write by the next time. So I will quit for this time. Hope you a fine time and to be placed where you can have a fine time. So wishing you a happy birthday and asked to be remembered as your loving father. H. F. Montgomery
letter to Chas. G. Montgomery Co. I. 142nd Inf. Camp Bowie, Tex.
Willow, Okla: Feb 17-1918
Mr. Chas. Montgomery. My Dear Friend: Will take the greatest pleasure in answering your most kind and appreceated letter. Which I received a few days ago and was surely glad to hear from you again for I surely enjoy reading your letters.
Well this is Sunday night and I am wondering what you are doing. Hope you are having a good time what ever you are doing.
I have had a right nice time this afternoon. A little crowd of we “kids” went out Kodaking and believe me Brother we sure had some keen pictures made. Wish you could have been with us. I am sure you could have enjoyed yourself but “Gee” it was cold as . But we could not be bothered could we? Now I don’t think it sounds so strange of me saying there wasn’t any thing here for past times. Now I am right of course. There could be some more but things are so dull every one is crying the “war” and most of our boys are gone. But most of us all may think of the good old times at home where we are away from harm and think what a good time we could have had.
Sure would have been glad if you could have been with me the 14th. We surely did have a good time. Wed-night we had a “Uncle Sam” play. It surely was good. My little brother was Uncle Sam. He was so much like his pictures that we all sure had to fun of him and another play Sat-night. “Uncle Josh (Jack?)” it was right good. Well I had a letter from “Billie the kid.” He is some mess. He has got one on me but I will get it back at him if I don’t. Well it is very late so I must close for I guess you are tired reading this stuff. Hoping to hear from you real soon. and please excuse this writing. Your Friend, “Eula” (Clifton)
Notes for Edward Paul MONTGOMERY
Edward Paul Montgomery was born 10 July 1865, Warren County, Illinois to Robert Alfred & Eliza Montgomery. He married Maggie Loretta Burrell 10 April 1888, Olena, Henderson County, Illinois. Maggie was born 25 November 1867, Olena, Henderson County, Illinois. Maggie died 11 August 1904, 4 days after giving birth to Monta Alfreda.

By Marie Branson King

Edward was a carpenter, built many houses in the Bayfield area, the hotel in Bayfield, part of the firewall in Bayfield next to the hotel. While working on the hotel, he slid down a sisal rope and got sisal in his hands and couldn't work; meaning no income.

In the hotel Grandpa Bates (Grandpa to the Wiser's) would invite Buckskin Charlie as a guest. Kids would lean over the banister, peeking at him - they were scared of him. Eileen Wiser, daughter of Metta & George, said they would go to the Spring Bear Dance - were very savage occasions & scared the kids.

Gertrude married first, then Irene; Metta said "they went off and got married, leaving me to raise all those kids."

Note: Above told to me by Poncho McNew, son of Eileen (Wiser) McNew, grandson of Metta (Montgomery) (Wiser) Gearhart

Edward Paul Montgomery, lived with Fred & Monta Sprague for some time and also lived with Elmer and Irene (Montgomery) Shelhamer acording to the 1930 Federal Census Record.

Children born to Edward Paul & Maggie Loretta (Burrell) Montgomery are;
NAME YR OF PLACE OF BIRTH
BIRTH
Margaret Irene 11 Aug 1889 Decorra, Henderson Co, Illinois
Gertrude Abby 20 Aug 1891 Olena, Henderson Co, Illinois
Sylvester Burton (Burt) 19 Aug 1893 Olena, Henderson Co, Illinois
Frank Edward 10 July 1895 Olena, Henderson Co, Illinois
Metta Marie 09 Sep 1897 Adrian, Missouri
Nellie Ruth 12 Mar 1900 Fagosa Junction, Colorado
Melvin Theodore 22 July 1902 Durango, Colorado
Monta Alfreda 07 Aug 1904 Bayfield, Colorado
I was 5 when I got my first job, hired to lead a derrick horse putting up hay. The old horse even seemed to know what bin the hay went in. I really thought I was working though; got 50 cents a day. The first day I got paid, I went straight to town and bought a straw hat. Boy!, was I proud of that hat. First day back on the job, the old horse got ahold of it and wouldn't give it back; ruined it. I was so mad at that old horse. I worked there all summer. I'd always come in hungry and the people who you worked for always fed you good. I'd earn money farming in the summer and during the winter months clean chicken houses for 50 cents.

Our house burned down 7 December 1938. That was one of the hardest times for our family and it was hard to get started again. I remember that Christmas we didn't even have a tree, but we got up that morning and there were three items out for us. I got a little motorcycle that stood about 3-4 inches high, Orval and Leonard each got a pocket knife. We got by that winter, but we were pretty cramped (living in the dugout garage).

All boys worked and all worked like men. The old saying back then was "by the time you're twelve years old, if you can't hold down a man's job, then you're not worth your salt."

We had 9 old milk cows we'd have to milk by hand then we'd bring the milk in and separate it, give some to the hogs and calves depending on the age of the cows whether they got whole milk or separated. We'd feed the chickens; didn't matter if you worked or not, you still had chores to do. But any free time we got, we were on those horses, playing cops and robbers, cowboys and Indians. We rode bareback most of the time when we were little, dad was afraid we'd hang in the saddle. When I started school, they put all 3 of us on a horse and that is the way we went to school. That was our bus.

I was the youngest of 6 boys, 4 neighbor boys,and my brothers Orval and Leonard. Mom would say, "you have to take Kennie with you if you're going to go play." Sometimes they'd tie me to the barn or lock me in the chicken coop. We had an old 2 wheel buggy, they'd put the reins up on that and tie me in and send me home when they were tired of playing with me. They'd usually get into trouble, but they didn't care as long as they got rid of me. They would let me play if I'd be the stage coach driver and they could come rob me and tie me up. One time they tied me to a tree, that night when they came in to do the chores and eat supper, mom said "where is Kennie?" I was three miles up the road, still tied to the tree. Once when we went over to Howard and Donnie's the boys wanted to do something without me, so they tied me to the bottom of the buggy and sent the horse home. Only the horse wanted a drink so she went to the creek instead of the bridge. The water was about to drown me and I couldn't get loose. Finally she got her fill and took me home. She stood in the corral until mom saw me and came and untied me. Being the youngest wasn't always the easiest. The only place to swim was down at the beaver ponds; we'd go there to swim and of course they didn't want me there so they'd hold me under just long enough for me to say I didn't want to play, then they'd let me go. One time they held me under a little too long. They had to go get Mrs. Carmack to come and revive me. If there was a prank or joke to be pulled, I'm sure they pulled it on me. Nobody was better at it than that bunch of cowboys and farmers.

Uncle Elmer and Aunt Rene's place is where I learned to rope. I got an ol buck hose and I'd rope the cow and drag it to the fire; that was back in 1938. I'd always ride beside Aunt Rene. Sometimes I'd get so tired I'd about fall out of my saddle, so they tied me in with a rope so I couldn't fall all the way off. If I fell over the old horse would stop and wait for me to get all straightened out again. Those were the good old days!

The first cattle drive I went on I was about 10 years old, up to the upper Piedra, O'Neil Park and gathered cattle and drove them back to Bayfield, then south to Ignacio to an Indian lease on Jack Frost's place. It took anywhere from 5 to 7 days, depending on the weather. There were times I wasn't hardly big enough to pick up my own saddle, but still I did a days work. I'd stand on a rock to saddle my horse, sleep out under the stars. Mrs. McDonald or Minnette would bring us meals then. It wasn't as hard to move the cattle then because there were not as many cars on the road. After we'd get the cows in, it would be time to start binding grain. Someone would come by on a binder and us kids would shock the grain, pick up a bundle under each arm and stand them up like a tree with one on the top. Then the thrashing crew would come by and get them one at a time. It was something to get a horse to stand next to a thrashing machine while it was bumping and making noise. We sure had some run-ins.

Back then gas was hard to come by. There were gas rations, sugar rations and all kinds of food rations, except for what we raised. We didn't have a car that would run. Later on dad bought a 1936 Chevy. It had a flat crank shaft and we couldn't get repairs for it. Every thing was used in the war (WWII). Leonard and I soon learned to tear it down ourselves. We'd cut a piece of tin from a tobacco can or coffee can and make a shim bearing. There was one time we were taking our yearly trip to Durango. That was a big deal, because once a year, before school, we got to go to Durango and buy school clothes. We'd start out and we'd take a pan along to drain the oil and a couple of coffee cans and tin snips and we would head for Durango. We'd get about 10 miles down the road and stop and put in our bearing, take off and do it again in Durango. We could just zip that thing on and off there. Every once in awhile we'd get a bearing to tight and we'd have to get a team to pull it to loosen it. That didn't happen much though.

We didn't have electricity, just old kerosene lamps. One thing we looked forward to, every Saturday night dad would go get the battery from the car and hook it up to the radio. We'd listen to the Grand Old Opera. That was our Saturday night entertainment when we had spare time. Mom and dad were right there with us, we'd pop popcorn, play cards and games. We were just as happy as if we had good sense. We always seemed to pass the time together; I guess that's why we were so close.

In the summer of 1946, I went to work for Silver Spruce Boys Camp, where Colorado Trails is now. Every six weeks they'd have a group of 60 boys come in and it was my job to teach them how to ride and saddle their own horses. At the end of the six weeks I'd take them on a pack trip. Uncle Frank had his horses up there and I'd help change stirrups for all those kids 3 times a day. We'd take the older boys up to Emerald Lakes. Sometimes we'd cook for 26 at a time. It got to be a contest, as I'd flip the pancakes with the skillet and the boys thought that was so good, so we'd make a contest out of it. The boys would flip their pancakes up and they'd land on their heads and everywhere. They finally made me quit doing that; it made such a mess. Every kid at camp that had a birthday, we'd make a cake for them. If we happened to be out on the trail, I'd make one over the fire in the dutch oven.

When I got back from the Army, I went to work for JW Tubbs. We lived in a little cabin, the only running water was cold. The floor was rough and Linda was a baby then. She never did learn to crawl, she scooted. She'd go to scoot on her bottom and her diaper would get caught on the wood slivers, so we put her in a pie pan and she could scoot all over the place.

As told by Kennie Montgomery
Notes for Leonard Vernon MONTGOMERY

Leonard Vernon Montgomery, was born 15 May 1930 in California and died 15 February 1984. He married Sarah Lou Davis, 16 December 1955.

Leonard and Sarah had twins, Alma Joyce and Leona May, born 8 September 1956, Patricia Lynn, born 16 March 1962, and Burton Davis, born 11 January 1968.

Leonard never liked farming, but like all kids in that age and time, he did chores and worked in the fields for who ever needed help. He also worked some doing odd jobs for families that needed help. As soon as he was old enough he went to work in the sawmills; Mr. Carmack had a sawmill and there was another sawmill in town, he worked in both, as he could always find work at either one.

He graduated from Bayfield High School, Bayfield, Colorado. Several of his friends were enlisting in the Army, so he did also, all going in at the same time. He was promoted to Sergent First Class and received a purple heart. He never talked much about his service in Korea, having some close encounters that bothered him. One story, he was sleeping in a tent with a bunch of buddies and woke up, saw movement and rolled out of the tent. He went back in the tent and found all his buddies throats had been slashed. Another story was of him being in a fox hole with dead comrades. Although he was proud of his service, it was a hard time for him.

Returning to Bayfield, he worked at different jobs around town for awhile, doing some logging, worked some for Bill McDonald and worked in heavy equipment. He worked for the company that helped take down the town of Rosa, New Mexico to build the Navajo Reservior. He spent most of his years working heavy equipment in New Mexico, mostly in Raton, New Mexico and Pojoaque, New Mexico.

Leonard always liked to play gags on people, as do all the Montgomery's. He was always pulling something, one time he put a rattler's tail in with his paycheck and gave it to Sarah. She about killed him; and of course he thought it was funny.

His children always will remember him as the dad who could fix anything; didn't matter what it was, their dad could fix it.

Alma Joyce Montgomery, born 8 September 1956, married Frank Evans October 1978. They divorced. Alma lives in Bayfield, Colorado, in one of the oldest houses in Bayfield, build in 1898.

Alma's daughter Nicole Rae is a photographer, living in West Virginia. Son Blake Vernon, lives in Durango, Colorado, attending Fort Lewis College, studying engineering and architecture.

Leona May Montgomery, born 8 September 1956, married James Taylor 2 August 1980 in Bayfield, Colorado. James owns his own Environmental business, cleaning up soil and water contamination. Leona is a special education teacher in the Irving Independant School District. They live in Colleyville, Texas.

Their son, Jerrod, is attending Oklahoma State University, majoring in Chemical and Mechanical Engineering. Son Joshua, is a high school student at Grapevine High School, showing a great interest in cars.

Patricia Lynn Montgomery, born 16 March 1962, married John Van Gieson, 19 March 1983 in Alamosa, Colorado. Johnny is a builder in the Alamosa community and Pattie is a fitness trainer for a retirement home. They live in Alamosa

Son Michael, works with his father in the family construction business.

Burton Davis Montgomery, was born 11 January 1968, married Christina M. Martinez, 10 July 1993, in Bayfield, Colorado. Burton is a welder and his job occasionally takes him out of town and overseas. Christina has a flower shop in Bayfield, called "A Pocket Full of Posies". She also works for Red Cedar Gathering.

Christina had 2 girls, Andrea and Jessica by a former marriage. Burton and Christina have 2 sons, Ethan W. and Samuel A. Both are great boys and love sports, have wrestled in school and play football.


Information provided by Terri (Montgomery) Will (Marie Branson King)
Notes for Metta Montgomery.

George Wiser's parents were sawmilling in Tierra Amarillo, New Mexico, near Chama, and this is where George was born. George had a bad leg (don't know why) and could not serve in the military.

In their younger days, George and Metta lived on Texas Creek and sold butter & eggs to the Sawmill that was near the Columbus Elemementary School. They later lived on Beaver Creek, where they were living when George was killed by lightening.

Dixie, daughter of Willie & Lorainne Wiser, swears someone in the family has a book signed by Mark Twain, to the family. Apparently Granpa Patton, (Grandpa to the Wiser's) was supposedly a cousin to Mark Twain (Samuel Clemons).

Willie Wiser, son of George & Metta (Montgomery) Wiser is buried in the military cemetery in Las Vegas, Nevada; Dallas (Pat) Wiser, also a son of George and Metta, was killed in Germany during World War II, and is buried in Scotland, where a Scottish family has been taking care of his grave all these years.

In the old Akers Hall, Bayfield, Colorado, in a wall, was found a register of the Klu Klux Klan. Armour Gearhart was listed in the register; also found was Armour's membership card.

Metta (Montgomery) Wiser, widow of George Wiser, was keeping house for Armour Gearhart, then married him 15 June 1947, in Flora Vista, New Mexico. Armour's first wife had left with their 3 children and never came back, later filing for divorce. Armour married a second time, but again was divorced.

Metta married a second time to a Oliver Crandall, but was mean to her boys, so they had a chat with him - he left with his son and that was the last they saw of him.

Information supplied by Charles Dean (Poncho) McNew
Sylvester Burton Montgomery, known as Burt, was born August 1893, Olena, Henderson County, Illinois, died 1 January 1964, Bayfield, Colorado. He married Alma Edith Spencer 24 August 1926. Alma was born 4 September 1904 and died 9 September 1994, Mancos, Colorado. Both are buried at Crestview Gardens, Durango, Colorado.

Burt and Alma both had schooling, as both could read and write; how many years they attended school we are not sure. After they married, they set up housekeeping in an old grainery on the old Overson Place about 3 miles east of Bayfield, Colorado, this side of Beaver Creek.

When Burt and his brother Frank were little, about 8 & 10, they were the town herders. They would go to people's places and get their cows and herd them off to fields for the day and go round them up at night and drop them off at the appropriate places.

Burt had a lot of jobs; he had a hard time making a living at one thing. He farmed, but couldn't make a living doing that always, as times had changed and the need was different.

During World War I, he either joined the US Army or was drafted. He cooked at Camp Pando during the 2nd World War. Camp Pando was an Army Camp by Leadville, Colorado where they trained soldiers for cold weather.

Burt went back and forth from Colorado to California several times working. In California he worked on the street cars, carrying a lantern in front of the street car to light the way and show it was coming. In Colorado, he did a lot of building jobs, building cabinets for people. He worked at Vallecito Lake with a team and scraper, building roads there. Burt and Alma hung wall paper in Bayfield for years - it seemed every house in Bayfield had wall paper hung by Burt and Alma. In those days they traded or bartered for most all of what they had; they would wall paper a house and maybe get 1/2 beef instead of money. Bartering was a way of life for most in Bayfield then.

Because Burt worked so many different jobs and bartered for most of his pay, when he died, Alma had a hard time getting Social Security Benefits. She was finally able to show a copy of a letter he had written to her when he worked at Camp Pando and that was enough proof for her to receive some financial help, even though it wasn't much.

Holidays for the family were different then that Holidays we have now. It was more about spending the day together/ At Christmas they would string popcorn to decorate the tree. It was cold at Christmas time and travel was a lot harder, so they spent a lot of time at home. A couple times they went to Aunt Rene's or Aunt Gert's. At Easter time they would color the eggs and hide them from each other; one time they all went to a big party at Raymond and Ruby Bowers for a big picnic and Easter Egg hunt. A lot of people from Bayfield went; they played horse shoes and the kids played ball.

Burt and Alma's home was lost, due to a fire, 7 December 1938. Burt was on his way to Vallecito Lake to a job, Evelyn (Alma's niece) was staying with the family at the time, but there wasn't much they could do. Only Alma, Evelyn and Kennie were home at the time. They couldn't get the fire out, Alma and Evelyn got some of the furniture out, but didn't get it far enough away from the house and it burned. Kennie ran in and got the silverware drawer out and and went back in and got the slop bucket for the hogs. That was all that was saved! They had a dug out garage that held a little car and they lived in that for the winter.

On day in the spring of 1939, they looked out and here came a whole bunch of people; teams, wagons, and buggy's. The men and women had all come with lumber to build the family a new house. They had gotten the lumber from Sower's Sawmill and had a "house raisin". By night fall they had all the side walls up and starting to put the roof on. The kids were carrying lumber the men were cutting and nailing and the women were fixing food and stirring around.

They all worked plenty hard, all had chores to do. They were poor by some standards, but they didn't really know it. They raised their own food, raised wheat and took it to the flour mill to be ground to flour, raised pigs, had some milk cows, and made their own butter. They milked their own cows, separated out the cream and take the cream to town to sell. The only thing they really had to buy was coffee, sugar and salt, sometimes they would trade for eggs. It was a fun way of life, they loved it and looked back on those times as fun times, some of them anyway.

Going to community dances was a big fun thing the whole family did. They would load up on horses or in a wagon, Burt would put hay in the wagon and warm rocks and flat irons to keep them warm, head to town to the dance. Everyone danced back then, big, little, old and young! The kids danced until they fell asleep; the parents put them by the pot belly stove and they would dance until daylight. These families enjoyed each others friendship through out the years.

Transportation was slow then. You always had to plan on time going places. Then came World War II. A person had to have stamps to trade in for coffee, sugar and many things. There was a shortage of leather as all leather was shipped overseas to the war. Since leather was hard to get, to repair their shoes, Burt would use an old tire (back then a tire was used until it was bald). He would work and patch up the shoes. They would wear out the tops of the shoes before the bottoms.

Burt and Alma had a 1926 Star car that had to be cranked to start. Cars in those days didn't have starters. Star was made by Durant and was about equal to a Model A. When this car quit, they didn't have a car for a few years, then finally got a 1936 Chevy.

At one time in their travels coming from California, they hit a stretch of sand dunes, a section about 2 or 3 miles long. The sand was so soft here that they would have to lay logs across the road and planks, move them every 2 or 3 lengths of the car, then go back and do it again until they got across. Sometimes it would take 4 or 5 days to get across. Sometimes when they finally got across, someone would be their waiting to use the planks, going the other direction. Part of that old road is still there, fenced off as kind of a memorial.

Burt did a lot of hunting and all the boys would come home at different times for hunting camps.
Alma loved her family, music and basketball on TV. When the grandchildren would come over in later years, they would all watch boxing on TV and take sides according to the guy in the white or black trunks. Playing button-button, who has the button was another game played. She loved pork! and bacon fat! she loved to eat bacon and dip her bread in the bacon grease. She wasn't going to waste any of it. She lived to be 91!

Told to Terri (Montgomery) Will by Kennie Montgomery. Given to Marie Branson King by Terri Montgomery.
Notes for Edward Paul Montgomery

As told by Irene (Montgomery) Shelhamer;

Edward Paul Montgomery with wife, Maggie and children, Irene, Gertrude, Burt and Frank, left Illinois about 1895-96. It was a very cold winter morning as they left on the train to Pasac, Missouri, where Edward had rented farm ground. It was a hard trip for Maggie, leaving her mother and 9 brothers and sisters. She was the only one of her family to leave Illinois.

The first year in Pasac, Missouri was bad, as all but Frank, a 7 month old nursing baby, had typhoid fever, from impure drinking water. Also that year had crop failure. Grandmother Anna Burrell came to help care for us for awhile. She wasn't well, and soon after going home she had to go to New York to care for her mother. Grandmother Burrell died soon after that.

The family, then moved to Adrian, Missouri, and the following year Metta was born, 9 September 1897. Edward worked at several jobs, it was a very hard time as most people had small farms and no one had hired help. The family again moved, this time to Kansas City, Kansas, where Edward worked at Armour Packing Plant. The family lived close to the river. Maggie's health wasn't good, so the family moved again, this time to Sheffield, part of Kansas City, and Edward worked for Sheffield Iron Works. The winters were terrible and Edward caught bad colds, going from the terrible heat around the hot steel and then going out in the cold. He had spots on his lungs - in those days, anything ailing your lungs was thought to be TB, so doctors advised him to go to Colorado to the higher climate and thin air. The family stayed in Kansas City while he went to Colorado, around January 1898. The family stayed alone until early July, then took the long train journey, which was hard on all of them. Metta was about 1 1/2 years old. Maggie and the 5 children arrived in Chama, New Mexico about noon. Irene was about 10 years old, but left the train to go get sandwiches for everyone. While she was getting the sandwiches, the train switched on down the track to the depot to change engines.
Finally they arrived in Arboles, Colorado, where Edward had a place for the family. Railroad men had told him the train was running late. He had a stove, but hadn't gotten it yet. When the train arrived, he was not there to meet his family. Sam Jones cared for Maggie and the children until Edward got to the depot.

Edward and family squatted on a homestead on the Piedra north of Arboles and built a small log house.

Maggie was sick, expecting another child, and needed to be close to a doctor. Irene, Gertrude and Burt, also needed to be in school and Edward needed a job, so the family moved to Pagosa Junction. Nellie was born 12 March 1900 at Pagosa Junction. The next move was to Bayfield where the family lived that summer; moved back to Pagosa Junction where there was a big saw mill and a good doctor. Eventually the family moved to Bayfield, where Edward bought the "old home place" which was 160 acres for $40.00 from Mr. Brown. Ted was born 22 July 1902 and Monta was born 7 August 1904. Maggie died 11 August 1904, 4 days after Maggie was born. Irene was 13 and Gertrude was 12, leaving them to raise their younger siblings.

Edward did a lot of building in Bayfield, including the first hotel. The hotel was damaged in the flood of 1911, which flooded the town of Bayfield. Edward also did logging with draft horses, ranched, and was the first Deputy Sheriff in Bayfield.

Edward and Burt traded from Pagosa to Aztec, New Mexico in the early 1900's, trading lumber for fruit.

One time when Edward was bringing the family to Bayfield, at Cat Creek they bogged down and had to unload everything from the wagon. It took them 3 days cribbing up before they could get out.

Irene, Gertrude, Burt, Frank and Metta all stayed in the Bayfield area and were ranchers, Ted died as a young man, Nellie moved to Illinois and Monta moved to Oregon.

Source: Notes by Irene Montgomery Shelhamer.
William Montgomery and Mary “Polly” had other children, one of whom was Andrew Jackson Montgomery. Andrew was born April 4,1801 on a farm adjoining Elizabeth Paxton Houston, mother of President and General Sam Houston on Baker's Creek a few miles south of Maryville, Blount County, Tennessee.

Andrew preceeded his family to Texas in 1819 and had established an Indian Trading Post near present day Montgomery Texas.

William Montgomery was born in Lancaster County South Carolina in 1772, raised in Mecklenberg County North Carolina and died in 1836.

William came to Texas in 1822
when Texas still belonged to Mexico. He settled his family on the Red River at Pecan Point where his wife, Polly was killed by the Indians.

Mary “Polly” James Montgomery was the daughter of Jesse James and an aunt of the outlaw brothers Frank and Jesse James.

William and Polly's children were; Edley Montgomery; John Montgomery; Elizabeth Montgomery; Anna Montgomery; Mary Montgomery; and Sarah Montgomery McGuffin (wife of John Ford W. McGuffin).

Note: John McGuffin was Montgomery County Coroner 1841-1843. Sheriff 1852 -1854.

Source: The Real Family Album written by Sue Real Mullins. Copyright © 2004 by Sue Real Mullins, P.O.Box 67, Crockett, TX. 75835.
4 eggs beat well

1 lb. box brown sugar

1 ts vanilla

2 ts almond extract

2 c bisquick

1 c cocoanut

1 c nuts

Mix well pour in 9 X 13 greased floured pan. Cook 330 degress an hour or until toothpick comes out clean.

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