278
COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES
names should be indelibly stamped upon the pages of the history o f Montour county, yet these few names include about all, in connec tion with the accounts of others in the bio graphical section o f this work, of whom it has been possible to give definite and reliable information. T o WTitc the histora* of the early days of what now constitutes Montour county and to write the history of the Montgomer)* family would be mostly one and the same thing. U rn . W i l l i a m M o . t c o m e r y wrote this upon s the blank leaf of an old family B ib le: "August 3rd, 1800.— Uy the goodness o f divine Prov idence* 1 have this day numbered seventythree years, and it is but right that I should leave a record o f something o f (iod’s good ness to me in so long a life. 1 was the third son o f .Alexander and M ary Montgomery, who both died, leaving me an orphan ten or eleven years old.” Alexander Montgomery* spoken o f in (he aliove quotation* was the son o f Captain Mont gomery, bom in 1666, who w as an officer under William of Orange at the battle of the Boyne* and for braver)* in that memorable conflict was promoted to lie a m ajor in the Dritish army. .Alexander Montgomery was bom about 1700 and died in 1746. H e and his w ife had eight chiUlren. seven sons and one daughter. W il liam. Daniel and M a^ are t emigrated to Northumberland county together, from Ches ter county. WiUiam was l)om Aug. 3* 1736. and died in May, 18 16, at the green old age o f eighty years. H e had become a prominent man in his native county o f Chester l>efore the Kcvolution. H e w as a member of the ” Associators" and a d e l< ^ ic in a convention "o f the people of the Province o f Pennsylvania” assembled in Philadelphia lan. 23, 1775. He was again a delegate to (he convention that assembled in Carpenter's Hall, Philadelphia, in June, 1776. In June, 1776, Colonel fa fic rw a n ls Gen eral) Montgomery's battalion, the 4th Chester County Militw, 450 strong, was "serving its tour" in New je rse y, and it is supposed was in the l» ltle of l-ong Island in August, 1776. Then his regiment bixrame known as the " F ly ing Camp.” In 1773 he visited NorthumWriand county, wliicn then included Columbia and Montour/and Nov. 26, 1774. is the dale of the deed o f J . Simpson to William Montgomerv for " 18 0 acres o f land on Mahoning Creek, north side of the east branch of the Susque hanna. called Karkaase.” Thus is the land on which l>anvine was originally laid out. He
removed his fam ily to what is now Danville in 177O or early in 1777. Here his youngest son, Alexander* was bom Oct. 8* 1777, in a log house built by his father adjoining the old stone house still standing at the com er of .Mill and Bloom streets, and there he died, in 1848* In the same room in which he was bom. WiUiam Montgomery w as a fearless bor derer o f brawn and brain admirably suited to the turbulent times that were ihcn upon the country* and which in consequence o f Indian raids weighed so heavily upon the outer set tlements. In 1770 he was a member of the Assembly from Northumberland county. In March* 1780, he voted fo r an act " f o r the gradual abolition o f slavery." In 1783 he visited Wyoming and was engaged in the set tlement of certain disputed claims which threatened the ]Kace and safety of the com munity. .Among the papers surviving him is the following letter* written to his w i^, which shows the work devolving unon him in this connection* and also reveals his character as a courtly gentleman of the old school—and the pity is* it is not of the new school allo. WiotDJDg
A p ril 2 1 st 17 8 3.
M y O e a r ^ l wrote you yesterday, but having an op* portuniiy now which I think will be quicker 1 g b d b embrace it in order to relieve your msnd. but too easily imprest with apprehension fo r my safety, that I am here safe and well that there is 0 0 apprehensioD of the least danger from ibc savages, the People here are very quiet* and 1 hope wc w ill finish our Ncgociation success fuU y^there is no objection 10 the establishment o f civil Government h erc^ A n d I believe they will ce<le their claims to the Pensylvanians on certain terms which the rcnsylvanian» are willing to grant. Thus there is a probability o f Peace here as well as elsewhere—(his circumstance will be to our advantage as well as com fort as it w ill orom ole the trade and intercourse on our Branch-^t will open a way to employment in my new business, and tend to the more genteel support and education o f a rising family, fo r this purpose I can cheerfully undergo the fatigues thereof. N o r will 1 consider it otherwise than as a pleasure i f it w ill contribute to the enjoyment o f anyihtng where by I can gra tify so amiable a person as you rself: which to do. Is. & I hope will continue to be. the pride and glory o f Y ou r A flecL HIkI W
m.
M oxTooM cav.
In 1784 Wm. Montgomery was elected, by tlte Assembly, a member o f Congress, whkh position he resigned Feb. 7 . 1785. T h ai year he was appointed president judge o f N orth umberland and Luzerne counties. W hile in this position he was still actively interested in the adjustment of these disputed claim.#. The following letter from Benjamin Frank lin shows the estimate in which he w as held bv
