Memorials › John Calvin Montgomery Sr

John Calvin Montgomery Sr

16 Aug 1850 – 10 Jul 1923

Birth16 Aug 1850
Death10 Jul 1923
CemeterySweetwater Cemetery
Sweetwater , Nolan County , Texas , USA
Added byJanie Healer Davis on 03 Jan 2021
FaGhttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/15517000

Bio

1881- NOLAN COUNTY'S FIRST SHERIFF & TAX COLLECTOR JOHN CALVIN MONTGOMERY SR. was born on 16 Jun 1850 near Fayetteville, AR. He died on 10 Jul 1923 in Sweetwater, Nolan Co., TX. Cause of death: Myocarditis. He was buried in the Sweetwater Cemetery, Sweetwater, Nolan Co., TX. JOHN CALVIN MONTGOMERY Sr. and EUGENIA ISABEL WILLIAMS MONTGOMERY of Nolan County. JOHN CALVIN MONTGOMERY was born in Madison County, Arkansas, on 16 June 1850. He was of Scot-Irish and Indian descent. His parents were ALEXANDER V. MONTGOMERY and ELIZABETH WILLIAMS, Kentucky natives. John was 11 months old when his father died. His uncle, CAL MONTGOMERY, who had moved to Georgetown, Texas, in 1848, returned to Arkansas and brought John, his three older sisters and their mother to Texas. The Montgomery's moved to San Saba County and settled on Upper Cherokee Creek in 1854. John grew up in this community, where men and boys had to be armed at all times for protection from the Indians who appeared when least expected. When he was 10 years-old, he walked one-sided -- caused from being strapped with the weight of his cap and ball six-shooter. He married his childhood sweetheart, EUGENIA ISABEL WILLIAMS in Meridian, Texas, on 27 January 1871. The next morning they rode their horses back to their home on Cherokee Creek in San Saba County. The John Calvin Montgomery's were living on their large wheat farm near the Colorado River, when Montgomery decided to trade it for a large herd of Longhorn cattle and move to what would later be Nolan County. They left San Saba County the day John Montgomery was 30 years old, 16 June 1880. Montgomery and three young cowboys started the herd of cattle and two wagons followed them, with Mrs. Montgomery driving the first one. As the baby calves were born along the way, a hired man would set them in the ox wagon for a day, until they were strong enough to travel. They headed toward the Divide and Birdnest Bluff Canyon. As they looked down into the canyon along Bitter Creek, Mrs. Montgomery remarked that it looked like the devil's hole to her, but John replied that it looked like a cowman's paradise. They continued traveling along Bitter Creek until they came to a place where a family named Wilson lived. There was a dugout and log cabin on this claim in a beautiful setting of large trees. Montgomery paid cash and traded the yoke of oxen and wagon for the place. It was now in July, and the Montgomery family was happy to find a home after having been on the road for over three weeks. As Montgomery rode over the range, he got to know most of the area's people, and they liked this slender stranger who stood 6 feet and 3 inches. John Calvin Montgomery was elected Sheriff and Tax Collector at Nolan County's first election. Afterwards, he had a house built in town and moved his family. He also established a mercantile business with J.W. Posey. The office of sheriff, at a time like this, was not a tame affair. The Montgomerys soon decided to build a home two miles south of town, on a hill near Sweetwater Creek and moved there. The Montgomerys had been devout members of the Church of Christ since 1878. They were charter members of the Christian Church, organized a year after the county's formation. On 10 May 1882, Sheriff Montgomery resigned the office, to spend all his time in the ranching business which had been dear to his heart since his youth. He also sold his half interest in the general store. In late Summer 1888, the Montgomerys moved back to Bitter Creek. Their land adjoined the first place they owned, on the north, and their two-story home was built across the road from the creek, nestled among huge oak and mesquite trees. Montgomery shipped horses to Mississippi by train, selling or trading them for Longhorn cattle. Later, his horses were shipped to Louisiana. Sometimes he was away from home for as long as six weeks. Montgomery was able to accumulate a considerable spread of land in the Bitter Creek Community, part of which is now covered by Lake Sweetwater. He gave half of the land for the Coffee Cemetery, located near the lake. He gave his children homes -- locating four of his sons near him. At different times he was elected County Commissioner of Precinct 2. He also helped prevent the county seat from being moved to Maryneal. John Montgomery died at home on 10 July 1923. The family had moved into town about a year earlier. His wife died at O'Donnell, Texas, on 30 December 1935. The children of John Montgomery and Eugenia Isabel Williams were: 1. ARAH MONTGOMERY, who married JOHN S. FRITZ. 2. JOHN CALVIN "BUD" MONTGOMERY, JR., who married BIRDIE CORNELLIA HARRINGTON. 3. MARY ELIZABETH "BETTIE" MONTGOMERY, who married THAD J. EVERETT. 4. BEN FRANKLIN MONTGOMERY, who married MEDIA ELIZABETH SCOTT. 5. FRED MONTGOMERY, who married DELLA MAE McELROY, then KATIE DELL ABNA. 6. RUBY MONTGOMERY, who married CARROLL M. SANDERS. 7. DOLLIE MONTGOMERY, who married ALVIN O. MERRICK. 8. GROVER CLEVELAND MONTGOMERY, who married MYRTIE DALE SCOTT. ---------------------- 1850 Census of Madison County, Arkansas. Heirs of Alexander Montgomery, Probate Records, County Clerk's Office, San Saba, Texas. 1 Oct 1850 - Madison County, Arkansas - John C., 3/12 Months, Male, AR. 11 Jul 1860 - San Saba County, TX - John C. (Minor), 10, male, AR, in School. 27 Jul 1870 - San Saba County, TX - John C. Montgomery, 20, Male, W, Raising Cattle, $600, $1000, AR. 1 Sep 1887 - Nolan Co., TX - Living in Nolan County, TX, sells his interest in Matilda's estate to J. N. Montgomery. __________ He was married to Eugenia Isabel (Deanie) WILLIAMS (daughter of Isaac Newton WILLIAMS and Margaret A. MENEFEE) on 27 Jan 1871 in Meridian, Bosque Co., TX. Eugenia Isabel (Deanie) WILLIAMS was born on 17 Jan 1854 in San Saba Co., TX. She died on 30 Dec 1935 in O'Donnell, TX. She was buried in the Sweetwater Cemetery, Sweetwater, Nolan Co., TX. Article courtesy of Bryan Owens on Facebook page, Historical Chronicles - Sweetwater, Texas ************** John Calvin Montgomery John Calvin Montgomery of Scotch-Irish, Indian descent, was born June 16, 1850, in Madison County, Arkansas. He was one of the early settlers of Nolan County, having moved here in 1880 with his wife, Eugenia, of Dutch-Irish descent, and their four oldest children. John traded a prosperous wheat farm on the Colorado River in San Saba County for a herd of Longhorn cattle to homestead and establish a thriving cattle ranch in young, raw, Nolan County. As he rode over the range, he got to know most people, and they loved this tall, slender stranger who stood 6'3" in stature. He was a deeply religious, hard-working and sympathetic young man. When the county was organized and the election was held, John C. Montgomery was elected first sheriff and tax collector. The office of sheriff at a time like this was not a tame affair. When the Texas and Pacific Railway tracks reached Colorado, Sheriff Montgomery was invited to bring his wife and ride that first freight train to this new town and make a speech. When the train reached Sweetwater, chairs were placed in the caboose and the Montgomerys went aboard. After the celebration, they returned home on the train. Montgomery established a mercantile store with J. W. Posey. On May 10, 1882, Montgomery resigned the office of sheriff to spend all his time in the ranching business. He also sold half interest in the general store. He shipped his horses to Mississippi by train where he sold or traded them for Longhorn cattle. Later on, his horses were shipped to Louisiana. At different times, Montgomery was elected County Commissioner of Precinct 2. He helped prevent the county seat being moved from Sweetwater to Maryneal. He often served as a petit juror in district court. He was a member of the Farmer's Union and was sent to Fort Worth as a delegate. This was to help farmers. Montgomery was able to accumulate a considerable spread of land in the Bitter Creek community, some of which was bought for Lake Sweetwater. He gave his children homes, locating his four sons near him. He gave half of the land for the Coffee Cemetery near Lake Sweetwater. The children of John Montgomery and Eugenia Isabel Williams were: 1. ARAH MONTGOMERY, who married JOHN S. FRITZ. 2. JOHN CALVIN "BUD" MONTGOMERY, JR., who married BIRDIE CORNELLIA HARRINGTON. 3. MARY ELIZABETH "BETTIE" MONTGOMERY, who married THAD J. EVERETT. 4. BEN FRANKLIN MONTGOMERY, who married MEDIA ELIZABETH SCOTT. 5. FRED MONTGOMERY, who married DELLA MAE McELROY, then KATIE DELL ABNA. 6. RUBY MONTGOMERY, who married CARROLL M. SANDERS. 7. DOLLIE MONTGOMERY, who married ALVIN O. MERRICK. 8. GROVER CLEVELAND MONTGOMERY, who married MYRTIE DALE SCOTT. John Montgomery died July 10, 1923, and Eugenia died December 30, 1935. From FIRST 100 YEARS, NOLAN COUNTY, TEXAS , page 290. First 100 Years was published in 1985 by the Nolan County Genealogical Society and is no longer in print. A descendant of John Montgomery, Franzas Montgomery Cupp, played a major part in overseeing and completing this fabulous work about the people of Nolan County and granted permission for transcriptions. JHD ************************ NOLAN COUNTY DEATH CERTIFICATE Name: John Calvin Montgomery Death date: 10 Jul 1923 Death place: Sweetwater, Nolan, Texas Cause of death: Myocarditis Gender: Male Race or color (on document): White Age at death: 73 years 24 days Birth date: 16 Jun 1850 Birthplace: Arkansas Marital status: Married Spouse's name: Father's name: Allec Montgomery Father's birthplace: Mother's name: Margaret Elisabeth Williams Mother's birthplace: Occupation: Stockman Residence: Sweetwater, Texas Cemetery name: Sweetwater Burial place: Sweetwater, Texas Burial date: 11 Jul 1923 Informant: (blank) Film number: 2074871 Digital GS number: 4167201 Image number: 3232 Reference number: cn 23782 Collection: Texas Deaths, 1890-1976 ***********************

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