Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 07.djvu/444

 MONTGOMERY

MONTGOMERY

York, 1833-35 ; was executive officer of the Con- stitution in 1835, when tliat vessel brought Edward Livingston, U.S. minister to France, back to tlie United States, during the indemnity agita- tion, and in command of the receiving ship Columbus at Boston, Mass., 1837-39. He was promoted commander Dec. 3, 1839 ; was on re- cruiting services 1839-44 ; commanded the Ports- mouth, 1844-47, and during that time planted the U.S. flag at San Francisco, Sonoma, New Helvetia and Santa Clara, Cal. ; maintained the blockade of Mazatlan, Mexico, under great difficulties, and in March and April, 1847, hoisted the first U.S. flags at Cape St. Lucas, San Jose and La Paz in Lower California, which ports were held until the close of the Mexican war. He also bombarded and captured Guaymas on the Gulf of California with the frigate Congress in October, 1847. He served as executive officer of the U.S. navy yard at Washington, D.C., 1849-51 ; was promoted captain Jan. 6, 1853, commanded the Roanoke, April to August, 1857, and served on shore duty, 1857-59. He commanded the Pacific squadron with the Lancaster for his flagship, 1859-62 ; the U.S. navy yard at Charlestown, Mass., 1862-63, and the U.S. navy yard at Washington, D.C., 1863-65. He was promoted commodore, July 16, 1862 ; rear-admiral, July 25, 1866, and was placed on waiting orders at his own request, Sept. 1, 1869. He died in Carlisle, Pa., March 25, 1873.

MONTGOMERY, Joseph, delegate, was born in Paxtang, Dauphin county. Pa., Sept. 23, 1733 ; son of JohA and Martha Montgomery, who emi- grated from the north of Ireland prior to 1730. He wjis graduated at the College of New Jersey, A.B., 1755, A.M., 1758, and was principal of the grammar-school connected with the college, 1755-60. He was licensed to preach by the pres- bytery of Philadelphia, in 1759, and was ordained by the presbytery of Lewes, in 1761. He held several pastorates in Pennsylvania, 1761-69, and was minister in charge of the churches at New Castle and Christiana Bridge, Del., 1769-77. He was chaplain of Col. W. Smallwood's Maryland regiment in 1777, a delegate to the general as- sembly of Pennsylvania, 1780-81, and was chosen by that body in 1783 to be one of the commission- ers to settle the difficulty between the state and the Connecticut settlers in the Wyoming valley, serving 1783-87. He was a delegate to the Con- tinental congrass from Pennsylvania, 1780-84 ; re- corder of deeds and register of wills for Dauphin county, 1785-94 ; one of the original land-owners of the city of Harrisburg and justice of the court of common pleas for Dauphin county, 1785-94. He was married to Elizabeth, daughter of Andrew Reed of Newton, and sister of President Joseph Reed of Pennsylvania. She died at Georgestown, Md., Marcli, 1769, and he married secondly Rachel

(Rush) Boyce, widow of Angus Boyce, born 1742. died at Harrisburg, July 28, 1796. See " Life of Joseph Montgomery" by John M. Forster (1879). He received the honorary degree A.M. from Yale and from the University of Pennsylvania in 1760. He died in Harrisburg, Pa., Oct. 14, 1794.

MONTGOMERY, Richard, Revolutionary soldier, was born at Convoy House, near Riiphoe. county Donegal, Ireland, Dec. 2, 1736 ; son of Thomas Montgomery, a member of the British parliament from Lifford. He was graduated from Trinity college, Dublin, and entered the 17th regiment of foot as ensign, Aug. 21, 1756. His regiment was ordered to Halifax, N.S., and he took part in the siege of Louisburg under Gen. James Wolfe in 1758. He was promoted lieuten- ant for his bravery on this occasion, and in 1759 he joined the expedition under Sir Jeffrey Amherst to relieve General Abercrombie. He served in the command of Colonel Haviland in the capture of Fort Ticonderoga in July, Crown Point in August, and Montreal, Sept. 7, 1759 ; was promoted adjutant, May 15, 1760, ordered to the West Indies in 1762, was commissioned cap- tain. May 5, 1762, and took part in the campaign against Martinique and Havana. He returned to New York, and at the close of the war with France in 1763, received jjermission to return to England, where he resided until 1773, when ho became embittered, as his claims for military ad- vancement were neglected. As a result he sold his commission in the army, returned to America in 1773, and purchased a farm of sixty acres at King's Bridge, Westchester county, N.Y. He was married July 24, 1773, to Janet, daughter of Judge Robert R. and Margaret (Beekman) Livingston and removed to Rhinebeck, N.Y.» where he resided until he joined the Continental army. He was a delegate to the 1st Provincial congress held in New York cit)*" in May, 1775, and in June, 1775, was commissioned one of eight brigadier-generals in tlie Continental army and became second in command to Gen. Philip Schuyler. He left Rhinebeck with his wife and her brother, Edward Livingston (q.v.), theji a mere lad, and they made the journey in a coach to the residence of Gen. Philip Schuyler at Saratoga where he parted with his wife with the assurance ** that she would never have cause to blush for her Montgomery." On account of the disability of General Schuyler, Montgomery was placed in command of the expedition to Canada. The invasion was undertaken without proper preparation and its movements were controlled chiefly by circumstances. He proceeded by way of Whitehall, and after many hardships reached Ticonderoga where he learned that Sir Guy Carleton was organizing a naval force on Lake Champlain to prevent the Americans from