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Montgomery

Samuel Montgomery (ca 1819-1885) and Rose P. Blair (ca 1819-1863) were likely married in County Antrim, Ireland about 1840.  They immigrated to United States in 1853 with their children, Eliza Jane (ca 1842- 1935), James A. (1844-1918), Agnes (ca 1846-   ), Martha Montgomery (1849-   ) and possibly Jane (ca 1852-   ).  The passenger list is the only known sighting of Jane where she is one year old and traveling with the family.  The family arrived at the Port of Philadelphia on 3 Apr 1853 destined for Baltimore Maryland.  The 1860 U.S. census captures the family (without Jane) now expanded to include sons Samuel John (ca 1853-1937) and William Bruce (1856-1917). 

Rose Blair Montgomery passed away in 1862 leaving her husband with six children ranging in ages from 2 to 20 years old.  Samuel Montgomery (Sr) is consistently listed in 1860s Baltimore City Directories as a Shoe Maker or Peddler, but at least one of his older children returned to Ireland sometime before 1866.  Samuel  married Elizabeth (Eliza) Hunter (ca 1830-   ), a dress maker, in 1868.  They were married by Reverend William Bruce (probably Samuel's youngest child's namesake) and were likely married in the Reverend's First United Presbyterian Church in Baltimore.  Samuel and Eliza are still in Baltimore in 1870 but only his youngest two children (Samuel J. & William B.) are still in the household.

Samuel continues to show in the Baltimore City Directories until 1872 and "Mrs. Elizabeth Montgomery" shows up at the same 4 Park Avenue address the next year only.  These are the last known sightings of either but there is a Samuel Montgomery buried at Western Cemetery in Baltimore that died in 1885 outside Baltimore City in Arlington Maryland.  Its possible, Samuel return to Ireland for a visit (daughter Eliza returned to U.S. in early 1874).  Its also likely Samuel and/or Eliza moved outside the city limits and weren't listed in the directory (son William did not show but in 1874 enlisted in the Navy in Baltimore).

Samuel & Rose Montgomery's Children

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Elizabeth Jane Montgomery (ca 1842-1935) married Samuel White Richmond (ca 1841-1892) in Baltimore City in 1865.  Samuel was a gardener in Baltimore but returned to Ireland with his new bride shortly after the marriage.  The oldest four known children (James Montgomery (1866-1948), Rose Blair (1867-1871), Elizabeth White (1870-   ), and Matthew (1872-1919) were born in Portglenone, County Antrim, Ireland.   Daughter Rose Blair Montgomery died as a child before the Elizabeth M. Richmond returned to the United States with her family.  Their travel included passage on the S.S. Elysia out of Glasgow Scotland in to the Port of New York.  In 1880 Samuel & Elizabeth Richmond are in Baltimore County with Samuel working as a laborer.  Their family had grown to include two new children (Nellie (ca 1877-   ) & Martha M. (ca 1879-   )) with another born two years later (Samuel W. (ca 1882-   ).  Samuel (Sr) died in 1892 and the family remained in Baltimore where they appeared to work in retail.  U.S. Census and Baltimore newspaper ads have them selling millinery, confectionery, school supplies, and used furniture. 

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James A. Montgomery (1844-1918) was eight years old when he immigrated to the United States with his parents in 1853.  James shows up as a clerk in the 1865 Baltimore City directory then falls out of sight until his marriage in 1872 to Laura Augusta Sturgeon (1851-1917) in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.  Laura Sturgeon parents lived in Carlisle & Harrisburg areas and her ancestors were well established in Pennsylvania.  Her great-great-grandfather, Robert Sturgeon had been a Sergeant in the Pennsylvania line during the Revolutionary War.

 James Montgomery spent several years in Harrisburg running a "Steam Dyeing and Scouring Establishment" and during this time was a Sergeant in the Harrisburg Gray Guards (Harrisburg City Militia).  James & Laura Montgomery's first three children were born during their time in Harrisburg (Nellie Rose (1873-1933), Martha Egle (1875-1875) & Harry Sturgeon (1876-1965)).  The family lived above the "Dye House" at 416 Market Street.  Early on the morning of 30 Sep 1877, their son Harry woke the family when he began crying from the crib.  This warning cry alerted the family to a spreading fire below in time for them to escape by climbing over the balcony to the building next door.  The early warning allowed the police & firemen to respond in time to put out the fire and rescue those in surrounding area without any loss of life [newspaper clipping]. It was short after this that the family moved west to Kansas.  In 1878, James and "John A. Eberly of Mechanicsburg", PA had "entered into partnership at Lawrence, Kansas, in the general produce and commission business."  Conflicting evidence has their last fourth & sixth children (Flora May (1878-1943) & Laurence A. (1886-   )) born either in Harrisburg or Lawrence, Kansas where the family was captured in the 1880 Census running a grocery store.  Their fifth child (James Blair (1880-1881)) was born, died and was buried in Lawrence, Kansas.  The Grocery Store destroyed in the Fire of 1887 that destroyed the entire block [newspaper clipping].  James Montgomery and family moved to Kansas City, Missouri with James working for the Water Department.

During the early 1890s, James & Laura were divorced.  James and Nellie Rose (oldest child) remained in Kansas City while Laura and the rest of the children moved to Denver, Colorado where Laura rented out rooms.  Harry & Flora married in Denver in the late 1890s and moved out on their own.  Laura married again at the turn of the century and can be found in the 1900 census in Indian Territory with her son Laurence and new husband John Elliot.  Her second marriage didn't last long and Laura is single and alone in 1907 living in Durant, Oklahoma.  Laura marred for the third and last time an old friend from Colorado who had moved to Washington State.  Laura married Henry Allen in 1909 and moved to Cashmere, Washington.  She died on 14 Nov 1917 in Agnew, San Mateo Co., California and rests in Cypress Lawn Memorial Park.  Her daughter, Flora Rittler and son, Laurence Montgomery were placed in the same cemetery.

Meanwhile, James Montgomery rose up the ranks at the Kansas City Water Department to become the Chief Engineer at the Turtle Creek Pumping Station and was an active fraternal member in the Free Masons.  James moved back to Baltimore circa 1916 and lived with his brother Samuel.  Sadly James was killed by a hit & run stolen car in December 1918. [news articles]

James and Laura Montgomery's descendants settled on both coasts of the United States.  Nellie Montgomery married Walter Barnes Fred a wholesale meat and fruit salesman.  They met in Kansas City, were married in New Orleans, Louisiana and moved to Brooklyn, New York and finally ended up in Old Tappan, New York.  Harry S. Montgomery married Grace Williams in Denver Colorado.  Harry joined the American News Company in Denver and moved the family to Portland, Oregon where he was General Manager for the Oregon news Company (a branch of the American News Co.).  Flora May Montgomery married Charles Laughlin (ca 1877-   ) in Denver and they moved to San Francisco, California shortly afterwards.  Flora & Charles were divorced.  Flora married Maurice Rittler (1878-1958) and remained in San Francisco.  Laurence Montgomery married Maggie Keller (ca 1887-   ) in Bryan County, Oklahoma.  Laurence was a Pharmacist / Druggist / Salesmen in Oklahoma City.  Laurence and Maggie moved to Portland, Oregon where he was Vice President of the Stout-Lyons Drug Company. After the Stout-Lyon Drug Company was purchased by Liggett's in late 1925, Laurence & Maggie Montgomery moved to San Francisco where he managed Brenner's Pharmacy.

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Agnes Montgomery (ca 1846-   ) immigrated to the United States with her parents in 1853 and is in their 1860 Baltimore City household but disappears afterwards (likely married).

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Martha Montgomery (1849-  ) immigrated to the United States with her parents in 1853 and can be found in their 1860 Baltimore City household.  She is likely the dressmaker living with David & Agnes Blair McCoy in Baltimore City in 1870 but disappears afterwards (likely married).

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Jane Montgomery (ca 1852-   ) is listed with with Samuel & Rose Montgomery on the 1853 passenger list but not in their 1860 household.  The passenger list is the only known source including Jane Montgomery.

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Samuel John Montgomery (ca 1853-1937) was born shortly after his parents immigration. Samuel married Mary Rosetta Mclain (ca 1854-1944) spent his life in Baltimore, Maryland as a Boilermaker.  Retiring as a Boiler Inspector for the Pennsylvania Railroad. Samuel and Mary had three children: Lida (ca 1877-   ), Harriett (ca 1878-1959) and William Alexander (1881-1905).

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William Bruce Montgomery (1856-1917) was born in Baltimore, Maryland and only seven when his mother passed away.  William mustered in to U.S. Navy on 4 Jun 1875 for a three year tour.  William married Mary Burke (ca 1862-1930) circa 1884, five years after her immigration from Ireland.  William spent his married life in New Orleans and worked as a Steamship Engineer.  He can be found on several ships manifests sailing from Central America.  William & Mary Montgomery had three children: Samuel Edward (1885-bef 1900), George (1888-   ), and Irene Martha (1890-1915).  William died in 1919 and his remains were shipped back to Baltimore and buried in the Western Cemetery next to his daughter, Irene Martha Montgomery. Mary Burke Montgomery died in 1930.

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References

• 1860-1930 U.S. Census Enumerations
• Passenger Lists
  • Port of Philadelphia Passenger List, "Elizabeth," arrived 9 Jun 1853 from Liverpool England (NARA M425-76).
  • Port of New York Passenger List, S.S. Elysia, arrived 14 Apr 1874 from Glasgow, Scotland (NARA M237-388).
  • Port of New Orleans Passenger Lists, various
• Newspaper Articles: Baltimore MD, Harrisburg PA, Denver CO, Portland OR & Kansas City MO
• Irish Birth, Death & Marriage Records digitized images at familysearch.org.