YELL COUNTY - DR. JOHN M. MONTGOMERY, SR. - Bio

SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Western Arkansas. 
Chicago: Goodspeed Publishers, 1891.

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Dr. John M. Montgomery, Sr., one of the oldest practitioners in the 
county of Yell, and like many other prominent citizens of the 
county, a native of Tennessee, was born in Giles County on March 11, 
1823. He was reared on a farm in Hardeman County, Tenn., and his 
early opportunities for an education were limited. In 1841 he began 
for himself as a farmer, but feeling the need of a better education 
he entered the college at Bethel, Tenn., in the fall of that year. 
He remained there until March, 1843, when his father died, and he 
was obliged to return home to take care of the estate. 

He left home in 1844, and on January 1, 1845, he was married to Miss 
Angelene G. Strickland, daughter of S. S. Strickland of Tippah 
County, Miss. The Doctor settled in the last named county, and was 
there engaged in farming and teaching school until 1853, when his 
wife died leaving him with four children-three sons and a daughter: 
James Scott, Mary G., Samuel J. and John M. The eldest died in 
Texas, and the remainder are married, and two are living in 
Arkansas. The other is in the Lone Star State. 

After the death of his wife Dr. Montgomery was given a circuit and 
began preaching for the Methodist Church, leading the life of an 
itinerant preacher for two years. He was at this time located in 
North Mississippi, and during this time he began reading medicine. 
In the fall of 1854 he took a course of lectures at Memphis, Tenn., 
and later began practicing in Marshall County, [p.172] Miss. He took 
a second course of lectures in 1855 at Cincinnati, Ohio, and 
graduated in 1855. 

In the fall of that year, October 17, he was married to Miss Martha 
C. Nichols of Marshall County, Miss. He continued the practice of 
medicine for five years in that county and then removed to Fayette 
County of that State, where he remained until 1865, when he removed 
to Abbeville on the Mississippi Central Railroad, continuing his 
practice at that place for fifteen years. From there he moved to 
Conway Station, Faulkner County, Ark., continuing there five years, 
and in the fall of 1885 he came to Rover Township. Yell County, Ark. 

On December 3, 1887, he moved to Gravelly Hill, where he now resides 
and where he has continued his practice until the present time. 
During all this time he has also given his attention to ministerial 
work. When he came to this township he bought a tract of partially 
improved land, and since then he has erected buildings, and made 
many important changes. Part of this tract he has sold off into town 
lots. He is the father of twelve living children, all grown up and 
married but two. He is a Jacksonian Democrat in politics. He is one 
of a company endowing the academy at this place.