Bios: Biography of William Montgomery from Village Record (1860) Chester Co., PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Judy Ardine . *********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: Printing this file within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** December 11, 1860 VILLAGE RECORD Biography WILLIAM MONTGOMERY, third son of Alexander and Mary Montgomery, was born in the Southwestern part of Chester county, on the 3d of August, 1736. He was raised in a district, and among a people, where the spirit of independence seemed to be indigenous, and only required an exciting cause to develop it. When the difficulties with the mother country became serious, Mr. Montgomery was one of the large Committee, appointed by a County meeting, held at Chester, December 20, 1774, to aid in organizing an acceptable Government, to supersede the old Provincial Establishment. He was one of ten Delegates, from Chester county, to the Convention assembled in Philadelphia, January 23, 1775, which substantially took charge of the Commonwealth; and was also a Delegate to the Provincial Conference of Committees, which, in July 1776, appointed members of Congress, from Pennsylvania, who had nerve enough to vote for the Declaration of Independence. In June 1776, he was Colonel of the 4th Battalion of Chester county, which then required 450 stand of arms, for service. Col. MontgomeryBattalion was probably in the battle of Long Island, in August, 1776, - inasmuch as several of his officers were in Fort Washington, at the time of the unfortunate capture of that post, in November following. Some time between 1776 and 1779, Colonel M. removed to the frontier region, in the county of Northumberland, near the site of the present town of Danville (now Columbia county), - where the settlers were then constantly annoyed by the Indians. On one occasion, he was driven from his home, for a time, by the cruel chief, 'Montour,'who ravaged those settlements. In 1779 and 1780, Col. M. was a member of Assembly, from Northumberland county. In 1790, he was elected to the State Senate; and in 1792, he was chosen a member of the third Congress. - In 1801, he was appointed, by Gov. McKean, an Associate Judge of Northumberland county. He was also, at one time, Deputy Surveyor of that county; and had held other important appointments, such as Commissioner to adjust the Connecticut Lands claims, in Wyoming Valley, &c. - He died on the first of May, 1816, in the 80th year of his age, and was interred in the Presbyterian grave yard, at Danville. His descendants have been, and continue to be, among the most public spirited and valuable citizens of the district where they reside. William Montgomery was a man of excellent character, and of great influence, in his day. - Nothing of importance, in his section of country, was undertaken without consulting him. He was the Nestor of the early settlers, and his advice was Law with them.