[p. 907] a prosperous farmer residing in Plain Grove Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, was born in Mahoning Township, May 5, 1840, and comes of pioneer families on both sides.
John Montgomery, father of John, was born in County Fermanagh, Ireland, and was a son of George Montgomery, whom he preceded to this country many years. The latter, upon his arrival in 1850 located in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, where he died. John Montgomery, Sr., left his native land for America about the year of 1830, and took up his residence in Lawrence County, being accompanied by a brother. He worked on the old Erie Canal some years, and about three years after his marriage located upon the farm on which his son now lives. He was a soldier of the Union Army during the Civil War, having enlisted in 1862, in the One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and served nine months. He then returned home and engaged in farming the remainder of his active life, meeting his death by drowning in New Castle, at the age of sixty-one years. He was united in marriage with Mrs. Effie Patterson, widow of William Patterson, by whom she had seven children. She was in maiden life, Effie Hendrickson, and was born in New Jersey. She was a daughter of Thomas Hendrickson, and was two years of age when she accompanied her father to Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, in 1800. He was also a native of New Jersey and was of German parentage. He acquired a tract of soldier's land in the woods in Mahoning Township, it being the site of Mahoningtown at the present time. There was at that time but one house in what is now New Castle. After residing there a period of thirty years, he settled upon the farm now owned by John Montgomery, at that time unimproved land. John and Effie (Henrickson) Montgomery had three children: George, deceased; John; and Alexander, deceased. Politically, he was a Republican after the organization of that party. He was a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
John Montgomery was an infant when his parents moved to his present farm and there he was reared to maturity, receiving an education in the public schools of Plain Grove Township. He has farmed on this place all his life, and all the improvements that have been made are the result of his work in later days, and of his father in the earlier days. He is a progressive man, and farming along the line of modern methods, has been more than ordinarily successful. He is a man of public spirit and enjoys the confidence and esteem of his neighbors and acquaintances to a marked degree.
In 1862, Mr. Montgomery was joined in marriage with Miss Ann McCommon, who was born in Plain Grove Township, and was a daughter of William McCommon. She died in December, 1880. They had six children, namely: George E.; Jennie, deceased; Mary Adeline; John Grant, deceased; Frank, deceased; Mabel, deceased. Politically, he is a Republican and has taken an active interest in the success of that party. Religiously, he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens Hon. Aaron L. Hazen Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, Chicago, Ill., 1908
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Updated: 26 Jan 2002