Montgomery, John 1835-1896

MONTGOMERY, JENNINGS

Posted By: Barbara Hug (email)
Date: 7/24/2003 at 11:57:57

Mr. John Montgomery, a well known and highly respected citizen of this community since away back in the early fifties, died at his home near this city, on Tuesday morning, March 17th, aged nearly sixty-one years. Mr. Montgomery was a native of Knox County, Ohio, and was born April 9, 1835. When fifteen years of age he left Mr. Vernon to drive stage, and he and Alex Barr – well remembered by the early settlers of this city – were the first to drive a 4-hourse stage west of the Mississippi. During the early days of the stagecoach in this city, when Mr. Montgomery made his trips through from Iowa City to Des Moines, an incident happened which proved the high sense of honor of the man. His stage had stopped here, and after the passengers had all got out, John found on the seat a purse containing about $3,000 dollars. To some men this would have been a great temptation, but it wasn’t to John. He never rested until the owner was found and the money returned to him. From that time he was known by the name of “John Honesty.”

In 1863 he was united in marriage to Miss Tacy Jennings, of Montezuma, who with one son, William, Survive him. He enlisted in Company E, Fourth Iowa Cavalry, at Grinnell, in 1864, and served until the close of the war.

Funeral services will be held at the Christian Church at 2 o’clock today, conducted by the pastor, Rev. Sumner T. Martin. ~ The Newton (IA) Record, Friday, March 20, 1896, Page 1, Column 2