John Marshall Montgomery (1858-1930) Alternate

BISHOP, BJORNSON, CUNNINGHAM, MONTGOMERY, PRIDE, WRIGHT

Posted By: Eileen Reed (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:06:45

The Goldfield Booster
Eagle Grove, Iowa
Thursday, July 03, 1930
Page 1, Column 3

J. M. MONTGOMERY
DIES SUDDENLY

J. M. Montgomery passed away very suddenly at his home here Tuesday night from a heart attack. He was about town during the day Tuesday, feeling as well as usual, and his sudden death has thrown a gloom over the entire community. He was one of our oldest settlers and his daily visits will be greatly missed by all. Full particulars in our next issue.

The Eagle Grove Eagle
Eagle Grove, Iowa
Thursday, July 03, 1930
Page 6, Column 1

HEART ATTACK IS FATAL TO J. MONTGOMERY

Prominent Goldfield Citizen Passed Away Without Warning at 10 P.M. Tuesday.

John M. Montgomery died at his home in Goldfield Tuesday evening at 10 o’clock. Heart failure was the cause. He had not been ill at all and his passing was entirely unexpected and much harder for the bereaved relatives to bear on that account.

Funeral This Afternoon

Funeral services will be held at the Montgomery home in Goldfield this Thursday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock.

Early Settler

John Montgomery was born in Wright county, Dec. 5, 1858. His father Wm. Montgomery settled in this county when the nearest market was Cedar Falls and the nearest postoffice called Homer, 30 miles away. Many Wright county citizens can recall hearing the elder Montgomery describe the herds of buffalo, which passed near the door of his Wright county home.

Mr. Montgomery was educated in the Liberty township schools, the first sessions of which were held in the Wm. Montgomery home. On Oct. 22, 1884, John Montgomery was united in marriage with Minnie Wright, daughter of the late Andrew Wright and brother of the late George Wright of Eagle Grove. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, Vera of Storm Lake and Mary of Ames. A more complete obituary will appear in our next issue.

The Eagle Grove Eagle
Eagle Grove, Iowa
Thursday, July 10, 1930
Page 6, Column 1

Goldfield Section

J. MONTGOMERY BURIED LAST THURSDAY P.M.

His Death Marked Passing of One of Wright County’s Most Respected Citizens.

The sudden death of John Montgomery was noted in last weeks paper. The following obituary was prepared for reading at the funeral services which were held last Thursday afternoon.

John M. Montgomery was born in a log cabin near the Boone river, some four miles north of Liberty, now Goldfield, in Wright county on Dec. 5, 1858, and passed away at his home in Goldfield on the evening of July 1, 1930 in his 72nd year. He was third of five children, the only one of whom survives is his older sister, Mrs. Amanda Bjornson, the first white child born in Wight county. His father William Hamilton Montgomery was one of those hardy pioneers who bought several hundred acres of land from the original homesteaders at a dollar or so an acre when the only land in the county satisfactory for cultivation was that assured of some drainage by reason of its location along the water courses. His mother was Elizabeth Bishop, who, like her husband, had come to Iowa from Ohio. The Montgomery’s had been married in Iowa county near Marengo, before emigrating across the prairies to the then virgin Wright county, where they were the third family to establish a home in the county and the first in Liberty township. When their first son, John Marshall was born, the nearest post office was at Homer, south of Ft. Dodge, the nearest mill was at Cedar Falls and Iowa had been recognized as a state less than 12 years.

John grew to manhood on the farm on which he was born. There he saw the sod broken and the log cabin replaced by a frame house. There he established a home for his bride, Minnie Wright, daughter of Andrew and Mary Wright, whom he married on Oct. 22, 1884.There their family of three daughters and one son was born, and there he lived until 24 years ago when he moved with his family to Goldfield. The one son died in infancy and one daughter died at eight years of age. Vera, now Mrs. A. H. Cunningham of Storm Lake, and Mary, now Mrs. H. E. Pride of Ames, survive to share the sorrow of his passing, with their mother. There are five grandchildren, Grace, John and Marian Cunningham and Richard and Mary Frances Pride.

John Montgomery was always identified with every movement that sought to improve conditions in Goldfield and Wright county. Although he never sought public office for himself, his fellow citizens held their confidence in him by electing and re-electing him mayor for ten consecutive years. He was a member of the United Presbyterian church. He was the first candidate initiated into the then newly established lodge of Masons at Renwick in 1895 and was a charter member of Fountain City Lodge No. 589, organized in 1903. He was Master of the lodge at Renwick for five years and Master of the lodge at Goldfield for four years. He was a member of Eagle Grove Chapter No. 123, R. A. M.

Mr. Montgomery was one of the organizers and charter member of the Farmers Elevator Co. of Goldfield, was elected it’s first president and received a beautiful gold watch from the members in 1928 as a token of their esteem upon his retirement from the presidency after 25 years continuous service in that capacity. He was one of the promoters of and first subscribers to the Goldfield Telephone Co., which he also served as director and president for several years. He was one of those public-spirited citizens who underwrote the establishment and continued operation of the Fountain City chataqua through its many years of unique success. He served for several years as director and officer of the Citizens State bank of Goldfield.

That he left a host of friends who genuinely mourn his loss is attested by the large number of neighbors, early settlers, and friends who gathered at the funeral services on Thursday afternoon of last week to pay tribute to his memory. His advice was sought by young and old. His counsel was prized by all who had the best interests of the community at heart. He was always progressive, forward-looking and sincere. From first to last he was primarily a farmer and during the last ten years, while all agricultural communities have suffered so acutely, he has demonstrated his faith in farming and his unflinching integrity.

The Goldfield Booster
Eagle Grove, Iowa
Thursday, July 10, 1930
Page 1, Column 3

John M. Montgomery, a pioneer of northwest Iowa and a life long resident of this locality passed away his home here Tuesday evening at 9:30 o’clock. Mr. Montgomery had been active up until the time of his death but his health has not been the best for several years. Mr. Montgomery was born on a farm five miles north of Goldfield 72 years ago and had made that his home until about twenty-five years ago when he and his family moved to Goldfield.

He has been active in the better things of life and has been one of the leaders in building up the Community besides holding the various offices in the community. Mr. Montgomery has been an active Mason for a number of years and has held the office of master in both the Renwick lodge, (where he was master eight years) and the Fountain City lodge after its organization where he served as the first master. He was one of the oldest settlers in the community in point of years as a resident here.

Funeral services were held at the home on Thursday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock with Rev. R. M. McCracken, pastor of the U. P. church in charge. Fountain City lodge No. 589 had charge of the services at the grave. The local Masons, several from Renwick and Eagle Grove attended in a body.

John Marshall Montgomery, was one of the real pioneers of northwest Iowa, born in a log cabin on his father's homestead, along the Boone river some four miles north of Goldfield, on December 5,1858, and passed away on the evening of July 1, 1930, at the age of 72 years. He was one of five children of whom but one Mrs Amanda Bjornson survives.

He was married October 22, 1884, to Minnie Wright of Eagle Grove and continued to live on the same farm until they moved to Goldfield in 1906, where they have since made their home. He was the father of four children, Bertha, the first-born died at the age of eight years, Mrs. Vera Cunningham of Storm Lake, Mrs. Mary Pride of Ames and a son who died in infancy. He is also survived by five grandchildren, other relatives besides a host of friends.

December 5, 1858 – July 1, 1930