Wednesday, January 12, 2022

Rev. John Webb Montague and His Family Line

18-year-old Peter Montague came to America from England in 1721. He was born in 1603, in the hamlet of Boveney, Burnham, Buckinghamshire. His parents, Peter and Elizabeth Montague, were of noble descent. 
 
St. Mary's Church, Boveney, England*

The Montagues had family connections to the royal families of Europe. Boveney, the seat of the Montague family, was situated 23 miles north of London, not far from Eton College. 
 
Eton College, England**
 
Peter received a good education. Interestingly, his uncle William studied at Eton, Cambridge, and Kings College as well. Peter was the second son of Peter and Elizabeth Montague. William was their oldest child. Then, there were also Richard and Robert (younger than Peter), and three girls by the names Elizabeth, Margaret, and Ann.
 
Peter Montague, Sr. was an agriculturist and raised different types of livestock.

Peter's oldest brother William most likely inherited their father's goods and the house. Both Peter and his younger brother Robert decided to look for their fortune in the New World. Peter traveled on the ship "Charles" together with 1300 emigrants including the person of Sir Francis Wyatt who became the governor of the colony in Virginia. In November 1621, upon his arrival in the new land, Peter was sold for the passage debt - he had had no money to pay for the voyage, so later, the young man had to work off his debt. Since he was not used to hard labor, painful blisters quickly appeared on Peter's hands. During the time of recovery, he was caught reading his master's books (written in Latin). Soon afterward, Peter was appointed a school teacher. It is likely that he was one of the very earliest school teachers in Virginia.
 

In 1624, Peter Montague was recorded as a resident of the plantation in James City. The place was owned then by Capt. Samuel Matthews. 

On 22 August 1637, Peter was granted 150 acres in New Norfolk (Upper County). It was a reward for inducing 3 persons (at Peter's expense) to emigrate to Virginia (50 acres for each person). On 28 February 1838, Peter received another 50 acres, and on 18 December 1845, 150 acres more. On 3 November 1647, the man bought 100 acres of land in Nansemond County. By that time, Peter Montague had probably been married. The civil records from those times got lost, but it is known that in 1652/53, the man lived in Nansemond. Peter Montague was the County representative in the House of Burgesses in those years. From 1851 to 1857, he represented County Lancaster in that Assembly.
 

During his life in Virginia, Peter grew from being a conscripted laborer and the man of no means to a respected citizen of good social and financial status, a man of influence. At the end of his life, Peter's health deteriorated. He died at the age of 56, on the last day of April or 1 May in 1659. At the time of the man's passing, his wife was Cicely Montague. Possibly, Peter's first wife was Hannah, who passed before 1659.

Peter's children were William, Peter, Ann, Margaret, Elizabeth, and Ellen (Eleanor).
  • Anna, born about 1630 - married John Jadwin. Anna had one daughter. The lady died before her father Peter.
  • Ellen (Eleanor) - born about 1632, married William Thompson.
  • Peter - born about 1634/died January or February 1702,
  • Elizabeth - born about 1636,
  • William - born about 1838,
  • Margaret - born about 1840.

From Peter the Emigrant to John Webb Montague

 

Peter

his son Peter
his son William, born between 1670/1674, Lancaster or Middlesex County, Virginia + wife Lettice
their son Abraham, baptized 28 September 1701 in Christ Church, Middlesex, VA/d. June or July 1670 + wife Charlotte Latané
their son Latané Montague, born about 1731, Essex County, Virginia/ died about 1813, NC + wife Catherine Young Taylor
their son William, born in about 1760, Granville County, NC/died 6 April 1814 + wife Mary Owen
their son Thomas born on 7 December 1795, Granville Co., NC/d. 1 February 1860, Wayne County + wife Mary Owen Webb
their son John Webb Montague, born on ( 9 November 1823, Wayne County, Tennessee)
 

John Webb grew up on the family farm. The boy did not get much education, everything that was needed to be done on the farm, he learned at home. At the age of 23, on 27 January 1846, John married Miss Matilda Jane Grimes who was born on 3 June 1825 in Maury County, Tennessee. Matilda was the daughter of Wilson Grimes and Rachel Carr.

15 November 1846 - the first son was born to John and Matilda. They called him James Webb.
Two years later, on 8 September, the first girl came to the family. Her name was Mary Ann.
 

In 1850, the Census found John, Matilda, and their 2 children in Wayne County, Tennessee. John was a farmer, a 16-year-old Jess Carr (possibly Matilda's relation from her mother's side) lived with the family (1).

In 1853, John Webb Montague became a member of Philadelphia Baptist Church. Soon he found his life call - he worked as a preacher of the missionary Baptist Church.

Thomas Wilson was born on 14 July 1857.


Three years passed, and another Census took place. John Webb Montague, his wife Matilda, and their kids lived in the 4th District of Wayne County. Matilda's father's house was next to the Montagues' place (2).

John Henry Young came to this world on 25 January 1861.

According to the source given below*, during the Civil War, Rev. John W Montague joined the Confederate Army as a replacement for his brother. The latter needed to attend to his sick wife. John Webb was assigned to Company F of the Gantt's 9th Cavalry Battalion of Tennessee (3).
 

In 1862, Private John W Montague was with his unit at Fort Donelson. After its fall, John Webb was taken prisoner on 16 February, and with 2,500 other Confederate soldiers (4), the man was sent to Camp Butler near Springfield, Illinois. The living conditions in the overcrowded camp were quite horrible. A few months later, on 15 May 1862,  John died from exposure to the weather elements (4). He was 38 years old.
 

 Private John Webb Montague was buried (5, 6) at the Camp area (Plot 515. R. No. 1)


Two years after his father's passing, in August, 18-year-old James Webb joined Company F of the 9th Regiment of Tennessee Cavalry. He was with the CA army at Gainesville, Alabama. After the battle, James Webb Montague was left behind as he was believed to be dying. The man was sick. Despite that, he managed to walk back home/begged during that time to survive.


Matilda Jane Montague, John's wife, married again (twice). At the end of her life, she suffered from a stroke and paralysis. Matilda passed on 6 August 1886.

From John Webb Montague to our cousin

 
John Webb
his son James Webb Montague
his wife Sarah Emma "Sallie" (Gant) Montague, born on 20 July 1846, Martin Mills, Wayne, Tennessee/died 8 June 1880, Gainesville, TX - our second cousin five times removed
her father Absolom Bobo Gant - our first cousin six times removed.

Resources:
 
Photos:
* Boveney St. Mary's Church, Irid Escent, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
** Eton College, Alwye, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons 

-----
  • "History and genealogy of Peter Montague of Nansemond and Lancaster Counties and his Descendants 1621-1894", George William Montague, Amherst, Mass., USA: Press of Carpenter and Morehouse, 1894.
  • Wilson Grimes Genealogy

1. "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC6S-L8S: 23 December 2020), John Montague, Wayne, Tennessee, United States; citing family, NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
2. "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8TY-N38: 18 February 2021), John Montague, 1860.
5.United States Records of Prisoners of War, 1861-1863
  • Camp Butler, Military Prison, Prisoner captured, confined & exchanged registers, 1862-1863, v. 48-52
  • 6. Camp Butler National Cemetery
     

     

    No comments :

    Post a Comment