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
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.
3. National Park - sailors and soldiers database
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
