8. | Alexander MONTGOMERY, Jr., U.E, was born in Feb 1758 in Greenwich, Fairfield Co., Connecticut (son of Alexander MONTGOMERY, Sr. and Sarah LOCKWOOD); died on 3 May 1841 in Town of York (Toronto), Ontario; was buried in Toronto Necropolis Cemetery. Notes:
Alexander is the son of Sarah Lockwood, born 1736 in Greenwich, Conn. & Alexander Montgomery, born c. 1725 in Kilmore, Co. Monagham, Ireland.
. MEMORIAL OF ALEX MONTGOMERY JUNR, That he was taken prisoner when he was making his escape from among the Rebels at at the first, but made his escape with great difficulty & experience, got with the British Lines & afterwards was sen on an Expedition to penetrate within the Rebel Lines; taken taken prisoner & stripped naked of all his clothes, shoes, buckles, cash & suffered 18 months imprisonment & was almost famished with Hunger & Cold, served in keeping the Fort on Lloyds Neck 5 or 6 years from the time he was able to bear arms & have never relied one farthing from Govt. for all his Services & Sufferings.
Signed, Alexander Montgomery, Junr.
. An Account of Losses sustained by Alex. Montgomery Junr., late Spencer Town, Albany Co. & NY, but now Gage Town, NB:
. Real Estate left him & his brothers some underage by the LAST WILL of their honored grandfather, Gershom Locked, late Greenwich, Fairfield Co., Colony of Connecticut, deceased, recorded in court of Probate Lands, £150; Book Debs £8.10;
. In making his escape when he was taken Prisoner, they took his Cash, £16;
. Some time after remade his escape he got within the British Lines & was sent on Gov. Service to penetrate within Rebel Lines; was taken prisoner & stripped naked of all his clothes, case, shoe buckles. Total £110.
. & suffered 18 months imprisonment.
. 1787 Feb 15, Saint John. EVIDENCE ON CLAIM OF ALEX. MONTGOMERY JR., late of NY.
Alex. Montgomery Senr. says his son came here in Summer 1783 went up the River, now settled in Gage Town. He served with Colonel Upham & Colonel Hewlett on Lloyds Neck & on Expeditions in difficult Places almost all the War.
Witness says he had furnished them with money to carry him off within the British Lines.
His son is very ill with a swelling in his arm & could not come to Saint John's. Gersom Lockwoods, father of witness's wife left by Will a Lot of 10 Acres in Greenwich to witnesses's wife. She dying in his lifetime. He added a Codicil that it was to go amongst her children.
XRef: See wife Sarah Lockwood for references to her father's Will.
. CAPTAIN IVES(?), Sworn, speaking of Alexander & Archibald Montgomery they served with his knowledge, came very young to the Army, were very Loyal & good young lads.
. JAMES HAIT, Sworn, Remembers their both serving. They were very active & serviceable, the 2 Montgomery's were mentioned as excellent soldiers. Knew a man at Greenwich by the name of Gershom Lockwood, he was a man of some property.
Speaking of their bravery in boring a French vessel in the [Boston Sound], the number on board were double that of the assailants. The vessel was taken.
Ref: NY Evidence, Vol 25, Pages 316-321.
. UCLPetition 51, M Bundle 51, C2195: MISSING { & possibly misfiled UC Sundries.
. 1806 June 10th - Date when the Petition prepared in this office: Praying to be put upon UE List.
Ref: Upper Canada Sundries C4503, p920.
. 1806 Jul 10 - Alexander Montgomery, Praying to have his name entered on the UE List. It appearing from a document laid before the Council in 1803 & signed by the Chairman of the Court of General Sessions of Peace for Queens County, New Brunswick, that the Petitioner Alexander Montgomery was actually in that Province on 25 Jan, 1813. The Committee is precluded by the Petitioner not being present in this Province with the period prescribed in such cases, from recommending that his name shall be entered on the U.E. List thereof.
. A record of the Marks of Horn Cattle, Sheep & Swine. York Township:
1804 Oct 30th, Alexl. Montgomery - A hole in the near ear & a Nick in the under side of the off year.
. 1813 Apr 13 - York. Duncan Cameron, Esq. Chairman, Donald McLean Esq., Justices of our Lord the King assigned to Keep the Peace in the Home District, (York). The commission opened & read the Sheriff returned the Prescript. The Grand Jury were called & Sincerely sworn as follows as viz: 1. John Scarlet, Foreman 4. Martin Snyder 5. Samuel Heron 6. Robt. Marsh 8. Richard Lawrence. 11. Alexr. Montgomery 12. Jacob Coomer (Cummer) Cornelius Anderson 14. James Miles 15. John McAught 16. Henry Vanderburgh 17. James Foulton 18. Abraham Johnson (Yonge St. neighbors) Jury were charged by the Chair. Petty Jury adjourned 12 o'clock.
Ref: City of Toronto Archives, MS 251 Reel 1.
WAR of 1812
. 1812 Dec 29. Capt. Thos. Ridout's Company: Alexr. Montgomery & Wm. Marsh, Joined 29th for relief of Fort York company.
War of 1812, Muster 3rd Regiment of York Militia
Under Capt. Duncan Ridout: Private Alexander Montgomery.
1815 Jany 24, Alexr. Montgomery Jun, Two Holes in the left Ear near the center
* 1814 May 15, York Muster Day: Privates John & Alex Montgomery of Capt. Ridout's Company, who were captured at York on the 27th April, 1813. Signed. Lt Col. W. Chewett, 3 Yk Militia, 1814.5.15.
Note2: It is not apparent if this is the senior or junior Alexander Montgomery. Also present in Ridouts Company were Richard Heron, Jos. & Thos. Johnson, John Willson, Jr, Jos. Shepard, Wm. Hill, Saml. Finch, James Everson, Danl. Cummer, Wm. Hollinshead. - PJA.
1814 May 28, York. Appointed Alexander Miontgomery Junior as Constable.
A Record of the Marks of Horn Cattle, Sheep & Swine. For the Inhabitants of the Townships of York:
. 1816 - Alexr. Montgomery Jun, Two Holes in the left Ear near the center.
Ref: York, Upper Canada Minutes of Town Meetings, Toronto Ref. Library.
. UCLPetition 204, M Bundle 14, p746, C2206.
To Sir Pergrine Maitland, Petitioner Alexander Montgomery, Junior, York Twp., yeoman, native of New Brunswick, Son of Alexander Montgomery of Yonge Street who removed to this Province from NB upwards of 20 years ago [1804.] He has a wife & 5 children, (3 Boys & 2 girls); served in Militia during the late War, taken the Oath of Allegiance. That being of ability & delirious to improve a location of case lands.
Signed, Alexander Montgomery, Jur, York 24th Nov, 1824.
In Council 24 Nov 1824, Recommended as a settler for 200 Acres. WDP. Order issued 27 Nov., 1824.
. 1832 Jan 2 - A spectacular phenomenon or pageant in the streets of York, on connected with the troubles of the time, must be mentioned. It was a demonstration to celebrate the second return of Mr. Mackenzie, after expulsion adopted description given by himself in his Sketches. A procession was formed at the Red Lion Inn, on Yonge Street [near Bloor St.] - Price's or Daniel Tier's [Beef Steak & Beer House] where the hustings [events] were.
In front of it was an immense sleigh belonging to Mr. Montgomery, which was drawn by 4 horses, carried between 20 - 30 men & 2 or 3 Highland pipers. From 50 to 100 sleighs followed, & between 1 - 2000 of the inhabitants. The procession passed by the Government House, from thence to the Parliament House, thence to Mr. Cawthra's, & then to Mr. Mackenzie's own house, giving cheers at each of these places. One of the most singular curiosities of the day." it is added, was a little printing-press, placed on one of the sleighs, warmed by a furnace, on which a couple of boys continued, while moving through the streets, to strike off their New Year's Address, & throw it to the people. Over the press was hoisted a crimson flag, with the motto, 'The Liberty of the Press.'
On the apex of Mr. Montgomery's pyramidal sleuth, stood the hero of the day himself, wearing the golden chair & medal presented to him a free hours previously, at the Red Lion.
Ref: Memoirs of the four Decades of York, Upper Canada, Henry Sacking, 1880.
. 1843 November 17th - Dated this day, PURSUANT to a Degree of the Court of Chancery, made in a cause of Stillwell Willson & Wife, against John McIntosh, Richard Montgomery & others, the Creditors of Alexander Montgomery, late of the City of Toronto, Gentlemen, deceased (who died in or about the month of May in the year 1841,) are by their Solicitors, on or before the 15 Feb. next, to come forth in & prove their debts before John Godfrey Spragge, Esq., the Minister of the said Court, at his Chambers, In Toronto, or in default thereof, they will be excluded the benefit of the said Decree. J G Spragge.
Ref: The Canada Gazette, Pg. 1064. Notice repeated 10 Jan 1844.
Notes4: Upon Alexander's death in 1841 & his leaving his estate to several in family but the land was to go to Richard Montgomery. Stillwell & Statira Willson then brought a suit along with others in family against Richard & others concerned.
Toronto History:
. On July 30, 1793, Lieutenant-Governor Simcoe landed at Toronto Bay to supervise the planing of a garrison & town. Thus the arrival of the Montgomery family in 1798 (as well as the Marsh family) was not coincidental, but part of the general shift of population. In the fall of 1798 Alexander Jr., with his family, moved to Toronto, then known as Little York. Statira Montgomery Dodge, writing for her mother, Sarah Montgomery Marsh, claims that Alexander Montgomery Jr. was a good friend of the governor.
When the Montgomery's arrived, the town had approximately 250 people. Ironically, York was largely settled by Americans. Most of these Loyalist Americans settled in farming townships on Yonge Street.
The first record we have of the family is in1804 in March of that year their daughter, Sarah married William Marsh Jr., who was employed as a blacksmith in his father's shop on Yonge St.
In 1812 Alexander & his son John managed to find themselves in the thick of the war with the Americans. At the time they were in Kingston bringing provisions by boat when they spotted the American invasion fleet. In an effort to warn Toronto of the impending invasion, John Montgomery along with his brother-in-law William Hill & other men began a forced march of 65 miles to reach the town before the enemy.
. 1813 April 27, a strong American force raided the town. The British retreated to Kingston & in the next few days the public buildings were looted & the Parliament Buildings were burned. Thus, records that might fill in the details of kinsman's life were lost.
. 1820 Alexander & his son, John, built a tavern on the east side of Yonge St. near Finch Ave. This was a two story frame building & it was called, the Bird in Hand".
. 1827 - A heated disagreement between father & son resulted in the building being cut in half, literally! From top to bottom & front to back, the building was sawed in half & John retained the southern half as an inn. The argument father & son had may have been political. Initially Alexander belonged to the old guard conservative faction &, John Montgomery became associated with the liberal left wing of the day. Later the 2 reconciled their differences but another son, Alexander III, split with the family over these disputes.
. 1837 Toronto City Directory, Taverns: Yonge Street Road, commencing new Montgomery's Tavern to the end of the Township, 1st Con. East & west, on Yonge Street
[i.e. before the Toll Gate at Montygomery's]:
Montgomery, Con 1, Lot 1.
Jacob Comer, Con 19, Thos Humberstone, C1, L11. Johnston, Richd. C1, L5; Lawrence Peter, C1, L7, Wm. Marsh, C1, L15, Thos. Sheppard, C1, L15. Watson, James, C1, L25.
Yonge East Side: Thos. Johnston, Con 3, L24, James Johnston C3, L23, Johnston John C3, L20.
Yonge West Side: Thos. Johnston, Con 3, Lot 22.
. 1803 - Lot 10, Con 2 ESide Yonge St, Alexander Montgomery. VERIFY WHICH ALEXANDER MONTGOMERY.
Ontario Land Registry Book 13, North York p65 :
Lot 22, Con 1 East Yonge Street,
. 1797 May 27, Patent, Crown, to Richard Lippincott, All 190 Acres.
. 1817 Jun 12, Bargain&Sale, Alfred Barret etux, to Alexander Montgomery, £400, All 190A.
. 1822 Mar 25,B&S, John Montgomery, to Alexander Montgomery, £200, All half share.
. 1827 Jan 15, B&S, Alex Montgomery etux, to John Montgomery Sr, £212, South 95A utility xxfaint ink.
. 1840 Jun 8, B&S, Alex Montgomery, to John W Montgomery, £1000, North half in al. [i.e. his son John Willson Montgomery - PJA 2018].
Note1: The use of senior or junior was sometimes used for those living at that time, rather than the father-son relationship. - PJA 2018.
Research & transcriptions by PJ Ahlberg, 2015-6. Thank you. - - -
Birth:
Alexander married Judith JUDA MYERS in 1779 in New York, New York. Judith was born on 24 May 1759 in Phillips Manor, Yonkers, Westchester, NYC; died on 16 Mar 1831 in Town of York (Toronto), Ontario; was buried in St. James Church. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
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