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Below is a family biography included in The History of Dallas County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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T. J. B. Montgomery. This gentleman ranks among the prominent agriculturists and stock raisers of Dallas County, Mo., and was born in the township in which he now resides January 29, 1840, his parents being William and Nancy (Bellew) Montgomery.. They were born in the “Old North Carolina State,” and in the year 1817 moved to Tennessee, and in the year 1818 immigrated to Pulaski County. Mo., in which county they got a tax receipt (dated in 1824) for the year 1823, which is now in the possession of T. J. B. Montgomery. They located in Dallas County, on the Little Niangua River, but shortly after moved to Four Mile Prairie, and, as soon as the land was put on the market by the Government, he entered a large tract, and erected a little log cabin, which was a very primitive construction. He was one of the first settlers of the county, which was in a very wild and unsettled state at this time, and could stand in his cabin door and shoot down a deer with his rifle almost any day. They raised flax, which they hackled, spun and wove into clothing, their everyday clothes being made of the tow and their Sunday suits of the fine flax. During the “gold fever” of 1849, Mr. Montgomery and his son went to California, and while there, striving to accumulate a competence for his family, he died, and was buried in Colusa County. His wife died in Dallas County, having borne a large family of children, only five of whom are now living: John J., Margaret (widow of David Morrow), Charity C. (wife of T. J. Poynter), Thomas J. B. and Emeline (widow of Dr. Leckie). The early days of Thomas J. B. Montgomery were spent at hard labor on his father’s farm, which he assisted in clearing. For a short time he attended school in the little log cabin, the teacher being hired by his father and their neighbors, but he derived little benefit therefrom, as the most of the time his services were required at home. With the exception of one winter spent in Texas, he has resided on a farm in Dallas County all his life, and is now the owner of 373 acres of valuable land, 150 acres of which are well improved and under cultivation. He makes a specialty of raising stock, and is also interested in growing fruit, his farm being well supplied with excellent orchards. He has shown his brotherly spirit by joining the Masonic fraternity and the Agricultural Wheel, and in 1861 enlisted in the Home Guards, being afterward transferred to the Enrolled Militia, serving throughout the Rebellion. In 1862 he wedded Miss Augustine M. J. Edwards, a native of Dallas County, Mo., by whom he is the father of eight children: Evy M. (wife of E. E. Eason), William C., Cora E., Irena F., Thomas B., Daisy D., Bunnie and one deceased. Mrs. Montgomery is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.

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This family biography is one of 74 biographies included in The History of Dallas County, Missouri published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Dallas County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

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