Grandpa Montgomery

I know I said I'd write about the Gasaway side of the family, but I've been thinking about my Grandpa Montgomery, born Roscoe Lee in 1877. He always called himself Ross. My mother adored her father. He was a skinny little cheerful fellow who loved music, dancing, and baseball. Mother said he taught all of his children to dance by having them stand on his feet while he danced. Family reunions were usually held in someone's basement so we could dance. There was usually live music. I can't remember what kind but I know that about 10:00 at night, Grandpa would stand up and call out "Virginia Reel." We'd all line up, the music would start, and we'd dance. We kids loved those reunions. There was, besides wonderful food, a huge metal tub filled with ice and Uncle Carl's home-made root beer. No one checked to see how many you took. And there was home-made ice cream, gallons of it! Uncle Marlowe read poems he'd written and Uncle Roscoe and his wife Jiggs did crazy dances. My uncles would come up to me, bow, and ask for the next dance. I felt like a queen.
   Grandpa had a little Jack Russell he called "Blackie." I'm not sure why, as the dog wasn't black. This little dog grabbed Grandpa's trousers and hung on while Grandpa danced around the room, the dog swinging through the air.
   Grandpa loved baseball. Knew all the statistics and listened to the games on a beat up little radio. He was a dedicated Cubs fan. I remember going to visit and Grandma told me he was over at the sand lot. There he was, watching the kids play baseball. I asked him how he was. "Not so good today," he said. "Your Grandma and I were out dancing till near two o'clock last night." One year, Dick and I took him to Chicago to see the Cubs play. He had never seen them, never been in a big stadium. He was speechless with joy. He knew all the players, all their stats, and when the Cubs won, he said he thought he'd died and gone to heaven.
   Grandpa's father was Joseph Franklin Montgomery, born 1850 in Posey County, Indiana. In 1873, he married Martha Gasaway and there were five children: Roscoe Lee (Ross), Walter, Albert (Bert), Lewis, and Viola. Martha died in 1891. Grandpa was just fourteen. I think he and his brother Walter (then thirteen) went to live with their grandfather Samuel. The boys remembered that Grandpa Sam was strict about keeping the Sabbath. Walter told about trying to lift his grandpa's rifle off the rack and sneak out the door, but never got away with it. Sam would just point to the rack--never saying a word--and they knew it was no use trying to get that gun on a Sunday.
   Grandpa never spoke about his childhood and typical kid that I was, I never asked. I do know Grandpa and Grandma lived in Illinois around Pekin all their lives except for a short stay out side of Stevens Point, Wisconsin. (Good thing, as that's where Mother met Daddy, but I'll tell that story another time.) They rented a farm. My mother was nineteen and had a job as a cashier in a shop in town. During the week, she lived with her friend Genevieve in town. (I'm named for Gen's sister Ruth) Mother came home weekends. Uncle Carl (just a year older) lived at home and ran the farm. One night Mother and Carl sneaked out of a window to go into town to a dance. When they got home, Grandpa met them. Carl was twice his size, but Grandpa spanked Carl.
   I think our lives are made up of our stories, like a quilt. I tell you these stories so you can add them to your patchwork quilts. After I fill in the Gasaway side of the family, I'll tell more family stories. Maybe you can send me some of yours so we all can share.

The Montgomery Side

My maternal grandfather was Roscoe Lee Montgomery (he called himself Ross). The origin of the name Montgomery has an interesting history. Back in the days when the Roman Empire covered most of Europe, in the southern part of France in an area called Gaul, there was a mountain known as Gomer's Mountain. In the language of that day it was Mont Gomeri. The Lord in charge of the lands and the villages was eventually known as Lord Montgomeri. The name was later spelled Montgomerie and eventually became Montgomery. When William the Conquere chose men to accompany him and take positions of responsibility in his famous war with England, he chose Roger deMontgomerie who led the center of the invading army at Hastings, and was known as Roger the Great. The Montgomerys spread to Scotland at an early date beginning with Robert deMontgomerie who went there in the early 1100s. One of his successors, John Montgomerie of Eaglesham married Elizabeth, the daughter of Sir Hugh de Eglintoun, and was a hero in the battle of Otterburn in 1388.
     Some of the original Montgmerie families had remained in France and established themselves in Normandy, where they were the overseers of Mont Saint Michel, the French fortress which protected France for centuries against the invading ships of England. The Montgomery Castle is still standing at Ponterson, near the Normany Coast. The unfortunate story of Montgomery, a Count then occupying the castle at Ponterson is still told and will always be an important part of the history of France.
   On the occasion of the marriage of his sister, Marguerite, with the duke of Savoie, Henry II, King of France, gave a large feast. There were all kinds of sports as entertainment, and after the jousting matches had ceased, King Henry was not quite satisfied. He wanted a chance to joust with Count Montgomery. Queen Catherine and others tried to dissuade him, but the King was obstinate and insisted he have his way. During the joust, the lance of Count Montgomery fatally injured the King, and he died on the 9th of July, seven days after the celebration, in the year 1559.
   Although Montgomery was never held responsible for what obviously was an accident, the Queen never forgave him. She finally got her revenge when Montgomery was captured along with other Protestants, who were called Huegenots. She had him executed. She is the same queen, the infamouis Catherine de Medici, who ordered the Massacre of the Huguenots at St. Bartholomew's Church on Augut 14, 1572. After that time, the Montgomery family, along with other Protestants left France and settled in England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. (There were a LOT of Montgomerys.) It was from Ulster in North Ireland that most of the early Montgomery families came to America. (So I AM Irish!)
   The first Montgomery ancester that we know about in America is Robert Montgomery, born about 1780 in Georgia. We don't know much about his life in Georgia other than he was a school teacher and attended the Presbyterian Church. His brother James and sister Martha remained in Georgia, but Robert (who was called Robin) moved to Gibson County, Indiana. Soon several other families from Georgia moved there as well. Among them was the Marvel family with their children, including their daughter Patience. Robin often visited the Marvel family. One of the stories that has been passed down is that one morning Robin followed the girls, Patience and Comfort, to the milking gap, where seated upon a stump, he made himself useful by holding a calf by the ears while Patience milked its mother. Suddenly he said, "Patia, will you milk my cows?" Patience replied curtly, "No, Robin, I will not milk your cows." There was silence for a time while Patience thought the request over. She considered Robin's good qualities and her heart softened. "Say that again, Robin."
   "Say what?"
   "What you said before."
   Robin repeated his question.
   "Yes, Robin, I will milk your cows." And so preparations began for a wedding. They were married April 30, 1813 by the Methodist Curcuit riding minister Rev. Benjamin Edge. This was said to be the first marriage in the Black River Basin in the Indiana Territory. They made their home in Smith Township, Posey County, Indiana.
   Robert fought in the battle of Tippecanoe. He also fought in some of the Indian Wars and was a soldier in the War of 1812. Robert and Patience Marvel Montgomery were the parents of 11 children. (William; Prettyman; John; Elizabeth; Nancy; Samuel; James; Lavina; Robert, Jr.; George; Thomas) We are descended from Samuel who married Phoebe Elizabeth Pruitt. The Pruitt family came to Indiana from Kentucky in 1820. They had lived in the Carolinas previously. Phoebe's grandfather Simon Williams, Jr. served in a civilian capacity during the Revolutionary War and his service has been accredited by the DAR.(in case that kind of thing is important to you. I'm not quite as interested as perhaps I should be. I remember my father [Boppey] saying that ancestors were like potatoes in that they are buried in the ground. But I digress...) Although Samuel had to sign his will with his mark (he was illiterate) he left a sizeable fortune for his children. He was probably dyslexic, as his family was well educated.
   Samuel and Phoebe Elizabeth Pruitt Montgomery were the parents of ten children. The fourth child was Joseph Franklin Montgomery who married Martha Gasaway. They had five children: Roscoe Lee, Walter, Lewis Samuel, Albert, Viola, Joseph Franklin, and Elizabeth.
   Roscoe Lee (who called himself Ross) married Dorothy Christina Danner (check the last blog). They were the parents of: Carl, Marguerite Marie (Nonnie), Irene, Marlowe, Roscoe Henry, Dorothy, Mildred Louise (who died very young), and Selma Juanita who was always known as Juanita. Aunt Neetie (Juanita) never allowed her first name to be spoken aloud!
   Next time I'll write about the Gasaway side--the maternal side.
   No pictures this time. Sorry. Just a lot of names and dates. But our histories are more important than we realize, imprinted in our DNA. I have been drawn to Mont Saint Michel ever since seeing a picture of it when I was in primary school. I finally was able to go a few years ago. Rented a car in Paris and drove through Normandy, arriving at Mont Saint Michel in the last afternoon of Christmas Eve. Went to midnight mass and wept through the entire service. The same was true of St. Bartholomew's in Paris. I had never heard of the church, but while in Paris I found it one day while wandering around. I went in and sat in a pew. Someone was practicing the organ. I wept. Have no explanation for my responses to some of the places I've gone. Like how do you explain Mongolia??? But we were once tribal people, completely dependent upon the land upon which we lived. That may seem strange to us now with all of our technology, but that sophistacated "stuff" is a mighty thin coat. Underneath we are still homeo sapien, surviving and doing what we can to enjoy the process. I'm mighty satisfied with how my process is going. Hope you are too.   

Grandma Dolly

Grandma Dolly

It's my maternal grandmother's turn--Nonnie's mother. She was named Dorothy Christina Danner, but called Dolly because of her big brown eyes. In the picture she's about 16.

Dolly was born in Lincoln, Illinois in 1884. Her father Christian "Henry" Danner was born in Mt. Pulaski, Illinois in 1840. His father Christian Danner was born in Wurtenburg, Germany in 1810. Christian and his brother Andrew came to this country in 1834.  Christian went first to Pittsburgh where he worked in blacksmith shops and carriage works for six years. There he married Eva Smith. (She died in 1854 leaving four children: Andrew, Henry--Grandma's father, John, and Kate).  Christian moved his family to Mt. Pulaski and with his brother Andrew set up the first blacksmith shop in Mt Pulaski. In 1855, Christian married Dorothy Birkhardt who had come from Wurtemburg, Germany. (She died in 1873, leaving five children: Mary, Christena, Christian, George, and Gottleib.) The brothers built the first frame houses in the town. There were no roads or bridges in the county and prices for labor were low. A horse could be shoed for $1.50. At the close of the Mexican war, Christian went to St. Louis and bought a quantity of damaged iron. He then began manufacturing heavy wagons which he sold to the men who were going to California to mine for gold. He also made the first iron plows in Mt. Pulaski. He was undoubtedly the finest blacksmith in the area. Son Henry Danner became a farmer. He was also a goldsmith and eventually owned a jewelry store in Springfield, Illinois. His home backed up to the home of Abraham Lincoln. Rumor has it their dogs ran through a hole in the backyard fence.
   Henry had six children: Dorothy, Mary, Julius, Adolph, George, and Fred. I remember my mother speaking fondly of her Uncle Jewel. She said that after a family dinner, he went around the table to each of the children. He'd put his arms under their armpits and shake them up and down so they'd have plenty of room for dessert. I believe Uncle Adolph had a humped back and died quite young. Uncle George joined the Merchant Marine. He had what Grandpa called "the wanderlust." Once, in La Crosse, Wisconsin (I was about six), Mother and I were walking through a little park on our way home when Mother stopped. "Uncle George!" she called. A tall gray-haired man stopped and they chatted. I remember hearing her say he must come home with us. He said no, he'd come later. He never came. However, when he retired, he went to Pekin to be with Grandma and Grandpa. Grandma said George and Grandpa sat on the porch and talked and talked until the day George died.
    Dolly's mother was Anna Marie Reinhardt, but I always heard her called Mary.

That's Mary Danner on the left. The girl squinting in back is my mother--Nonnie. I don't know who the other two people are.

   Mother always spoke lovingly about Grandma Danner. (She is one of the "Marys" I named my Mary after. The other is my sister Mary Ann.) Mother said her grandmother Mary Danner had "healing hands." Every spring she came to the house with a tonic they all had to take. It was a horrible mixture that even included turpentine! She also had them wear what Mother called "an asaphidadee" (that a phonetic spelling as Mother never really knew what it was officially called). They wore it next to their skin. Mother says that when they were playing and got warm it had a strange smell. I'm sure there was garlic in it as even the smell of garlic was supposed to have a therapeutic effect.

Dolly married Ross Lee Montgomery. Here's their young family. Carl in the back. Mother is on the right (so sweet!!). Irene is on the left. Marlowe is seated on Grandma's lap. The picture was taken about 1910. (That would make Mother six.)

And there were more children....the two new little ones were Roscoe and Dorothy. Eventually Juantia (called Neetie) was born. One child died when she was two. Grandma told me she never got over the loss of that child and sometimes would find she had set a place at the table for her.

Here's the family at Grandma and Grandpa's fiftieth wedding anniversary. Back row: Marlowe, Irene, Marguerite, Dorothy, Roscoe. Front row: Juanita, Grandpa, Grandma, Carl (he was my favorite uncle). And as long as I've mentioned his name, I'll tell you a favorite story about him. It was the year I was a senior in college and World War II was still going on. In those days couples did not go "steady" and I was corresponding with a lot of boys who were in the war. One of them was Hadley, a very wealthy boy--a real southern gentleman my Mother was fond of. He was on leave so I was going to visit him and his family in Arkansas. But first, I went to Pekin where Mother was visiting with Carl and Ann. Uncle Carl had a marvelous garden (had learned from his mother who was the BEST gardener). Every evening, he and I went into the kitchen where he made us sandwiches of home made bread, thin slices of his Bermuda onions, and those long yellow peppers. We'd eat our onion sandwiches and talk. The last evening I was there, he asked me if I planned to take a ring from this young man (agree to marry). I said heavens no! He leaned forward and whispered, "Good. Now, you just take your time. There's no need to rush into marriage. You've got all the time in the world." Then he looked around. "Now don't you tell your mother I told you that. She asked me to talk to you because she thinks you're too fussy and will end up being an old maid." I loved that man!
   My sister Mary Ann named Grandma Montgomery our "fat grandma." Grandma laughed and said, "Who do you love?" And we'd shout, "Our fat grandma." She never minded. By the time I knew her she was not a good cook--probably burned out from raising such a large family. She was not interested in housekeeping either. But she had a magnificent garden and made the most beautiful quilts. She made all of her granddaughters (and there were many) little quilts. Mary Ruth has the one she made for me. My mother's relationship with her mother was strained. I never knew why. I only know that when Mother got a letter from her mother, she was angry and cried. Grandma was not exactly a warm and fuzzy person. When Grandma died, my Mother wept and in those few moments, the relationship was healed.

Here are three generations: Ruth, Marguerite, Dorothy Christina. Taken in 1947.

Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary

   Grandma died April 1, 1956 and is buried in Pekin, Illinois.

   Next time I'll do Grandpa Montgomery.