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Local figure

William Montgomery

William Montgomery (1789–1844) was a physician who practiced at Albright's in Orange County. He represented Orange in the state senate from 1824 to 1827 and again from 1829 to 1834. In 1835 the county's voters sent him and James S. Smith to the state constitutional convention, and the same year he was elected to Congress, where he served three terms. He died at Albright's in November 1844.

Source: Documenting the American South: North Carolina. Constitutional Convention (1835). Journal of the Convention, Called by the…

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Life and Orange County connections

Storylines this person is part of, in date order. Each has its own page.

StorylineOrange County and the 1835 constitutional convention, 1822–18351822–1835 · 11 events · Reforming the state constitution threatened Hillsborough's borough seat, the town's own member in the House of Commons, yet Orange pressed for reform. Toasts at Hillsborough in 1822 and 1823 said the constitution needed mending, and in 1823 a county meeting named four delegates, Thomas Ruffin among them, to a reform meeting at Raleigh; voters elected all four. In April 1835 Orange voted 1,648 to 111 for a convention, and Hillsborough itself voted 228 to 23 in favor. Candidates were pressed on the 32nd article, the religious test for office. At Raleigh, James S. Smith moved to abolish borough seats entirely and lost 61 to 67, but Hillsborough lost its member. Orange voters approved the amendments that November. StorylineJacksonians and Whigs in Orange County, 1824–18391824–1839 · 12 events · Orange County voted for Andrew Jackson in 1824 and by a wide margin in 1828, but by the late 1830s Whigs and Van Buren men were contesting its seats. Willie P. Mangum, chosen senator in 1830 as a Jacksonian, broke with Jackson over the removal of the bank deposits, and an Orange meeting approved his course in 1834. In 1836, after many county leaders broke with Jackson, supporters of Hugh L. White and of Martin Van Buren held rival meetings at the Hillsborough court house, and Orange went for Van Buren. Van Buren men took three Orange seats from the Whigs in 1838, and in 1839 Orange favored Dr. William Montgomery for Congress over the Whig George W. Haywood. StorylineDividing Orange: the fight that made Alamance County, 1842–18511842–1851 · 16 events · From 1842 to 1849 Orange County fought over division and over a tax for a new courthouse that western voters saw as a move to fix the county seat and block division. In 1842 a meeting at the High Falls of Haw River resolved to keep petitioning for a central division, and voters rejected one. After the county court laid an $8,000 courthouse tax in 1844, meetings called the tax unjust, but voters rejected division again, by 292 votes. In 1849 a bill introduced by Giles Mebane created Alamance County west of a line nine miles west of Hillsborough, Orange voters approved it on April 19, and the new county's court first met on June 4.

Dated events connected with this person, in date order. See these 15 dated events in the chronology →

  1. Orange County voters return Willie P. Mangum to Congress and send William Montgomery to the state Senate In the county election Willie P. Mangum carried Orange over Josiah Crudup for Congress, 1,353 to 716, and was re-elected for the district. Dr. William Montgomery won the Senate seat over Michael Holt, William McCauley led the poll for the House of Commons with 1,059 votes, and John Scott was returned for the borough of Hillsborough without opposition. People: Willie P. Mangum, William Montgomery Place: Orange County · Also named: William McCauley, John Scott, Josiah Crudup, Michael HoltSearch the index · Hillsborough Recorder, August 17, 1825, p. 3
  2. Orange County elects William Montgomery, Thomas H. Taylor and John Stockard to the legislature Orange County voters chose Dr. William Montgomery for the state Senate and Thomas H. Taylor and John Stockard for the House of Commons, and the town of Hillsborough returned Frederick Nash to the Commons. People: William Montgomery, Thomas H. Taylor, Frederick Nash, John Stockard Place: Orange CountySearch the index · Hillsborough Recorder, August 19, 1829, p. 3
  3. Orange County's candidates for the Assembly and sheriff take the field By July 12, 1834, the candidates for Orange County's August 14 election were William Montgomery and Hugh Waddell for the state Senate; Joseph Allison, John Stockard, William McCauley and William R. Hall for the House of Commons; William A. Graham for the Hillsborough borough seat; and James C. Turrentine and William Nelson for sheriff. Earlier lists that summer had named Thomas D. Crane and, briefly, Burrhus Cheek for the Senate. People: William Montgomery, Hugh Waddell, William McCauley, William A. Graham, James C. Turrentine, William Nelson, Joseph Allison, John Stockard Place: Orange County · Also named: William R. Hall, Thomas D. CraneSearch the index · The Harbinger (Chapel Hill), July 12, 1834, p. 3
  4. Orange County sends William Montgomery to the state Senate and Joseph Allison and John Stockard to the Commons Orange County voters returned Dr. William Montgomery to the state Senate, Col. Joseph Allison and Col. John Stockard to the House of Commons, and James C. Turrentine as sheriff. Hillsborough's borough seat went to William A. Graham without opposition. People: William Montgomery, James C. Turrentine, William A. Graham, Joseph Allison, John Stockard Place: Orange CountySearch the index · Hillsborough Recorder, August 20, 1834, p. 3
  5. A Hawfields muster meeting nominates convention candidates and demands their views on the religious test After a militia muster at David Mebane's in the Hawfields, a meeting chaired by Dr. James A. Craig nominated William Montgomery, James S. Smith and James Mebane for the constitutional convention, added Joseph Allison, and resolved to support no candidate who would not state his views on the 32nd article (the religious test for office) and on judges' salaries. People: William Montgomery, James Strudwick Smith, James Mebane, Joseph Allison, James A. Craig Place: David Mebane's, Hawfields, Orange County (now Alamance County) · Also named: David MebaneSearch the index · Hillsborough Recorder, May 15, 1835, p. 3
  6. Convention candidates James S. Smith and William Montgomery publish their platforms Dr. James S. Smith published an address to Orange voters favoring the end of borough representation, election of the governor by the people and biennial sessions, while opposing any change to the 32nd article; Dr. William Montgomery published his own opposition to striking out the 32nd article and to protecting judges' salaries. Both were elected delegates on May 21. People: James Strudwick Smith, William Montgomery Place: HillsboroughSearch the index · Hillsborough Recorder, May 15, 1835, p. 3
  7. Orange County sends physicians William Montgomery and James S. Smith to the 1835 convention Ten men were put forward at meetings around the county, and the voters chose two physicians, William Montgomery and James S. Smith. Each sided with the majority that abolished borough seats, which cost Hillsborough its own member in the House of Commons. People: James Strudwick Smith, Thomas Ruffin, Frederick Nash, William Montgomery Place: Orange CountySearch the index · Lefler and Wager, Orange County, 1752-1952 (1953), p. 86 · Also: Hillsborough Recorder, May 29, 1835, p. 3
  8. James S. Smith of Orange moves to abolish borough seats at the 1835 convention At the state constitutional convention in Raleigh, James S. Smith, one of Orange County's two delegates with William Montgomery, moved on June 11, 1835, to abolish borough representation entirely; the motion failed 61 to 67. The convention's committee later recommended taking the House seat from Hillsborough, Halifax and Salisbury while keeping it for four other towns. People: James Strudwick Smith, William Montgomery Place: RaleighSearch the index · Documenting the American South: Journal of the Convention ... Which Assembled in the City of Raleigh, on the 4th of June, 1835
  9. Dr. William Montgomery of Orange is elected to Congress Montgomery, a Jackson Democrat and longtime state senator for Orange, defeated Daniel A. Barringer, carrying his home county 1,501 to 900. He served three terms. People: William Montgomery Place: Orange County · Also named: Daniel A. BarringerSearch the index · Lefler and Wager, Orange County, 1752-1952 (1953), p. 85 · Also: Hillsborough Recorder, August 14, 1835, p. 3
  10. An Orange County meeting nominates Willie P. Mangum for Congress Citizens of Orange County meeting at the house of a Holt across the river blamed the money crisis on Jackson's interference with the currency, called for a new Bank of the United States and nominated Willie P. Mangum for Congress against William Montgomery. Mangum declined the nomination before the month was out. People: Willie P. Mangum, William Montgomery Place: Holt house, western Orange County · Also named: Isaac HoltSearch the index · Hillsborough Recorder, June 23, 1837, p. 3
  11. William Montgomery beats William A. Graham for Congress as Orange gives him a smaller majority Dr. William Montgomery of Orange won another term in Congress over the Whig William A. Graham, who had campaigned little while away for surgery. Orange gave Montgomery only a small majority, far below the 601 votes he had won the county by in an earlier race. People: William A. Graham Place: Orange CountySearch the index · Hillsborough Recorder, August 18, 1837, p. 3
  12. Whig district convention at Hillsborough nominates William A. Graham, who declines, and then George W. Haywood Delegates from Wake, Person and Orange met at the Masonic Hall in Hillsborough on May 31, 1839, with Weston R. Gales in the chair, and unanimously nominated William A. Graham for Congress against Dr. William Montgomery. Graham declined for private and domestic reasons, and the convention then chose George W. Haywood of Wake, who accepted by letter from Raleigh. People: W. R (Weston R.) Gales, William A. Graham, Hugh Waddell, Giles Mebane, William Montgomery Place: Masonic Hall, Hillsborough · Also named: George W. HaywoodSearch the index · Hillsborough Recorder, June 6, 1839, p. 3
Show all 15 dated events
  1. A new post route runs from Hillsborough to Roxboro through Chalk Level A new post route between Hillsborough and Roxboro, passing through the Chalk Level neighborhood, had recently been established by July 1839, and Chalk Level residents sought a post office of their own. A Mr. Nichols of Chalk Level, proposed as postmaster, said Dr. William Montgomery had written recommending the office and him. People: William Montgomery Place: Chalk Level, Orange CountySearch the index · Hillsborough Recorder, July 18, 1839, p. 3
  2. Orange County helps re-elect William Montgomery to Congress over George W. Haywood In the congressional election of August 8, 1839, Orange County gave Dr. William Montgomery 1,513 votes to 1,343 for the Whig George W. Haywood, and Montgomery carried the Orange, Person and Wake district 2,916 to 2,553. Place: Orange County polling places · Also named: George W. HaywoodSearch the index · Hillsborough Recorder, August 29, 1839, p. 3
  3. A meeting at the High Falls of Haw River demands a central division of Orange County A large meeting at the High Falls on Haw River, chaired by William Montgomery, resolved to keep petitioning the legislature for a central division of Orange County, condemned the recent attempt to tax the county $10,000 for a new court house, and pledged to support no legislative candidate who opposed division. A substitute offered by Giles Mebane to settle the question by a popular vote at the August election was voted down. People: William Montgomery, Giles Mebane Place: High Falls, Haw River, Orange County (now Alamance County)Hillsborough Recorder, May 5, 1842, p. 3

People named in the same events

People named in the same dated entries as William Montgomery, those sharing the most entries first. Each line links one of the shared entries in the chronology, where its source is cited. A shared entry shows these people in the same event, not how well they knew each other.

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Start at OCPL

Books in OCPL’s Rebecca B. Wall Local History Collection whose titles, catalog subjects, or descriptions match this person. The Friends’ recommended starting points are labelled.

  • Rebecca Wall Collection · NC 929.375 CLE North and South Carolina Marriage Records From the Earliest Colonial Days to the Civil War Clemens, William Montgomery · 1973

    Nearly 7,500 marriages from North and South Carolina, roughly 1683 to 1865, compiled and edited by William Montgomery Clemens and arranged alphabetically by surname, with the brides' maiden names. First published in 1927; this is the Genealogical Publishing Company reprint of 1973, 295 pages.

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  • NC LIVE: prepared search for William Montgomery Library card Search NC LIVE for this subject and Orange County. You can change the search terms. Sign in through your North Carolina library to access the materials.
  • Ancestry Library Edition In the libraryOrange County Public Library Census, birth, death and marriage records, and more, free on the public computers at OCPL libraries

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Background reading at OCPL

Books from OCPL’s Rebecca B. Wall Local History Collection that provide broader context. They may not discuss William Montgomery directly.

  • Background reading · Rebecca Wall Collection North and South Carolina Marriage Records: From the Earliest Colonial Days to the Civil War Clemens, William Montgomery · 1927

    Marriages in the two Carolinas from early colonial times to the Civil War, compiled and edited by William Montgomery Clemens and published in New York by E. P. Dutton in 1927; x and 295 pages. Genealogical Publishing Company reprinted it in 1973 and 1981.

    Subjects in the Library of Congress catalog record: Registers of births, etc -- North Carolina; Registers of births, etc -- South Carolina OCPL call number: NC 929.3 CLE

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