A History of Kentucky Baptists From 1769 to 1885, Including More Than 800 Biographical Sketches, J. H. Spencer, Manuscript Revised and Corrected by Mrs. Burilla B. Spencer, In Two Volumes. Printed For the Author. 1886. Republished By Church History Research & Archives 1976 Lafayette, Tennessee. Vol. 2, pp 134-135 [Garrard County] ISAAC MONTGOMERY was born of Irish parents, in what is now Garrard county, Ky., Feb., 1780. His mother was a Baptist; but he grew up a wild, thoughtless boy, and was especially fond of playing the fiddle and dancing. He married early; and as soon as his first child was able to walk, he took much pleasure in teaching her to dance. When he was in his 26th year, an old colored man had a meeting near his home. Mr. Montgomery thought this an opportunity to have some rare fun. Taking his wife and children, he went to the meeting. Soon after the old man began to preach, a new class of reflections came into the mind of the pleasure seeker. "This pious old negro," soliloquized he, "is on his way to Heaven, while I am going to Hell. Then, my poor, little children! I am teaching them to follow me. What shall I do?" An overwhelming sense of guilt and condemnation seized upon him. For several weeks, he was almost in despair. But, at last, he found peace in Jesus, and united with Forks of Dix River church. He applied himself to reading the Bible, and to prayer, as diligently as he had to "fiddling and dancing." After serving the church as a deacon, some years, he was licensed to preach. In 1818, he moved to what is now Boyle county, and, by the hands of Joel Gordon and Joseph Whitehead, was ordained to the pastoral care of Doctors Fork church. Of this congregation, he was pastor, about 20 years. He also preached much in the surrounding country. Like many others, of his day, he conscientiously refused to receive any compensation for preaching. His preaching gift was below mediocrity. But he was a good exhorter, and was pious, zealous and faithful. His death, which occurred in October, 1840, was very triumphant. He said to a minister who visited him shortly before his departure: "Leave off your secular business, my brother, and give yourself wholly to the gospel: it is worth everything." He called on his daughters to sing the old hymn: "On Jordan's stormy banks I stand," and attempted to join them. But his voice failed, and a few moments afterward he breathed his last. Montgomery Gordon Whitehead = Boyle-KY http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/garrard/montgomery.i.txt