BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES, BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO

"History of the Upper Ohio Valley" Vol. II, 1890.

Presented by Linda Fluharty from hard copies provided
by Mary Staley & Phyllis Slater.


Pages 551-552.

JOSEPH B. MONTGOMERY, one of the leading business men of Martin's Ferry,
was born at Benwood, W. Va., in 1844; of that part of the county, his
grandfather, Thomas Montgomery, a native of Ireland, was one of the
early settlers. He made his home first at Sheppardstown, Va., but
afterward removed to Marshall county, where he lived the remainder of
his life. He was a farmer by occupation. His son, William Montgomery,
the father of Joseph B., was born near Sheppardstown, in 1815. His life
has been devoted to farming, an occupation in which he has been quite
successful. He is still living at Wheeling. About 1859 he was married
to Elizabeth Blakemore, who died in 1888, and they had ten children,
two of whom are deceased. The subject of this sketch was educated at
Wheeling, where his parents removed when he was 'six months old. Until
he was twenty-three years, he was occupied as a cooper, and he then
engaged in farming, which he followed until 1884, when he came to
Martin's Ferry, and erected the first business house in that part of
the city, known as the orchard." Here he began, on a small scale, a
grocery and provision store, out of which his enterprise and talent
for business has developed one of the most successful retail establish-
ments of the city. Since coming to the city he has thorouhhly identified
himself with its affairs, and he is regarded as one of its most valuable
citizens. He has particularly devoted himself, and with much success,
to the advancement of that part of the city in which he is located. In
1887, he was elected to the board of education from the Third ward,
and through his efforts the new school-house was located in that ward.
In 1888 he was elected to the city council from the same ward. In
politics he is a republican. He is a member of the Methodist church,
and of the I. O. O. F. In 1864 Mr. Montgomery enlisted in Company I,
Fifth Ohio cavalry, and served until the close of the war, under
Kilpatrick, in Sherman's march to the sea. Mr. Montgomery was married
in 1867 to Elizabeth Caswell, of Wheeling, and they have two children,
Robert C. and Howard D.