James Fernander "Jim" Montgomery was probably born in Skillet or Fearn Springs located in Winston Co., MS on April 16, 1861 and being the second child of James Montgomery, a stow-a-way who came to America from Belfast, Ireland with unknown parents and Azelean Stewart of Winston Co., MS, who was the tenth child of Aaron Stewart of NC and Sarah Brock of Bedford Co., TN. Sarah Ellen was born in 1858 in Skillet, Winston Co., MS.

His father, James Montgomery, enlisted during the Civil War into the Mississippi Rebels but was injured in the lungs and was furnished transportation home to Shuqulak, MS. on Nov. 21, 1861. The following year, his father was granted a discharged from service by M. F. Berry, Major of the Army Camp of Instruction in Enterprise, MS, on Nov. 10, 1862 because he was found unable to perform military duty.

When James's father returned home, his doctor told him that he needed to go to a dryer climate. The Montgomery family left Winston Co., MS in a covered wagon headed west, which included James, Azelean and their two small children, Ellen & James Fernander. Now, keep in mind that their journey was during some of the fierce battles of the Civil War and at some point their wagon would have to cross the mighty Mississippi River. Somewhere in Denton Bottom, location unknown but most likely in Texas, James became critically ill. Azelean stopped their wagon at a lone Tepee which was the only visible object she saw in the open horizon. An Indian came from the Tepee, removed James from the wagon, took care of James till he died and then buried him in the open prairie. In a form of broken English, the Indian told Azelean "best you go back home to your family" and so she headed back to MS and her family. This is the story told to me many times by my grandmother, Jessie Pearl Montgomery Miller. Although, another granddaughter, Irene Jenkins Steele stated on her UDC application papers that James Montgomery died in Skillet, Winston Co., MS and is buried in an unmarked grave. I can not prove either story.

James's mother married a second time to Samuel Donnell on Sept. 23, 1865 in Winston Co., MS. Into their marriage a daughter, Mary Eula, and a son, Timothy Christopher, were born. The 1880 Collin Co., TX. census dated June 28, 1880, lists Samuel Donell born in TN and parents both born in N.C., and wife, A. for Azelean, born in MS, and both parents born in AL, son J. F. for James Fernander born MS, father born in Ireland and mother born in MS, daughter, M. E. for Mary Eula, born in MS, father born in TN and mother born in MS and son, T. C. for Timothy Christopher, born in MS, father born in TN and mother born in MS. J.F. "James Fernander" was listed as a Donell and not a Montgomery. Since Collin County is not far from Denton, I've often wondered if Azelean brought her son, Jim, there in the hopes of locating his father's grave. James's mother, Azelean McManus, stated that she came to Texas in 1878 on the Civil War pension application papers she filed in 1913 on her husband's, Joab McManus, service record.

James married Beulah Benton Ironie Guill on Nov. 25, 1883 in Arlington, Tarrant Co., TX and Beulah was born on March 7, 1866 in Red River Co., TX, the third child of David Crockett Guill born in Tennessee and Marinda Catherine Fowler born in Ohio. The story handed down by daughter, Jessie Pearl Miller, is that Beulah was afraid of what her father would do if he found out about her wedding, so James and Beulah eloped by horseback and rode to Arlington and got married. Another story told was that Beulah was thrown from her horse getting her wedding dress all wet and I've wondered if this was into the Trinity River. It was several months before Beulah took her new husband to her father's home. Never was able to figure out where the couple met and what destination they eloped from. James was in Collin Co. in June 1880 and Beulah was in Lamar Co. in Sept. 1882, her brother Thomas was in Red River Co. in 1880 and her sister Mary Summit was in Clay Co. in 1880. Their first child, Grover Cleveland was born Dec. 4, 1884 in Texas and was buried Oct. 20, 1886 in Red Hill Cemetery at Murchison, Henderson Co., TX. Into this union eleven children were born.
Children:
Grover Cleveland Montgomery Dec. 4, 1884-Oct. 20, 1886
Jessie Pearl Montgomery Miller Mar. 8, 1887-May 4, 1974
Sunnie Patterson Montgomery Miller Dec. 23, 1888-Oct. 19, 1912
Willie Golden Montgomery Reeves Dec. 28, 1890-Sept. 4, 1937
Claude Chestley "Jack" Montgomery Dec. 23, 1892-July 12, 1970
Fannie Bell Montgomery Gould March 2, 1895-Dec. 2, 1983
Clinton Hulbert "Clint" Montgomery Feb. 6, 1897-July 10, 1982
Frankie Lee Montgomery Gould May 31, 1899-June 1, 1916
Azaleen Montgomery Harris July 27, 1901-Oct. 22, 1993
Dovie June Montgomery Degenhart June 15, 1904-Oct. 8, 1996
Tim B. Montgomery Oct. 8, 1906-July 23, 1990

According to Civil War application papers filed by Azelean McManus in 1913, she states that she came to Athens, Henderson Co., TX in 1886. Her husband Samuel Donnell is said to have died on Dec. 23, 1886 but do not know where he passed away. Azelean Donnell married a third time to Joab McManus on July 8, 1888 in Athens, Henderson Co., TX.

Some time, between Oct. 8, 1906 after the birth of Tim B. and April 26, 1910, when the 1910 Federal Census for Hamilton Co., TX was taken, Jim and Beulah left their home in Athens located on Flat Creek Rd. and move to Hamilton Co., TX so Beulah could be near her father, brother Tommy, sister Julia Williams, and daughter, Pearl Miller who was living in Stephens Co., TX with her husband's family. Sometime during the fall of 1910 or spring of 1911, Ike and Pearl leaves Stephens Co. and moved back to Athens and into the Montgomery home place. Pearl gave birth to Robert and Maggie while living at the Montgomery home place but after a storm went thru Athens and lifted the Montgomery house off its foundation, resulting in Ike and Pearl moving their family to Wood St. some time before 1917. In the fall of 1918, Jim and Beulah decided to return home to Athens but at the last minute Beulah became ill and wasn't able to travel. Jim boarded his three youngest children, Azaleen, Dovie & Tim B. on the train headed for Athens, TX. Dovie said that she would never forget the day they departed the train in Athens. People were coming out of their houses shouting the war is over, the war is over. That day was Nov. 11, 1918, the end of WWI. After Jim and Beulah returned to Athens, they found it necessary to almost completely rebuild their storm damaged home. Dovie said that they lived inside part of the house and outside part of the time as her father remodeled the house. When finished, it was smaller than the original home place and Beulah was never completely happy with her remodeled home.

Jim and Beulah Montgomery were listed as charter members of the First Christian Church in Athens, TX. They were listed on the First Christian Church's 90th Anniversary Celebration Bulletin dated Nov. 6, 1977. Other family members listed on bulletin were Mr. and Mrs. Joab McManus, Dr. & Mrs. W. T. Jenkins, Mr. and Mrs. Seymour Powell, and niece Irene Jenkins Steel. Not listed was Jessie Pearl Montgomery born March 8, 1887.

Jim loved listing to Enrico Caruso and owned almost all of Caruso's records. He loved to play Forty Two with family and friends and stories that I have heard was that a few times the dominos were thrown into the fireplace if Jim wasn't satisfied with his playing. Jim had an automobile with a rumble seat in the back but not certain if Jim could drive his car. On several occasions someone else was his driver and he would sit in the rumble seat reading his Wild West novel. Jim and Beulah would visit my grandparents on Saturday night to listen to the radio. I think they always listened to the Grand Ole Opry.

Jim died at home on May 29, 1940 in Athens, TX and is buried in the Athens Cemetery.