Jack Gageby's Website

In an attempt to get a Revolutionary War pension, Hugh swore in the Butler Co, OH, court on Feb 1, 1819, that he was born in Ireland Feb 25, 1755. He stated that he was in Pittsburg, PA when he enlisted in the Continental Army on Feb 12, 1777 as a private soldier in the company commanded by Capt. James Sulivan, in Col. Russell's regiment of the Virginia line. It was a three year and 9 month enlistment. He stated that he fought in the battles of Brandywine, and Germantown and spent a winter at White Marsh or Valley Forge. Later he soldiered on the western frontier under Col. Broadhead against the British led Indians. He was twice wounded and discharged in April 1780.

After the war, in August 1784, Hugh married Eve Hartman in Dauphine Co, PA. She was of German birth. They settled in what became Beaver County, PA and there raised 13 children (I can't lay my hands on it at this moment but this marriage is listed in a book about early PA marriages). About 1809 Hugh moved his family to Butler County, Ohio. Apparently they floated down the Ohio River as he testified he lost his discharge paper in the river. They probably moved because they could make a profit on their farm in PA and the new land in Ohio was cheap and easy for their sons to buy. Probably their land in PA was worn out after more than 20 years of farming.

While living in Butler, Hugh and his sons Thomas, Henry and William enlisted in the 1 Reg't Mounted (Finley's)Ohio Militia, during the War of 1812. His son, William , allegedly died in that war. This information can be found in a data base recently added in ancestry.com and is also in a book about the Ohio soldiers of that war.

By 1822 Hugh and part of his grown family moved to Decatur Co, Indiana, which had just opened up for settlement. There Hugh tried once again to get a pension and testified in court on Oct 7, 1822. However, he was never issued a pension. I don't know what the stipulations were for receiving a Revolutionary War pension, but from what I can make out from the papers, after Hugh applied in Ohio he was turned down because he owned property. When he got to Indiana he again applied and was turned down because they figured out he was the same Hugh Montgomery that had been turned down once before. Then in 1825 he went to court and denounced his eligibility for a pension. Twenty-five years after his death, Hugh's son, Henry, went back to court and testified in attempt to get the pension he was sure was owed to his father (Deposition of Henry Montgomery, Decatur Co, IN 3 Jan 1855).

According to my admittedly sparce records, it was three of Hugh's grandsons who married Gageby women, many many years after the Revolutionary War, and as far as I can make out Hugh Montgomery and James Gageby did not know each other before the war, did not soldier in the same outfits, and never lived in the same places after the war.  In other words, they were never connected in any way. Marion Van Tiger believes that Hugh may have been in the British Army and imprisoned with James Gageby, but there is not a scrap of evidence to support that theory. In 1903 a book titled "the Montgomerys and Their Descendants" by D. B. Montgomery was published which included an entire chapter about Hugh Montgomery and his descendants. It says nothing supporting Marion's theory, nor do the DAR records of the five Montgomery cousins who joined nearly a century ago, as far as I know. All the  above facts of Hugh's life are from documented sources.

I would be glad to hear from anyof you. Katie Ferguson Jablonicky (email address katydid@tznet.com)

MONTGOMERY, Hugh: Lived in Butler County, Ohio from approximately 1816/17 to 1820/21. He was in Decatur County, Indiana by 1822.

Participated in the battles of Germantown and Brandywine

Born 02-29-1754, Carrickfergus, Antrim, Ulster, Ire

Died 05-20-1830 N.E. Greensburg, IN.

Married Aug. 1784 in Paxtang Twp., Dauphin Co., PA

To: Eva Hartman, born about 1763, Germany; died 08-13-1823 Greensburg, IN.

Both were buried at Nobbe Farm (George Watt's Burying Ground), Greensburg.

They had 13 Children: Mary (b. 6-4-1785; d. prior 1855); Elizabeth (b. 2-20-1787); Thomas (b. 4-24-1788; d. 9-22-1845); Henry (b. 4-29-1790; d. 9-15-1872); Margaret (b. 6-17-1792; d. prior 1803); William (b. 6-17-1793; d. War of 1812); Sarah /Sally (b. 9-3-1795); Hugh (b. 8-29-1797; d.4-22-1872); Nancy (b. 6-29-1799); George (b. 4-2-1801); Margaret (b. 10-3-1803; d. after 1855); Michael (b. 3-28-1806; d. 5-12-1845); Robert (b. 5-__ -1807; d. 5-1-1881)

1815 Butler Co OH Deeds: John Richmond Jr and wife Mary of Ross twp to Hugh Montgomery of Morgan land in sec2  T3 R1,  no witnesses, recorded 1815.

This land was still part of Hugh Montgomery's estate in the 1836 tax assessment for Morgan twp, Butler Co OH, listed as "Heirs of Hugh Montgomery." I think it possible Hugh's applications for pension were both denied because of the ownership of this property. Land in Butler County was never free, was never awarded for military service. It was for a time the object of a great deal of "speculation". Montgomerys arrived rather late in the settlement process but just as property values began to soar. As the US government became more and more wealthy after the Revolution the laws were changed and the stipulations to obtain a pension were relaxed. The first pensions went only to widows and incapacitated veterans, then to paupers (the requirement when Hugh made his requests) and later, I think it was 1832 after Hugh died, that survivors were all eligible, and did not have to provide proof of poverty to obtain a pension. Seems Hugh was not a pauper, but if he lost property for non-payment, he was not as wealthy as he wished, either. He wanted the Decatur Co court to believe he was in uncomfortable conditions: 1825 pension app, says living with sons Michael and Robert, had applied at Brookville IN for pension before 1824, denied. "I bought of Joseph Logan 78 acres & 43/100 of land in Butler County Ohio and the purchase money in which I was to give to Logan for said land was $500. And after paying three hundred dollars of the said money I was unable to pay the remaining two hundred - I was sued by the said Logan and Judgment was obtained against me, the land was taken and valued according to the law of that State, and purchased by the said Joseph Logan. ”

I've not yet found a legal description of this land, to know if it was in Morgan twp or Reily twp. I recall we have a census enumeration in 1820 for Hugh Montgomery both places. I wonder if the enumerator listed the same Hugh at each of the locations.

Another hint that the Montgomerys and Gagebys did not come to Butler Co OH together from PA. 1807 enumeration for Butler Co OH no Gagebys on the 1810 tax list for Butler Co OH no Gagebys listed Butler Co OH Marriages 1803-1812 no Gagebys listed. The on-line Miami Valley Index shows no Gagebys listed. So here in Butler Co OH is one place we research Hugh Montgomery and do not find any Gagebys.”

Note: On a Montgomery-Gageby relationship - In 1846 George, his brother Robert and Neil Gageby left on horseback to checkout the new Iowa land that was available. They liked it and filed for claims near Marion Iowa. When they returned, George sold his land to his brother in law -- Warren Jackson. (Apochryphal evidence suggests that Betsy and Warren Jackson were the children of President Andrew Jackson's father's cousin -- even in one of the Decatur county histories). They arrived in Iowa in 1847. They settled in Linn County and then moved to neighboring Benton County in 1852.

Naomi Emmich (email address emmich@bendnet.com but changing to emmich@bendcable.com on 20 March 2000)

If you would like to add information or comments to this webpage, send me your input.

….Jack Gageby (email address jackgageby@bigfoot.com)