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Source
- Source:Montgomery, 1863
Extract
Note:Footnotes have been elided, but contain sources, and some useful information. The original should be examined for these materials.
William Montgomerie of Brigend, [Hugh Montgomery's] eldest son,
married January 8, 1684, in Edinburgh, Isabel, daughter of Robert
Burnett of Letliiutie, Aberdeenshire, of the family of the Leys Bur-
netts, of which was Gilbert Burnet, Bishop of Salisbury. Their
marriage settlement is in complete preservation, and measures six feet
in length. On his marriage he had sasine of the " five pound land of
Bangour," recorded at Ayr, May 28, 1684. (Par. Reg. Ayrs., vol. v.
f. 68.)'
Robert Burnett was extensively concerned in the Quaker settlement
of East Jersey, and became one of the proprietors of that province; and
it appears^ that his daughter went with him to America, but was sent
back to complete her education, to Scotland, where she was married.
Her acquaintance with the new country, as well as her father's large
interests there, led William Montgomerie eventually to move his family
from Ayrshire, and make a new home for his children in the colonies of
America. In 1692 he had joined with his father in disposing of the
estate of Brigend to his cousin John Montgomerie of Beoch, (p. 73,)
and in 1701-2 crossed the ocean with his young family, and settled on
Doctor's Creek, in Monmouth county. East Jersey.* Eglinton — the name
of this estate — is situated about two miles from AUentown. The original
house is not now standing; the present brick mansion was erected
partly on its site prior to the Revolutionary war, and was built of bricks
made on the property. The beautiful view commanded from the house
is an evidence of the good taste of the one who selected its site.
William settled on lands of his father-in-law, which by deed dated
May 20, 1706, he purchased of him. "Robert Burnett of Freehold,
in ye County of Monmouth, within the eastern division of Nova Cesaria,
one of the principal proprietors of the eastern division aforesaid in
America, gentleman, on ye one part, and William Montgomery, his son-
in-law of the same town, county, and division aforesaid, yeoman
one hundred pounds current silver money, within ye province of New
York, * * * * gve hundred acres of land lying and being in ye said
town, county, and division aforesaid, and is part and parcel of a certain
tract of land belonging to ye said Robert Burnett, lying on a creek com-
monly known and called by the name of Doctor's Creek, and is also that
plantation and tract of land whereon the said William Montgomery now
dwelleth. * * * * " This original tract has been much added to by the
succeeding generations, both from purchase and by inheritance from
their cousins, John and William Burnett, the nephews of Isabel Mont-
gomerie. The last one of the name who held this property was the late
Robert Montgomery of Eglinton ; and it is now divided among the chil-
dren of his daughter, the late Mrs. S. C. Newell ; the mansion house
being the property of his daughter Lucy, and the residence of Mr.
Bennington Gill, Mrs. Newell's son-in-law, who by his care and attention
has much increased the productive value of this part of the farm.
William Montgomerie's removal to America was the effect of the mis-
fortunes in which his father had fallen, and in which as his heir, he would
be immediately involved. The encumbrances on the family estate, with
Loudoun's debt, were sufficiently large to make his sales of Brigend, to
his cousin, John Montgomerie of Beoch, and the lands of Constable and
Patterstoun, of but little avail to him, for it seems that he was indebted
to his brother for the means for the removal of himself and his family to
this country. This appears from some of James' letters, who had charge
of his affairs after his departure from Scotland. These letters (the last
of which is dated Glasgow, August '29, 1721) show that James had been
at some trouble and expense in these matters of his brother, and he is
not slow to complain of all that he has had to do. But as we have none
of William's letters in reply, we can only infer from remarks which
James comments on in his letters, that William thought he had himself
much to complain of. The Earl of Loudoun's debt had been paid at
last, (see last letter, as above,) but James had retained it, most probably
to settle some claims still pending against William and their father,
Hugh. The correspondence of the brothers, at least on the elder's side,
was at times angry ; as in the letter above referred to, James ends by
saying, " I shall not return your answer in the terms you write, but
Solomon says, 'soft words pacifieth wrath.'"
It is inferred from a copy of a letter of Robert Ma.xwell of Arkland,
(son-in-law of James,) to John Carlyle, Esq., of Alexandria, Virginia,
(which copy was enclosed by Mr. Carlyle to Robert Montgomerie of
Eglinton, October 30, 1752,) that all the estate of Brigend was not sold,
but a part " was squeezed out of William's hands by a rapacious lawyer.
Sir David Cunningham,' who got a very large estate by ways, that
successors have not been able to support to be unexceptionable. In the
trials that have been with Sir David's successors, it hath been cast up to
lawyers, that Mr. Montgomery of Bridgend was wronged, and that a
part of his estate is to be recovered almost for the claiming." Of this
fact, however, William seemed to be ignorant, but it will appear that his
son Robert did not take full measures to avail himself of the informa-
tion.
There is every evidence to show that William was a member of the
Society of Friends, and after he came to this country, that he brought
his family up in their faith. That he was so before leaving Scotland,
seems to be disproved by the circumstance of the promptness with which
he had his children baptized. His sons married Friends, and so did his
grandson James ; and there is reason to believe he is buried where so
many of his descendants lie, in the Old Meeting Ground at Crosswicks,
in Burlington County, from which Eglinton was about four miles dis-
tant. He lived subsequently to the year 1721, but the precise date of
his death is not known.
Robert Burnett of Lethintie, married a sister of Alexander Forbes of Ballogie.'
He was a member of the Society of Friends, and for his persistency and constancy in
his religious views, often suffered at the hands of those in authority. On March 12,
1676, he among others was arrested at a "conventicle" in Aberdeen, and removed to
the Tolbooth ; where after three months' imprisonment, he and his companions were
brought to trial, when each was " fined in one-fourth of their respective valued rents
for their own keeping conventicles, and an eighth part of the same for withdrawing
from the public worship." We find him again thrown into prison in the early part
of the year following on the same charges. A letter of his written during the former
imprisonment is here given as an illustration of his character ; it is addressed to
George Skene, Provost of Aberdeen, and is dated
Aberdeen, Tolbooth,
28th of Sth month, 1676.
" In the zeal of the Lord God, and in love to thy soul, do I write to thee, being
moved thereunto by his Spirit, which hath arisen in my heart, with a mighty indig-
nation and wrath against that in thee, which doth oppress his innocent seed in thine
own heart, and hath taken much rule in thy whole man. This doth evidently ap-
pear, by what thou hast done in the entry of thy rule in this place, against God and
his people, whom he hath called out in this place to bear a testimony to his everlast-
ing truth. They are made to suffer for the exercise of their conscience towards God,
by an unrighteous generation, who can lay no other deed to their charge but innocency
and uprightness ; for this we rejoice, in the midst of our sufferings, and shall more re-
joice, through the strength of our God, who rules heaven and earth, that all shall
turn to his glory and the good of them that fear him. For, whoever may combine
against Him and his anointed, they shall not prosper ; their designs shall be turned
backward, and their contrivances come to nought, and our God shall arise, and be
avenged on his enemies, who would not that He should reign over them.
"Friend, I ani exceeding sorry for thee, that thou, of whom other things were ex-
peeteil. should have a hand appearing against God, — yea, and his witness in
thine own heart, which, if thou mindest seriously, will show thee the injustice and
unrighteousness of thy proceedings, contrary to what once were thine own principles.
Oh ! shall the honour of this world, or any enjoyment of it, which passeth away with
the using, draw thee, or so prevail, as to make thee provoke the glorious King of
righteousness to shut thee up in everlasting darkness and death, and to lose the
crown immortal, and the heavenly mansion that endures forever ? Oh ! let nothing
arise in thee, to deceive thee of thy birthright, or to cause thee to think thou so
standest that thou canst not fall. A fall is abiding all those, that lift up their heel
against the Almighty: for, 'who ever hardened himself against him, and prospered?'
Let this be a warning to thee from thy true friend,
Robert Burnett.
Postscript. — Let none deceive themselves with that colour or pretence, that they
are commanded to do what they do by the higher powers, and so think to be justified.
If so, then Pilate may plead the same ; yea, and more, who publicly declared his
unwillingness to pass sentence against Christ, who esteemed him a good and just
man, and washed his hands, as innocent of his blood : and yet, if he was not free of
the murder of our blessed Lord, no more shall any of the present rulers, who have
an hand in the present persecution.'"
His intimacy with Roliert Barclay, the " Apologist," and their sympathy in these
matters, for they were both imprisoned at about the same time and on similar
charges, led him with Barclay and many other Friends to look abroad for lands where
they could dwell unmolested, and enjoy their religion in peace.
The country bordering on the Delaware, on either side, attracted the eyes of the
Friends at that period. Twelve of their society, among whom were William Penn.
West, Heywood, Plumsted, &o., purchasnl, Fel.nuu-v 2d. lSGl-2, the whole of what
was known as East New Jersey, from tlu' tiu^tre- i.f Sir George Carteret. A year
subsequent to this, on March 14th, IGSil-:;, r;nh of tliese twelve taking a partuei-,
the same is regranted to the twenty-four proprietaries by the Duke of York. On the
23d of the same month, John Heywood sells his twenty-fourth to Robert Burnett,
who, on December 20th of the same year, also purchased the one-half of Clement
Plumsted's twenty-fourth : Burnett thus became the proprietor of a sixteenth of the
province.* Of this large property, however, he was constantly disposing of portions
to settlers. He died in the year 1714,' and was buried, it is believed, in the Friends'
ground at Crosswicks, for in his will he had expressed a preference to be there buried.
By Act of Assembly of the year 1718, trustees were appointed to sell "all Robert
Burnett's estate," who sold the same on August 14th, 1720, to John Sharp, who on
September 2d following,- granted it all to John Burnett, Robert's second son, who
had married his cousin Margaret, daughter of Alexander Forbes of Ballogie, in 1694.*
They left two sons, John and William, both of whom died unmarried, when much, if
not all of their property, seems to have come into the possession of their cousins, the
Montgomeries of Bglinton. Robert Burnott had three other sons and three daughters,
Isabella, Jane, and Marjory.' The two younger sons, Robert and Patrick, were
living at the time of their father's death ; if they left families, the fact is not known.-
Alexander, the eldest son, had moved with his family to Barbadoes, and eorrespondeil
with his relatives in New Jersey until 1765.' His father had left him but twenty
shillings, "which was in satisfaction of all that he, viz., my son Alexander Burnett
can ask from, or demand, or claim of any part of my estate, seeing he has got suffi-
ciently of estate before in Scotland." This would lead to the inference that the
father's Scotch estates went to him as the eldest son, while the American property
was divided between the younger sons and the daughters.
William and Isabel Montgomerie had many children, all of whom
accompanied their parents to America.
- I. Robert, who succeeded his father.
- II. Anna, born February 1, 1690, and baptized the following day.
- III. Elizabeth, born July 12, 1691, and baptize^ 23d of same months
- IV. William, born February 7, 1693, baptized 16th of same month.' He married, and has numerous descendants, whose line is given at full, see p. 103. An affidavit made by him in May, 1770, stating his descent, his birth in Ayr, his coming to America with his parents and brothers, and reciting the names of the son and grandsons of his elder brother Robert, is given at foot of p. 87.
- V. James, who also married and left many descendants, for whose line see p. 108.
- VI. Alexander, who is said to have died unmarried. [Possibly person:Alexander Montgomery (9) ]
- VII. Jane, who married one of her own name, a Montgomery of an Irish branch,
and moved to Virginia....
Discussion
The children of Robert, especially the male children, need to be traced to see what their future history might be. Son Alexander, who is here stated to have "died young", may in fact be Person:Alexander Montgomery (9) of Amherst, VA and Orange County NC. One of his daughters married a Robert Barnett. Barnett may be a corruption of "Burnett". Isabella Burnett was the daughter of Robert Burnett, kinsman and benefactor of William Montgomery. She married William Montgomery, Alexanders father. If Robert Burnet of Orange County NC should be shown to be the son (or kinsman) of Robert of Monmouth, NJ, then we can probably say that Alexander of Amherst, VA and Orange County NC is in fact of the Brigend Montgomery line, and probably the son of William.
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