* College Search *

* Search & Apply to New Jobs *

Montgomery County, Missouri

Montgomery County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education

Etymology - Origin of County Name

Named for Richard Montgomery, a Revolutionary War general.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts

History of Montgomery County

Originally a part of St. Charles County; organized December 14, 1818. The exact origin of the name remains unsettled. Three explanations have been offered. Eaton says it was named for General Richard Montgomery, a hero of the Revolutionary War, who fell at the battle of Quebec on December 31, 1775; and this explanation is supported by the authority of Colonel Switzler as reported in an article in the JEFFERSON CITY DAILY TRIBUNE. But Rose (1876), declares this derivation to be incorrect, and affirms that it was named for Montgomery County, Kentucky, because so many citizens of that county had settled here. Rose's opinion seems a plausible one, especially since General Montgomery's death lay so far in the past when the Missouri county was organized. Conard is doubtful which origin to accept, but notes that the Kentucky county was itself named for General Montgomery, a fact which would account for the theory of a like origin for the one in Missouri. Conard is followed by the HIST. ST. CHALES, MONTGOMERY & WARREN The HIST. N.E. MISSOURI, however, advances still a third explanation: that it took the middle name of General Zebulon Montgomery Pike, the citizens being disappointed because Pike County (q.v.), had already appropriated his last name, and determined in some way to honor this extensively popular explorer and military hero, who had fallen in battle a few years before in the War of 1812. This conjecture is, however, unsupported by any evidence, and Rose's explanation must be given the preference. The county as at present constituted is bounded on the north by Audrain and Pike Counties, on the east by Warren and Lincoln, on the south by Warren and the Missouri River, and on the west by Callaway and Audrain. (Bryan and Rose, 228, Conard IV, 465, Eaton, 332, HIST. N.E. MISSOURI, 508, History of St. Charles, Montgomery and Warren Counties, 558, Jefferson City Daily Tribune, October 22, 1904, Laws, Terr. of Louisiana, 1818, 114-123; Mrs. J.F. Ball, W.F. Hupe)

Source: Leech, Esther. "Place Names Of Six East Central Counties Of Missouri." M.A. thesis., University of Missouri-Columbia, 1933.
 

Neighboring Counties:

• Insert Counties Here

Cities and Towns:

County Resources:

Enter County Resources and Information Here
 

  About   Site Map   Privacy Policy