The Fayette Journal from Fayetteville, West Virginia • Page 32

November 2, 1J)11 THE FAYETTE JOURNAL. 31 MONTGOMERY, FAYETTE'S LARGEST TOWN Montgomery, the laigest and most progressive town in Fayette County, is located near the western border of the county on Ihe main line of the Chesapeake and Ohio railway. It is built upon a floodplain of the Kanawha River with lofty mountains rising abruptly on either side, making its scenery very picturesque. The land around Montgomery was originally owned by Lcvi Morris, having been taken up by him in 1770. He came from Alexandria, Virginia, on a mule and brought with him the shop-made nails with which the first house was built near the present site of Montgomery.

Mr. Henry Montgomery, the grandfather of Messrs. S. J. C.

and J. W. Montgomery, came to this county about the same time with General Andrew Lewis in his campaign against the Indians. Mr. James Montgomery, a son of the above mentioned, secured a large tract of land along the Kanawha River, near the site o.f' Montgomery, and was a big farmer and stock dealer, often driving large herds of cattle and hogs to Lynchburg and other points in the East.

He was also a prominent politician, having been of the county and the representative in the State legislature a number of times. He was in the- Virginia'legislature when Virginia seceded and was later in the West Virginia legislature; The history of -Montgomery dates back to about I860, when boats began to come here from Cincinnati and other points along the Ohio River. The town was then known as Montgomery's Landing and was the distributing point for merchants in Wyoming, Mercer, Raleigh, McDowell, Nicholas and Fayette Counties. These merchants came several times each year and hauled goods for their stores. It was also a shipping point for tobacco, hides, wool and other-farm products.

Tn 1871 the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad was built and the station at this place was known as Cannelton. Cannelton had been for a number of years the name of the postoffice on the north side of the river, and continued to be the name of the station on the Chesapeake and Ohio until 1890, when the town was incorporated and name changed to Montgomery. In 1876 the Coal Valley Coal Co. began opera- BIRDS-EYE VIEW OF MONTGOMERY, -ing a coal "mine here and they laid off the town and changed the name from Montgomery's Landing to Coal Valley. postoffice was also opened at this time; known as Coal Valley.

Thus from 1876 to. 1890 the place had two names, Coal Valley Postoffice and Cannelton station. When the town was incorporated, as mentioned above, the name of the postoffice was also changed to Montgomery. Since the opening of the postoffice the following men a postmasters in turn: S. H.

Montgomery, W. M. Dent, M. J. Simms, Ernest Montgomery, Mrs.

Ernest Montgomery, Charles Edwardte and L. S. Montgomery, who is postmaster at the present time. It is. a third class office and has comfortable quarters in a 'brick building on Fourth avenue.

The town was incorporated in 1890, as mentioned above, and since that time the following men have been mayors: Mr. C. Montgomery, Mr. T. P.

Davies, Mr. James Dunbar and Mr. T. J. Davis, the present efficient mayor.

The town hall and jail are not in keeping with the general appearances and progressive moves of Montgomery but we are told that a new up-to- date town hall will be built in the near future. The town maintains a police force of four men and a well organized volunteer fire department Dr. Lawrence Montgomery organized a fire department of fourteen well 'trained men and the usual equipments, such as reels, hose, ladders, chemical engines, etc. Among other public improvements may be mentioned the good water supply and sewerage system, the recently paved streets and concrete sidewalks, the electric light system and last, but not least, the natural gas supply. The Montgomery Gas Company, with wells at Shrewsbury, in Kanawha County, began to supply gas to the town about six months ago and the town now enjoys a good supply of gas, which is used extensively for lighting, heating and cooking in Montgomery's homes, as well as a fuel for machinery.

This gas supply is a great boon for Montgomery. PUBLIC SCHOOLS. The history of community is not complete without some mention of its public schools. It has been well said "the public school is the nursery of our nation's greatness." It is certain that the "first Consideration of a worthy citizen in founding a home is the opportunity of giving his children a g-ood educaton. In this age of severe competition and rapid advancement along all lines an education.

is necessary. It awakens the mind to lofty ideals, it arouses worthy ambitions, it strengthens the faculties by the habit of study and prepares the individual to better cope with the problems of life. Along this line Montgomery is not lacking Immediately after the war a public school was opened in a small one-story building near the lower end of the town at the mouth of. Morris Creek. The school was located) here 0 accommodate She children living Morris Creek who had come a long distance to school.

Mr. Thomas Farley -is.