General Daniel Montgomery
General Daniel Montgomery was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, and while yet a boy came to this place with his father, General William Montgomery. He was the most active and enterprising member of the family. To him, mainly, we are indebted for the town itself and the current of trade that nourished its young life and growth amid the struggles of its early days. For him the town was properly named, “Danville.” He opened the first store in the place, where the Montour House now stands, and he also engaged in many enterprises, both in and out of the town, but all tending to build up and to give substantial importance to the place. Like his father, he was elected to Congress, and held many public trusts that will appear in the progress of this volume. He died in Danville, in 1831.
General Daniel Montgomery, from the universal testimony of his contemporaries, was in all respects one of the best men that ever in his life work blessed the people of this place. He was not only active and enterprising, leading the way in every progressive improvement, but he was at the same time just, considerate, and generous, kind, and charitable. Daniel Ramsey says, that in times of scarcity, often experienced in frontier settlements, General Daniel Montgomery would never refuse a poor man a sack of flour, but freely give it without payment; but no man could buy grain or flour from him at any price, only for his own use. Speculators were not allowed to ‘make “a corner” in those days. His death, in x8gr, was felt as a severe blow to the progress of the town, and he was sincerely mourned by many who had shared his bounty, as well as by the people in general. His funeral was one of the largest ever witnessed in this place. It was not the “hollow circumstance of woe,” but the stern reality. His memory is still gratefully cherished by those who knew the sterling character of his mind and the everlasting goodness of his heart.
SOURCE: Page(s) 61-62; Danville, Montour County Pennsylvania; D.H.B. Brower, Harrisburg; 1881
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