Montgomery Family
It is my belief that Shady Grove Cemetery started out as a private Montgomery Family Cemetery with family, close friends and neighbors being among the first burials dating back to as early as the late 1820's or early 1830's. There are numerous field stone markers near the "heart" of the cemetery where the earliest markers exist, that are believed to be some of these earliest Montgomery ancestors. Among them I have high confidence are the graves of Major James Montgomery who likely died in 1852 or 3, his first wife (name unknown) who probably died between 1840 and 1844 and his second wife Elizabeth who died around 1860. Although it is getting more difficult to find Montgomery descendants in this area. they still exist. There are approximately 40 direct blood descendants of Major James Montgomery in 4 generations. James himself would be the 5th generation, interred at Shady Grove Cemetery.
This is the headstone of Malisa A. Montgomery (1857-1867) who is the first Montgomery family member buried who still has a headstone. She was the young daughter of William B Montgomery and Pernecy (White) Montgomery. I am fairly certain that there were other family members buried here prior to this but the markers used at that time no longer survive.
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