Joseph Montgomery

Who was Joseph Montgomery?

Joseph Montgomery was an American Presbyterian minister and a delegate to the Continental Congress from Pennsylvania.

Joseph was born near Harrisburg on October 3, 1733. The area at that time was part of Lancaster County. His parents, John and Martha Montgomery, had immigrated from Ireland. One known sibling is "Nancy" Agnes Montgomery who is buried Thyatira Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Rowan County, N.C., and whose son, a nephew of Joseph Montgomery, was also a noted Presbyterian divine: Dr Samuel Eusebius McCorkle. Montgomery was on his mother's side related to 1761-1766 Princeton President, Samuel Finley.

Joseph Montgomery attended the College of New Jersey and graduated in 1755. After a brief time as a school master, he began the study of theology. In 1760 he earned an A.M. degree from the College of Philadelphia and began a ministerial career, serving at several churches in Pennsylvania.

In 1769 he was made pastor of a congregation in New Castle, Delaware, and continued there until 1777, when he joined the 1st Maryland Regiment of the Continental Army as a chaplain.