Stories
Jamestoiwn Settlement: http://www.preservationvirginia.org/rediscovery/page.php?page_id=6
Here's a request from cousin Richard W. Montague to solve one of the family mysteries. Pleas read this carefully, and see if you can offer any help in solving the mystery of the missing Richard Montague Miniature.
The miniature would be of special
interest to descendants of the Massachusetts Montague family. This miniature
"portrait" of Richard Montague, the pioneer settler in
The
Montague Family at Hadley states that
the miniature "was doubtless painted in England and the youth of its subject is
consistent with the traditions relative to the date of Richard's emigration to
America, as is the depicted Cromwellian style of dress." This Richard Montague
died in Hadley in 1681.
The inference
has been drawn that Richard Montague may have come to the New World because he
(and possibly his Virginia-based brother Peter) were supporters of the Lord
Protector (Oliver Cromwell) and hence were both more or less compelled to leave
England following the restoration of the English King (Charles II).
The 64 dollar
question is whether any current Montague descendants, either those of Peter I of
Maybe some member of our American family can shed some light on this subject. It is certainly worth a try
Richard Montagu
In 1613, he was elected fellow of Eton and became rector of Stanford Rivers, Essex. He was appointed to the deanery of Hereford in 1616, but exchanged it next year for a canonry of Windsor, which he held with the rectory of Petworth, Sussex. He was also chaplain to James I.
Like William Laud, he disliked the extremes of Calvinism and Roman Catholicism, and this attitude constantly involved him in difficulties. About 1619 he came into collision with some Roman Catholics in his parish, and Matthew Kellison (1560?-1642) attacked him in a pamphlet entitled The Gagg of the Reformed Gospell (Douai, 1623). Montagu replied with A Gagg for the New Gospell? No. A New Gagg for an Old Goose (London, 1624). The publication of the Immediate Addresse unto God alone (London, 1624) incensed the Puritans, who appealed to the House of Commons, but Montagu was protected by the king.
After the appearance of his famous Appello Caesarem (London, 1625) his case frequently came before Parliament and conferences of bishops, but his influence at court and with Laud enabled him to hold his ground. He was consecrated Bishop of Chichester in 1628, and became Bishop of Norwich in 1638.