Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1955-09-29
County Took Its Name, Motto
From Irish american Patriot

"Gardez Bien," Guard Well, is
the motto of the Montgomery
family of DONEGAL Ireland and
the county named for Richard
Montgomery at the beginning of
the Revolutionary War.
General Montgomery, in keep.
ing with his family'S motto,
guarded the country of his adop.
ton so well that he gave up his
life in its defense in IT'S.
On Sept. 9th, the first Constitu-
tional Convention in Maryland,
passed the resolution dividing
Frederick County into three
parts.
TO break the tradition of honor.
ing England's aristocrats, names
for the two new counties were
sought that would reflect the pat
riotic spirit of America. Thus
Washington and Montgomery
Counties were created.
Richard Montgomery, for
Whom Rockville's high school is
named as well, was not born in
this country nor, as far. as any
one can find out, was he ever in
the county to which he gave his
ename. Nevertheless, the spirit of
1.-The man made the choice a wise
one.
Born in Ireland, educated at
st. Andrews and Trinity College,
Dublin, he chose the army as
his career and distinguished him
self for his bravery and ability.
When he was "a he sold his com.
mission in the army and returned
to America where he had served
for many years.
His sympathies had always
been with the colonists, and in
England, he had numbered men
such as Burke and Fox among his
friends. His own explanation for
immigrating was that he had con-
ceived a violent passion for farm
ing. that he had no friends to adj
vance him, that with little money
he could cut no figure among
Peers, Nobels. etc" and that
therefore he had cast his eye on
America where his pride and pow
erty would be 'much more at
their ease"
However he had enough money
to buy a 67 acre farm at Kings
Bridge, N. Y, and in 1773 he mar.
ried Janet Livingston, daughter
of Robert R. Livingston of New
York City.
As war with England became
inevitable, his support for his
new country strengthened and, in
IT'S, he was elected to the Pro
vincial Congress. In June he was
appointed second in rank of the
eight brigadier-generals, then de.
signated by the Continental Con.
gress.
Serving as second in command
under Major General Philip Schu-
yler, who was too i'll to assume
the responsibility, he headed the
expedition to Montreal.
1t turned out that he was Just
the man for the job due to his
abilities and past experience. He
took the raw, inexperienced and
proudly Independent New Eng
landers under his command and
turned them into a fighting force
that captured Forts Chambly and
st. Johns. They had the honor
of taking the first British colors,
those of the 7th FusilierS, in the
war.
With his objective of capturing
Montreal accomplished, he turn.
ed to Quebec, joining the forces
of Benedict Arnold. 1t soon be-
came apparent that the Ameri-
cans were in no condition to
withstand a long winter siege.
Attack became imperative, and
at 4 A. NJ, on Dec. l, IT'S, he led
his troops into action and was
almost Immediately killed.
The English recognized his
body and gave it decent burial.
Its final resting place is in St
Paups Church in New York to
which it was brought in 1918.
He left no children but his mon
ument to the south of which he
was completely unaware is one
to make him proud We, in turn,
can point with pride to the brave
man who gave our county its
name.