Lena Salome (Kelley) Montgomery

© Kathy Duncan, 2015

Lena Salome Kelley, daughter of Frost John and Elizabeth Olivia (Curlee) Kelley, was born 1864 in Texas and died 1901 in Texas, possibly in Dallas. She married Dr. A.L. Montgomery of Tyler, Smith County, Texas. He was born in 1860 and died in 1914 in Dallas, Dallas County, Texas.

Biography of A.L. Montgomery, written during his lifetime:

A.L. Montgomery, M.D., a rising young practitioner of Tyler, Texas, is the eldest of a family of eight children, and was born in Rusk county, Texas, January 20, 1860. His father, James M. Montgomery, was born in Spartanburg district, South Carolina, was reared there, and came to Texas in 1855. He settled in Rusk county, and there married Tempy, daughter of Claiborne Bateman, an old settler of Rusk county, and originally from Georgia. J.M. Montgomery still lives in Rusk county, and is a farmer.

A. L. Montgomery was reared in Rusk county, received a part of his preliminary education in Summer Hill Select School, at Omen, Smith county, and finished his general education at the old university State normal department, at Nashville, Tennessee, graduating in May, 1883. He taught school a year and a half, and then took lectures at the medical department of the Tulane University of Louisiana, at New Orleans, and graduated from there March 30, 1887. He began the practice at Tyler, May 12, 1887, and has taken a good position there in his profession. He married, September 13, 1888, Lena S., daughter of Frost J. and E.O. Kelley, of Smith county, Texas. The future of the doctor is bright and promising. The doctor is a member of the State Medical Association.

[Source: Biographical Souvenir of the State of Texas, F. A. Battey & Co., Chicago, 1889.]

6 June 1900, Tyler, Smith County, Texas:

321 S. Broadway

88-96

Montgomery, A.L. head W M b. Jan 1860 40 M-12 b. TX fb. SC mb. GA

-----Lena S. wife W F b. Jun 1864 35 M-12 3-1 b. TX fb. SC mb. LA

-----James D. son W M b. Aug 1892 7 S b. TX fb. TX mb. TX

After Lena's death in 1901, Dr. A.L. Montgomery remarried - to Mrs. Annie (Mayfield) Griffin:

Montgomery-Griffin--Tyler, Tex., Dec. 26--Dr. A.L. Montgomery, a leading physician of Tyler, and Mrs. Annie Griffin were married here last night by Rev. J. H. Grambrell.
[Source: Dallas Morning News; Dallas, TX; Sat 27 Dec 1902]

The 1910 census reveals that Dr. A. L. Montgomery's name was Americus L. Montgomery:

19 April 1910, Tyler, Smith Co., TX:

503 East Front
110-110
Montgomery, L. Americus head M W 50 M-2 8 1-1 b. TX fb. SC mb. TX
-----Anne wife F W 39 M-2 8 b. AL fb. VA mb. AL
Reed, Marry Servant F B 60 Wd b. TX fb. US mb. US
Morris, Josie Boarder F W 15 S b. TX fb. TX mb. TX
Wallace, Harry head M W 38 M-1 4 b. OH fb. OH mb. OH
-----Elsa wife F W 21 M-1 4 1-1 b. OH fb. Ger mb. Ger
-----Bruce son F W 2 S b. OH fb. OH mb. OH

1913 Tyler, Texas City Directory:
Montgomery, Americus L, phys 101 1/2 W Ferguson, r503 E Front

An obituary for Dr. A. L. Montgomery was published in the Tyler Daily Courier Times which revealed that Dr. Montgomery and family had moved to Dallas, Texas  prior to his death.  It also confirms that he married after the death of Lena, but it does not reveal the name of his second wife:

“Montgomery, Dr. A.L. Died Aug 20, 1914 at his home in Dallas.  Burial at Tyler. Survival by his widow and one son, James Don Montgomery. Former Tyler resident for over 20 years. Deacon at First Baptist Church since 1894. Prominent doctor. Tyler Daily Courier Times. Aug. 21, 1914,

[Source: Obituaries from Tyler Newspapers Smith County, Texas 1905-1915  by Conaway and Neilson, p. 5.]

Both Dr. A. L. and Lena S. (Kelley) Montgomery were buried in the Oakwood Cemetery in Smith County, Texas. Their tombstones contain the following inscriptions:

A. L. Montgomery

1860 - 1914

A Christian Physician

Lena Salome Montgomery

Wife of  Dr. A. L.

1864 - 1901

Death Certificate:
A. L. Montgomery, married
b. 1860, Henderson, TX
d. 20 Aug 1914, 326 Windomere, Dallas, TX
bur. 21 Aug 1914, Tyler, TX
occupation: dr
father: Jas Montgomery, b. SC
mother: Bateman
informant: Mrs. A.L. Montgomery, 326 Windomere

Dr. A. L. Montgomery's full name was revealed in this entry of the Directory of Deceased American Physicians, 1804 - 1929:
Americus Langston Montgomery
b. 1860
d. 20 Aug 1914 Tyler, TX
medical school: Tulane University School of Medicine, 1887

After the death of Dr. A.L. Montgomery, his son with Lena, James Donley Montgomery continued to maintain a child-parent relationship with his stepmother Ann, who seems to have never had any surviving biological children.

14 Jan 1920, Dallas, Dallas Co., TX:

326 Windamere
212-222
Montgomery, A.L. head F W 49/69 Wd b. AL fb. SC mb. AL
-----J. D. son M W 27 M b. TX fb. TX mb. AL
-----Josephine d-i-l  M W 23 M b. TX fb. VA mb. KY

3 April 1930, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co. CA:

1054 Aston Ave
62-52
Montgomery, J. D. head M W 37 M 26 b. TX fb. TX mb. TX - insurance adjuster
-----Josephine M. H. wife F W 30 M 19 b. TX fb. VA mb. KY
-----Elizabeth A. dau F W 10 S b. TX fb. TX mb. TX
-----Ann R. mother F W 59 Wd 20 b. AL fb. AL mb. AL

4 May  1940, Councilman Dist. 4, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co., CA:

405 S. Catalina
40
Montgomery, Ann R head F W 69 Wd grade: 1, b. AL res: same place
-----Ann grdau F W 20 S b. TX grade: C-1 res. same place

Dr. A.L. Montgomery's widow Ann died in California in 1959. I have not located her place of burial yet.

California Death Index:

Ann R Montgomery

b. 6 Dec 1871, Alabama

d. 17 Jan 1959, Los Angeles

Father's surname: Mayfield

This page last updated on March 11, 2015