Montgomery County celebrates its 248th birthday Friday. Founded and named just months after the Declaration of Independence was signed, Maryland’s Montgomery County is the second oldest of the 18 U.S. counties that share the name “Montgomery.”
While MoCo was founded four years after New York’s, Maryland’s version is the first to hold the name, with New York’s known as Tryon County from its founding in 1772 until 1784. Maryland is also the oldest among those founded after Independence, with Virginia following soon after in December of the same year.
Among the 18 U.S. counties that share the name, 16 are named after Revolutionary War General Richard Montgomery. Montgomery, who was a slave owner, gained notoriety as a major general in the war, dying in late 1775 while unsuccessfully trying to invade Quebec City. Montgomery was born in Ireland.
Alabama and Texas are the only two counties not named after General Montgomery:
Alabama’s county website states that the county is named after Lemuel P. Montgomery, a casualty in the Creek Indian War. However, it’s county seat (and state capital) Montgomery is named after the general.
Texas’ county website states that it’s named after the town of Montgomery, and a website about the county states that it was named after Andrew J. Montgomery, who first established a trading post there in 1823.
