Montague - Fred T.
Source: Zach, Karen Bazzani. Montgomery Medicine Men and ..... Crawfordsville: MCHS, 2002.
Born June 18, 1840 in Erie County, Ohio, at an early age, he went with his parents to California. At age 16, he attended Oberlein College. He then settled in Detroit, Michigan, clerking in a store until he enlisted in the 4th Michigan Cavalry as a hospital steward. He was at the Battles of Perrysville and Stone River where he was captured, but paroled. Dr. Montague was a graduate of the American Eclectic College and also attended the surgical school at Indianapolis. He began his practice of medicien in Detroit. His first wife, Marian Humphries died in 1873. They had at least two sons, Star and Charles. In 1876, the family came to Crawfordsville where he soon had such a large practice (office on Green Street) that it was almost more than he could handle. A few years later, his advertisement in the local papers stated, "calls attended promptly day and night. Office over COrner Book Store, two doors north of the IB & W Railroad." Dr. Montague's second wife, Ella preceded him in death May 30, 1883, as well and he married a third time to a Miss Cox from Indianapolis. This wife was th emother of the Doctor's pride and joy, his daughter, Fern (born January 17, 1885). Later that year, the Montagues moved to Des Moines, Iowa where they opened a santorium. Fred quickly became a prominent medicine man in that state for diseases of the lungs. "The Montague Treatment" became well known. One of the most interesting tales regarding this doctor took place while in Crawfordsville, when Dr. Montague and Rankin removed a tape worm 38' in length from a Mrs. Conners of Fountain County. The woman had suffered from the complaint for many years and was elated with the good doctors. Sadly, Dr. Montague contracted consumption (evidently, "the treatment didn't work for him) and he died Sept 22, 1894. One of the heirs listed in his will was Ed Dougherty, his stepson. His remains were brought back here and buried in Oak Hill Cemetery. The body was escorted from the Monon Railroad by 100 Knights of Phythias and a full band. The Montague mausoleum is quite the site. The doctor's body was buried beside his second wife, Ella but was exhumed and moved afterwards to the mausoleum, which was completed a couple of months later. Besides Dr. Montague, there are seven others entombed behind the heavy metal doors. The cost of the mausoleum was $900.
Source: Jan 2, 1892 Crawfordsville Indiana Star
The friends of Dr. Montague will be pleased to learned that his success since in the NW has been almost phenominal. The Dr. writes that he now has a new enterprise known as the National Institue for the Liquor Habit Cure and he has just completed an elegant sanitarium. The letter head shows the names of Dr. C.K. Rankin, physician in charge and Charles E. Montague, assistant pharmacist.