Montgomerie was born in the
parish of
Beith in
Scotland. His father,
Francis Montgomerie, was a member of the
Privy Council under
William III and
Mary II and
Queen Anne, and lord of
Castle Giffen in Beith. When John Montgomerie married, his father gave him the estate at
Hessilhead, which was auctioned off in 1722 to pay off accumulated debts. Montgomerie served in the
3rd Foot Guards, and was elected to Parliament for
Ayrshire between 1710 and 1722. When
George II ascended the throne in 1727 he rewarded Montgomerie for his service with the governorship of
New York and
New Jersey, a position Montgomerie may have sought on account of his financial difficulties. During Montgomerie's term in New York he presided over the issuance of what became known as the Montgomerie Charter for
New York City. This served as the city's governing charter for more than a century, even though it was never formally approved by the crown. The city appropriated a sum of £1,000 at the times which may have served as a bribe to various colonial officials, including Montgomerie. His tenure in office saw the city's export exceed those of
Boston and
Philadelphia, which had until then been the major trade centers in the North American colonies. He also oversaw the final agreement of the borders between New York and the neighboring
Connecticut Colony. Montgomerie served as governor until 1 July 1731, when he died of an
epileptic seizure. He was replaced on an acting basis by
Rip Van Dam in New York and
Lewis Morris in New Jersey, who served until his official replacement,
William Cosby, arrived to assume the office. ==See also==