Richard Montgomery - Settling in New York

Settling in New York

He bought a farm at King's Bridge, 13 miles north of New York City. While adjusting to his surroundings, Montgomery renewed his acquaintance with Janet Livingston, who later recounted that "politeness led him to make me a visit". After receiving permission from her father, he and Janet were married on July 24, 1773.

After their marriage, Montgomery leased his farm to a tenant and moved to his wife's residence, “Grassmere,” a small house in Rhinebeck, New York. Montgomery bought some surrounding land and set to work fencing, ploughing fields, building a grain mill, and laying the foundation for a larger home. He said that he was "Never so happy in all my life", but followed that up by saying "This cannot last; it cannot last." Three months after their marriage, Janet told him of a dream she had in which Montgomery was killed in a duel by his brother. Montgomery replied by saying "I have always told you that my happiness is not lasting...Let us enjoy it as long as we may and leave the rest to God."

Because Montgomery was now tied to the Livingston family, who supported the Patriot cause, he began to turn against the British government, seeing himself as an American instead of an Englishman. He came to believe that the British government was being oppressive and was acting like a tyrannical parent-state.

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