Dedication
This Web Site is dedicated with love and affection to my parents,
Harold G. Mount Sr. (1912-1981), and my mother Edna Ulrich Mount,
(1913-2003) they were married 10-26-1935. My father was born in
Hoboken, New Jersey and my mother in Brooklyn New York. As a child I
was raised on the east coast in New York. In 1958 our family moved
from Levittown, New York to Pomona, California.
My father passed away in Pomona California, and mother in
Menafee, California. They are both en-tombed at the Pomona
Mausoleum, in California. My grandmother Elfrieda Kuenstler Mount
and her mother Hedwig Clara Ramey are also there.
Harold G. Mount Sr. and Edna Ulrich
The material and information covers a period of 445 years dating
back to 1560 in a town called Kent , England . Today we know Kent as
London , England . I have over 1 Million Birth, Death and Marriage
records in my data base.
Almost all the Mount families in the United States are direct
decedents George Mount, the Emigrant from England (1625). George
also founded the First Baptist church in Middletown , New Jersey ,
which is now worldwide. He was the reigning elder for over 50 years.
When you read about some of our relatives you find out things like
Colonel Timothy Brinley Mount was General George Washington's aid
and most trusted soldier. Joseph Mount served as a Private, 21st
Regiment, New Jersey volunteers and later elected to Captain of
Company E, 21st Regiment, New Jersey volunteers. During the Civil
war his commanding officer was Colonel Gillian Van Houten, my
mother’s great grandfather. Gillian was captured and died
in
prison of his wounds in Fredericksburg , Virginia . My Great
Grandmother, Elizabeth Howland and Franklyn Delano Roosevelt, 32nd
president of the United States were cousins. George Mount born 1625
in England was one of the early pioneers in New Jersey . He and
Benjamin Borden purchased land from the Indians in Upper Freehold,
Monmouth County New Jersey.
My Grandfather George William Mount was born 1886 in Monmouth
County New Jersey.
In the early days of the American Revolution Samuel Mount's family
in this account, the scalping of the two young sons of Samuel by the
Indians for the reward paid by the British is told. It states that
as the hostilities began, during the Revolution, the settlers, left
the Valley one by one, leaving Samuel Mount and his family alone.
However, with the equivalent of 8 dollars a head for American
scalps, the Indians began to raid the isolated families still left
in the area. Of these sons, Richard and Timothy were left in the
barn with a young Black man, to thrash peas while Samuel, Jr., was
in a far field. Two Indians approached the barn and asked for milk
to drink. Richard and Timothy told them, that they had none. Using
this as an excuse, the two Indians took out their tomahawks scalped
the two young sons of Samuel. The details of the Indian incident
were written into a novel, "Drums along the Mohawk" by Alexander
Edmondson and in the late 1940's.
Samuel's land
was just north of Salisbury, New York. This work describes the
account of the people of that area and in particular that of Samuel
Mount's family in the early days of the American Revolution."
Introduction
In compiling this brief history of the Mount family and the
genealogical records of the Mount family, effort has been made to
obtain complete and accurate data.
All records herein have been collected over a period of
years, and at considerable expense, by personal research by the
compiler, and by experienced genealogical researchers, from the
United States Census reports, war and pension records, national and
state archives, state Historical Societies, marriage and family
records, and a critical analysis of family tradition and the
continuity of family names.
This record begins with origin of the name Mount in France , and the
migration of the members of the family into England in 1066, and the
final entry of the emigrant George Mount into colonial America in
1660, and which time and place these genealogical records begin.
Particular reference is made to the Southern Branch of the
family, residing in the states of Virginia , West Virginia , North
Carolina , Kentucky , Tennessee , and Alabama .
After the Revolutionary War and War of 1812 is when the migration
started to the Midwest , and beyond. It was the practice of the
United States Government to give grants of land to any individual
who went to war to defend the colonies or country as we later grew.
Each soldier was given a script which he could turn in at the land
office. They were awarded 160 acres free and clear for their
services to their country. Their was also an additional 160 acres if
you were married. These land grants were left to the heirs of the
Mount family’s in their Wills for hundreds of years.
After the Civil war and before the turn of the century the migration
continued. You can find a family member in every state in America ,
Canada , Australia , England , Ireland , and even the Caribbean
Islands .
Historical sketch of the Mount Family
1066-to Present times
Origin of the Name
Prior to the conquest of England by William the Conqueror in 1066,
there were no well established surnames, and little consideration
was made to naming babies.
Often nicknames were foisted up upon them, either from some
circumstances connected with their birth, or from some physical or
other characteristic.
William the Conqueror caused to be published a census in what as now
known as the “Doomsday Book” in which many of the Baronies and
staunch Englishmen were given characteristic names, some grotesque
in character.
Four hundreds of years later the Puritans had developed another
custom that of Christian names, and the old names began to fade out.
By deleting certain letters or syllables, they were shortened
into simpler names.
The name Mount of French Norman origin and the spelling varied from
time to time according to the period in which it was used, and
meant. “a mountain, hill or an elevated place,” and when applied to
an individual, meant a person who lived on a hill or an elevated
place, for example, “ John
Mount” meaning John who lived on a hill or a mountain, and
his descendants afterward were called Mounts.
The prefix du or de, to a name denoted some distinguishing
characteristic, or the unusual standing above that of others of the
same name, in the community in which they lived.
In the public records of the early date the name was spelled in
different ways, varying in different areas in which it occurred as
follows:
“Monte, Richard de, a Chronicler, 1110 to 1186,”
“
Mont , William du, Chancellor of Lincoln, 1213,”
“Munt,
Walter, atte, (Walter at the Mount) 1273,”
“Munte,
William, ate, (William at the Mount),”
“Mounte,
from 1348 to 1610,”
“Mount, from 1560 to present,”
In the year 1066 when William the Conqueror invaded England, one or
more of the Mont family joined the invading horde, and remained in
England, finally settling in the vicinity of Canterbury, which was
on the road from France to Dover, England, over the Straits of
Dover, and then to London where many of their descendants still
live. Records of
births, marriages and deaths of members of the early families are
recorded in the cathedral of the Canterbury and its attendant
churches of St. Allaye, St. Peter, St. Dunstans, St Mary Magdalene
and St. George the Martyr; also in the towns near Canterbury, all in
the county of Kent, England. After setting permanently in England ,
the name was anglicized into the name Mount, as it is now
universally used.
The Mount Family Coat of Arms from, Kent, England, as mentioned in
“Burkes Peerage,” is described as follows:
Arms:
Argent, on a mount vert, a lion rampart, azure, Ducally
crowned or, between two Roses Gules, barbed and seeded ppr.
Crest:
Upon a mount vert a fox salient supported by a ragged staff erect,
sable.
Motto:
Pruder et Constanter.
Explanation of colors and Symbols
Argent,
white or silver signifies peace and security.
Vert or Green,
Signifies hope, joy and sometimes loyalty in love.
Gukes or red,
denotes military fortitude and magnanimity.
It is als the “Martyr’s Colour.”
Or, yellow or gold,
denotes generosity
and elevation of the mind.
The Mount,
in heraldry, means the representation of a mound or elevation
covered with grass, occupying the bottom or base of the shield.
The Lion,
has always held high place in heraldry as the emblem of deathless
courage, Guillim
speaking of the lion says
“It is a lively image of a good soldier who must be valent of
courage, strong of body and politic in council and a foe to fear.
It is the emblem of St. Mark”.
The Fox,
in heraldry, denotes one that will use all that he may possess of
sagacity, wit or wisdom in his own defense.
The First Settlement
The First member of the Mount Family to attempt a settlement in
America was Pierre du Mont, a French-man.
The King of France ceded him the control of the fur trade on
the Canadian Coast , on condition that he would settle the country
in be half of France . He attempted a settlement at Port Royal ,
Acadia , Nova Scotia , in 1605.
Among the members of the Du Mont colony was Samuel Champlain,
a great explorer, who three years later, founded Quebec , when
Jamestown was in the second year of its existence.
The history of the little colony attempted by Du Mont is particular
and pathetic. It
occupied the coast country between the fortieth and sixteenth
degrees parallel, which was claimed by the English.
They were compelled to rely entirely upon their own means of
defense for protection against the hostile Indians.
The fur trade developed into a very profitable business, and
the English desiring to obtain the rich rewards of that trade so
harassed the colonists that in desperation they finally abandoned
the settlement to the English, and Du Mont and most of the colonists
returned to France .
The first Permanent Settlement
The first member of the Mount family to make permanent settlement in
America was the Emigrant George Mount from England .
He landed in Boston , Massachusetts about the year 1660.
Protestantism originated in England about the year 1600
A.D. and members of the different religious sects opposed the
prevailing practices and customs of the time.
Charles I was overthrown by Cromwell and the immigration to
America reached its heights after from 1620 to 1660, all seeking
religious freedom.
George Mount, one of the emigrants, was a Baptist, and as such his
presence was looked
upon with disfavor by the Puritans of Massachusetts Bay Colony, and
as a result of that persecution, he went to Rhode Island and joined
the Roger Williams Colony, where he was closely associated with the
Bordens, a Quaker family.
In 1664 the Territory of New York , including New Jersey ,
was seized by William Nichols from the Dutch.
As Governor of New York he desired that all unoccupied land
be taken up by the English, and in 1665 upon his invitation George
Mount joined by Benjamin Borden went to New Jersey where they bought
land from the Indians, and settled in Middletown , Monmouth County .
Excerpts from the public Records
The following excerpts from the records of “Old Town Book of
Middletown” shows that George Mount entered at once actively into
the civil and official life of the new settlement.
(Punctuation and spelling as in the original).
On pages 1 and 2:
“George Mount drew
lots of land recently surveyed, No.10 (town lot) and no. 19 (Out Lot
).”
“
January 4,1668 (Ear mark of cattle) George Mount had his mark left
ear the top cropt offe”.
“April 22,1668 George Mount and Jonathan Hulms were this day by the
pluralities of votes chosen Deputies to act in the General Assembly
to be held at Portland Point”
“
July 20,1669 , William Lawrence: Daniel Estall : George Mount and
Richard Gibbons were chosen deputies for the present year according
to the order: to assist the constable and overseer.”
Religious Affiliation
The Mounts were originally Baptists in religious belief and
affiliation, George Mount was one of the 18 charter members, and
organizers of the First Baptist Church established in the state of
New Jersey , at Middletown , Monmouth County in 1665.
In an old history of the early settlements and churches of
New Jersey now in the State Archives, it is related that Richard
Mount was executed from Heights town Baptist Church charged with non
attendance and keeping bad company, and that he later joined the
Presbyterian Church.
There had been an unbroken line of Baptists in the Mount Family
extending from the days of Roger Williams in Rhode Island , and the
organization of the First Baptist Church at Middletown , New Jersey
, to the present.
Others have affiliated with Methodist, Christian, Episcopal and the
Latter Day Saints (Mormon) churches.
Some of the original Mount Family descendents still reside in
Monmouth, Middlesex, and Mercer Counties , New Jersey .
Some settled at an early date in Virginia , Kentucky ,
Tennessee , Indiana , and there are also prominent members of the
family residing in Arkansas , Missouri , Texas , Louisiana ,
Mississippi and on the Pacific coast, all of whom had their origin
in New
Links Jersey .
Mary Mount born May 11, 1715 died November 24, 1800 , married Joseph
Cox. She was the mother of
Brigadier General James Cox of the Revolutionary Army, and Great
Grandmother of Samuel Sullivan Cox, better known as Sunset Cox, a
distinguished lawyer, several years a member of the Lower House of
Congress, and during the Grover Cleveland Administration was
Minister to Turkey .
Thomas Mount went from Virginia to Mississippi , and he was the
father of the following children: William Sidney Mount, a banker,
who became in succession treasurer and Mayor of the city of New
Orleans . He died in
1882; Charles Edwin Mount a distinguished lawyer of Raymond
Mississippi, who married Mary Roberts, a descendent of Robert King
of Scotland, died in 1881; Thomas Lafayette Mount, married Sophie
Keener, a daughter of Bishop Keener of the Southern Methodist
Church, and Joseph Mount (a Bachelor) who died of yellow fever in
1850.
The above three representative families, show the wide distribution
of members of the family, all descendants of George Mount, the
original Emigrant ancestor.
Many of the English family still live in the vicinity of London and
Salisbury , England .
William Mount of Wassing Place Manor was honored with places of
leadership and trust in his community.
He served as High Sheriff of the county of his residence, and
as chairman of the Newbury Branch of Magistrates, and at one time,
was a member of the House of Commons, British Parliament, fir the
Isle of Wight .
The women of the Mount family deserve special mention.
They have married into many of the leading families, past and
present, under the following names: Applegate, Barkley, Bayles,
Bergen , Britton, Brokaw, Compton , Combs, Craig, Coward, Day, Ely,
Emons, Foreman, Gordon, Hartshorne, Hendrickson, Herbert, Holmes,
Howland, Hutchinson , Job. LaRue, Lawrence, Longstreet, Lee, McKee,
Moore, Newelll, Perrine, Reed, Silver, Smith, Stilwell, Stout
Throckmorton, Tilton, Van Cleave, Voorhees, Wilson and Woodul, and
have thus aided in the wide distribution of members of the family
and their descendants.
The ramification of the family both Male and Female, have been
extended so widely, that no attempt has been made to trace all the
branches. Each direct descendant ancestor has a family group sheet
attached; it shows all family members and should be easy for you to
follow.
No Effort has been made to trace the female members and their
decedents, which include well known families in New England and the
Southern States.
I have Hundreds of Thousands of Mount family records. If you would
like information on your family members I am more than happy to
share them with you. Simply contact me at
by clicking on the Link in the left hand column marked email and I would be happy to send them
to you.
You can also view the first Thirteen Generations of the Emigrant George Mount who most of us are decedents of. Just click here to view the first Thirteen Generations