Montgomery in Kane County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Settler's Cottage
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, April 26, 2025
1. Settler's Cottage Marker
Owned by Daniel S. Gray, Montgomery's founder, until 1854
Restored 2010
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1840.
Location. 41° 43.758′ N, 88° 20.488′ W. Marker is in Montgomery, Illinois, in Kane County. It is on River Street east of Webster Street, on the left. The marker is in front of the northeast-facing side of the cottage, which sits in front of Montgomery Village Hall. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 200 North River Street, Montgomery IL 60538, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Chicago. It is also in the American Midwest. Globally, it is in North America, on the Great Lakes, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: V.F.W. Montgomery Memorial Post 7452
this page online
Regarding Settler's Cottage. Montgomery was originally known as Graystown, but changed at Daniel Gray's request to Montgomery, in honor of Montgomery County, New York, where Gray and several other area settlers had moved from. (Montgomery County, NY, is named after Revolutionary War hero Richard Montgomery, a general who died in the 1775 Battle of Quebec.) In 1853, Daniel Gray built a mill along the Fox River; that building still stands today about a half-block northeast of this cottage. Gray died in 1855 at around 60 years old; he is buried at Riverside Cemetery, which was originally
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, April 26, 2025
2. Settler's Cottage Marker
The cottage was preserved as part of a project in the early 2000s to build a new Montgomery Village Hall, which required the demolition of several historic buildings. The Settler's cottage was saved and placed prominently near the Village Hall's front entrance.
Also see . . .
1. History of Montgomery.
Excerpt: "In the fall of 1835, Daniel S. Gray, from Montgomery County, NY, visited where his brother Nicholas Gray had located the previous spring on a farm now within the limits of Kendall County. Pleased with the new country, he made immediate preparations to settle there, and in the fall of 1836, having removed his family from NY, he built the first frame house in the Village. It was located in the south part of what is now Montgomery, near the west bank of the river, and Montgomery was that of Ralph Gray in 1843. The earliest death was that of DeWitt, son of Daniel Gray, in the fall of 1844.(Submitted on April 28, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)
2. Find a Grave: Daniel S. Gray. (Submitted on April 28, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, April 26, 2025
3. Settler's Cottage
The view on the opposite side of the cottage from the historical marker shows the Montgomery Village Hall in the background.
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, April 26, 2025
4. Settler's Cottage Marker
The sign notes the 2011 Governor's Award presented to the village for the project that saved and restored the Settler's Cottage. The link below features a presentation about the building's restoration and award.
Click for more information.
Click for more information.
Credits. This page was last revised on April 28, 2025. It was originally submitted on April 28, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 128 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on April 28, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.
