The town was originally organized under the name of Hanover Precinct in 1772. The present territory of Crawford was then included, the whole having been taken from the old Wallkill Precinct. In 1782 the name was changed to Montgomery Precinct, and seven years later it was finally changed to the town of Montgomery. This title was bestowed in honor of General Montgomery, who was killed in the assault upon Quebec in 1775. Major Colden was the supervisor of the old Wallkill precinct in 1768-69. The record of the first town meeting, now on file in the town clerk's office, is of April 5, 1803. Reuben Neely was then chosen supervisor, and Arthur Parks, town clerk. There were fifty-five overseers of highways in the town that year. But the laborers were few, the system of road-working was sadly defective, as in fact it remained for nearly a hundred years afterwards, and the results were primitive and unsatisfactory, although, of course, far less was required of a public road in those days than is now demanded, and the people accepted the situation without complaint, so far as the record shows. The following is a list of supervisors of the town to 1908: David Galatian, 1798; John Blake, 1799; Reuben Neely, 1800 to 1810; John Blake, Jr., to 1826; Samuel W. Eager, to 1833; Nathaniel P. Hill, 1834; Edward Blake, to 1839; James Galatian, to 1841; William Blake, to 1844; William Graham, to 1846; Stephen Rapalje, 1847; Joshua G. Hallock, to 1849; Lindley M. Ferris, 1850; Johannes M. Hunter, to 1852; Stephen Rapalje, to 1863; Marcus K. Hill, 1864; Stephen Rapalje, to 1873; Daniel M. Wade, to 1875; Marcus K. Hill, to 1877; Charles J. Van Alst, to 1879; Robert Young, to 1886; Andrew K. Wade, to 1889; Robert Young, 1890; Irving H. Loughran, to 1900; William H. Didsburg, to 1905; Hector W. Millspaugh, to 1907; William G. Decker, 1908. VILLAGES. The old village of Montgomery is on the bank of the Wallkill in the southern part of the town. It was here that Henry Crist, Stephen Crist and Matthias Millspaugh settled at an early date, on the west bank of the river. Johannes Mingus built a grist-mill there, which was afterwards sold to James Ward with 200 acres of land, upon which the village was built. Mr. Ward built a rude bridge across the Wallkill in order that his customers might reach his mill. This was really the first road bridge of any kind known in that vicinity for years afterward. In fact, the place took its name from this important structure, as well as the post-office itself, it being known as Ward's Bridge for many years. James Clinton and William Crist, having obtained an interest in the Kennedy patent, upon which the village stands, laid out "a small town called Montgomery town," which gave the village that name. Among other early settlers there were John McFaugh, David Crist, John McKinstry, Matthew Hunter, Samuel Smith, Arthur Parks and Oolis Shulp. James Ward, the pioneer, lived in a log cabin.