Civil War buff Montgomery dies

Wednesday, April 13, 2005 | 9 a.m.

Bruce Montgomery, grandson of a Civil War veteran who through his work with the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War encouraged greater interest in that key period of U.S. history, died April 5 in Las Vegas from complications of old age and a heart attack he had suffered in February. He was 91.

"Dad was the historian of the family -- keeping track of our roots and tracing things back as far as he could," said daughter Kathy Montgomery of Las Vegas. "Much of his collection of Civil War memorabilia was related to his own family and his appreciation of where we all came from. He chronicled it for us so that we can carry on that history."

Montgomery collected photos from the Civil War and had a vast collection of books that he said rivaled what many libraries have to offer on that subject.

Among his artifacts was an age-beaten photo of his grandfather, James Skees, who fought with the 7th Illinois Infantry under Gen. William Sherman at battles that included Shilo, Tenn.; Corinth, Miss.; and Bentonville, N.C.

"I have always had a great interest in the Civil War because I have family who fought on both sides," Montgomery said in a May 2003 interview with the Sun. "My grandfather's two older brothers fought for the Confederacy."

Born June 1, 1913, in Monmouth, Ill, two years after Skees died, Montgomery was raised on a farm in Fonda, Iowa. His family pulled him out of school as a teenager to work the farm. On his own, he learned carpentry and plumbing and worked for a while as an electrician and as a gunsmith.

As a civilian during World War II, Montgomery helped build aircraft carriers in Vancouver, Wash., where he met and married Cora Lucille Stonebraker. She preceded him in death after 30 years of marriage. Montgomery never remarried.

He came to Las Vegas in 1959 and, as a carpenter, worked throughout the 1960s on construction of schools from Searchlight to Las Vegas to Indian Springs.

Just before his 90th birthday, Montgomery became the 18th member of the Sons of Union Veterans William B. Keith Camp 12 during the Decoration Day ceremony at the Monument of the Las Vegas Civil War Veterans at Woodlawn Cemetery.

Montgomery was the only member of the local chapter to be a grandson of a Civil War veteran. Most current members are great- or great-great grandsons.

There will be no services for the Las Vegas resident of 46 years.

In addition to his daughter, Montgomery is survived by three sons, Mike Montgomery of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Brian Montgomery of Seattle, Wash., and David Montgomery of Las Vegas; another daughter, Joan Ness of Minneapolis; a brother, John Montgomery of Mount Pleasant, Texas; 12 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; and five great-great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a son, Carl Montgomery.

Montgomery's family said contributions in Bruce Montgomery's memory can be made to Father Flanagan's Girls and Boys Town.