Edmund Montgomery
Dr. Edmund Montgomery was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1835. While little is known of his ancestry, some have suggested that he was an illegitimate son of a notable Scottish politician. After spending much of his early life in Paris and Frankfurt with his mother, Montgomery began studying medicine at the University of Heidelberg in 1852. There, Montgomery worked in the laboratory of Robert Bunsen, the namesake of the Bunsen burner, and branched out to explore philosophical questions under the guidance of German philosopher Christian Kapp. It was also during this time that Montgomery became acquainted with Elisabet Ney. The two maintained correspondence while the medical student went on to attend the University of Berlin and the University of Wurzburg.
After obtaining a medical degree from the University of Wurzburg, Montgomery began pursuing research. He briefly studied hospital practices in Prague and Vienna and later worked as a resident physician in a London hospital and a curator in the city’s St. Thomas’s Hospital Museum. However, Montgomery put his research on hold after being diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1863. During this time, Montgomery resided on the resort island of Madeira. There, he married Elisabet Ney, opened his own medical practice, and spent time improving his health.
In 1871, just as Montgomery was resuming his research, he and Ney emigrated to the United States. After briefly living in Georgia, the couple relocated to Texas and purchased the historic Liendo Plantation outside of Hempstead. There, Montgomery would produce some of his most significant scientific and philosophical work. Sometimes referred to as the “Hermit Philosopher of Liendo,” Montgomery nevertheless maintained a broad intellectual network throughout the United States and Europe and published articles in a variety of journals including Open Court and New Ideal. Some of his major works included “Philosophical Problems in the Light of Vital Organizations,” and “The Revelation of Present Experience.” Montgomery was also active in the Hempstead community. He helped to found Prairie View State Normal and Industrial College, gave public lectures, and even served as the Waller County Road Commissioner. He was also elected as president of the Texas Academy of Science in 1903. Following Ney’s death in 1907, Montgomery sold her Austin studio and would live at Liendo until his death in 1911. Both Montgomery and Ney are buried at Liendo.