This outstanding Pentecostal Pioneer was born in Mississippi, near the city of Tupelo, on February 22, 1894. He was the seventh of nine children born to devoted Methodist parents, and was trained in the doc trines of this church.
He first heard of the baptism of the Holy Ghost in 1917, and after a week of fasting and Prayer, he was gloriously filled with the Spirit On Thanksgiving Day of that same year. He was baptized in Jesus’ name in 1919, when the so- called “new issue” was revealed to him.
In 1921, while evangelizing in Georgia, five men came to the house where he was staying, and marched him out to meet five other men with pistols flashing; these men took him down toward a river, saying that they would see to it that he did not preach Pentecostal doctrine in their area anymore. As they came to a log, he, thinking they were going to shoot him, asked that he might pray. His request was granted, but as he prayed, the men became enraged. They beat him with large leather straps, leaving deep wounds, and marks that will go with him to his grave. After ordering him not to preach in their community again, they departed, leaving him to find his way back.
With determination, he managed to struggle back to where he was staying. There he got a coat, and reached the place of worship just in time for the night service. He preached as if nothing had happened, a mighty revival broke out immediately, and a good, solid church stands there today, pastored by a United Pentecostal Church minister.
T. C. Montgomery evangelized for about twelve years before affiliating with any organization. Then he became a member of a certain Oneness group, and was elected General Overseer in 1933. Later, he left this organization, and, together with other ministers of like precious faith formed the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, of which he became a District Overseer. He later held the offices of General Secretary and General Overseer of this organization.
In 1951, he affiliated with the United Pentecostal Church, and served as District Superintendent of Alabama from 1956 to 1959. He then moved to Georgia and was elected the first District Superintendent of the newly-formed Georgia-South Carolina District, serving from1960 until 1965.
With the help of his wife, he established seven churches that are today operating as United Pentecostal Churches, as well as several churches that are affiliated with other Oneness groups.
Perhaps he is best known for his work in establishing Tupelo Children’s Mansion. Late in 1950 he was impressed with the need for a Pentecostal orphanage, where children would not only be cared but be taught true Pentecostal doctrine. On April 24, 1951, he resigned his church to work full time in raising funds for the Mansion. During that year he traveled extensively in Georgia, Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana. On these various trips, he slept in his car twenty-eight times to conserve money. At times he cooked on a camp stove, and shaved by some stream. By early 1952, he had raised $37,000 in cash and pledges. The Mansion was built, and was officially endorsed by the United Pentecostal Church in its 1952 General Conference. Since that time, five other buildings have been added.
T. C. Montgomery moved to Decatur, Georgia. Upon retirement was able to look back over a long and useful life in the service of God, and look ahead to a glorious reward.