in the precedent-setting court case at the United States Supreme Court: Cunningham v. Neagle, U.S. 1 (1890). The case involved the shooting of David S. Terry by Justice Stephen Johnson Field's body guard, U.S. Marshal David Neagle . David S. Terry was involved in a dispute with William Sharon that Justice Field adjudicated. Political career While in California, Montgomery served the public in numerous capacities as an elected official. He was a Representative of the California State Legislature 15th District (12th session; 1860–1861) and served on the Judiciary and Indian Affairs Committees. Montgomery was a delegate to the State Democratic Convention (John C. Breckinridge Party on Democratic ticket; 1860) and was nominated for Speaker of the House (California State Assembly) but lost this election. Notably, he authored California State Assembly Bill AB 348, The Montgomery Bill – an education reform bill to amend the California School Law Act of May 3, 1855. On February 11, 1861, Montgomery delivered the State of The State speech to the California State Assembly. He was petitioned by colleagues to become a United States senator (1867) but declined due to political ideological differences with the Lincoln Administration. In the summer of 1884 Montgomery mounted an unsuccessful bid for the office of District Attorney of San Diego County. Marriages On July 4, 1854 Montgomery married Helen Francis Graham (December 20, 1835 – July 18, 1856) who died some months after giving birth to their son Thomas (1855 – 1861). On April 28, 1857 he married Eleanor Bridget Evoy (1828–1923). They had six children including famed aviation pioneer John Joseph Montgomery (1858–1911), Zachariah Montgomery Jr. (1858–1861), Mary 1859–1948, twins Ellen (1861–1864) and Margaret (1861–1931), Richard (1863–1932), James (1865–1956) and Jane (1869–1955). Notable activities as a publisher When the news of President Abraham Lincoln's death reached San Francisco, April 15, 1865, the offices and printing press for the Occidental were destroyed by an angry mob that targeted newspapers sympathetic to the southern cause. Benefactor Montgomery was benefactor of Reverend Lawrence Serda, the founding pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Oakland. Father Serda said Mass from January 16, to December 10, 1876 in the parlor of the Montgomery home at the northwest corner of Telegraph Avenue and 41st Street. The Montgomery sons were altar boys. Montgomery and J.H. McCourtney donated the land at 40th and Grove Streets where Sacred Heart Church was built in 1876. Tributes Montgomery Creek, Shasta