Paul Nissen Montague Sr. was born on this day in 1890, in Forsyth County, to Colonel H. and Estella Nissen Montague.
He was educated at Salem Boys School, and he attended the University of North Carolina. He studied aerodynamics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He attended the University of North Carolina Law School and was a licensed lawyer.
Paul was one of the organizers of the Ford automobile agency in Winston-Salem in 1912, and remained with the company until 1918.
During World War I, Paul served as a sergeant in the aviation section of the Signal Officers Reserve Corps and later as lieutenant in the 95th Squadron, First Pursuit Group, American Expeditionary Forces. His airplane was shot down behind German lines and he was taken prisoner and held for six months before he was turned over to the Red Cross and returned to the United States.
Paul was a director and a trust officer of Farmers National Bank. He organized and was president of First Industrial Bank.
He worked in the furniture industry, and joined Wachovia Bank & Trust Company.
Paul also served in World War II as a colonel and commanded air bases in Labrador, Bermuda, and Scotland.
Paul was a member of First Baptist Church and the Twin City Club.
He was married to Nita Davis, and he passed away in 1959.
The photo above is an ad for the Ford Agency in 1916.
Photo courtesy of Forsyth County Public Library Photograph Collection.
