"The History of Blount County, Tennessee 1795 - 1955" by Burns, in the section on County Government, describes how dozens of settlers who had moved onto disputed Cherokee Indian lands were forcibly removed in the fall of 1797 by government troops. This was done in order to avoid a war with the Indians. Not all settlers are named, but David Montgomery is listed as being one of them. He and another man named Dairmond had settled near the mouth of Baker's Creek on the banks of the Tennessee River. After appeals and re-surveying property lines, some of the settlers were allowed to return to the land. We do not know if David was one of those allowed to go back.
David was married in 1799, then stayed in the area for the next year or so. He is listed on the tax records in Blount County in 1800 as having 100 acres of land, serving in the county militia in Capt. Cowan's Company along with Thomas Montgomery and a James Montgomery. He is also listed in 1801 as having 75 acres of land and serving in the same Capt. Cowan's Company along with George Montgomery (brother?) who also had 75 acres, James Montgomery who had 75 acres, and John Montgomery (brother?) who had 200 acres.