George Ellis Monroe

Notes:

George was a paper manufacturer and served as Treasurer of the Farley Paper Company, of Farley, Massachusetts. He retired at the early age of about 50 and spent a number of months each year in the south.

In his younger years, he was an avid trout fisherman. At the age of 70, he gook up golf which he thoroughly enjoyed, almost to the time of his death at age 91. He was a great reader.

References:

(1) "History and Genealogy of the Lexington, Mass. Munroes", 2nd ed. by R. S.
Munroe - Florence, Massachusetts (1986) - 11-10/5-10/3-2 - p. 335

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Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Genealogist, Clan Munro Association, USA

George married Minnie Louise Blodgett on 27 Sep 1887 in Orange, Franklin Co., Massachusetts, USA. Minnie was born on 18 Aug 1864 in Petersham, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA; died on 2 Dec 1951 in Auburndale, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Alice Monroe was born on 30 Oct 1892 in Erving, Massachusetts, USA; and died.
2. Harris Goodman Monroe was born on 3 Aug 1895 in Orange, Franklin Co., Massachusetts, USA; and died.
3. Barbara Monroe was born on 20 Aug 1902 in Erving, Massachusetts, USA; and died.

Notes:

George received his preliminary education at Day's Academy at Wrentham, Massachusetts. He was an ardent reader and while at the Academy, which had a small library, he read every book in it. A more thorough education was soon to begin, but not that of formal schooling. When he was sixteen he went to Boston to learn the printer's trade in the office of Samuel N. Dickinson.

Soon his knowledge broadened and he became a proof reader and because of his love for reading and good literature, he was able to distinguish between good and bad writing. As his accomplishments in literature were inherent within the man, he then went to work at the University Press at Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1859. Here he became acquainted with some of the tales of Nathaniel Hawthorne before they reached the public, this was a period in which Mr. Hawthorne was at his greatest and best productivity.

In 1849, at the age of twenty-three he was for a short time an editorial writer for the Lawrence Courier. In 1857 he began writing Boston letters for the Dedham Gazette. In 1859 he bought the Norfolk County Journal, which was published weekly, he was sole publisher, editor, reporter and proof-reader. When Roxbury was annexed to Boston he changed the name of the paper to the Suffolk County Journal. He sold the paper sometime after 1866.

As a journalist, George was noted for his "Templeton" letters to the Hartford Courant, over a period of thirty-five years.

He had two passions outside of the work which gave him his livelihood. He was an omnivorous reader, particularly devoted to fiction, reading almost every new novel as it appeared. Baseball was his strong diversion, being a regular attendant at every professional baseball game in Boston, having his own seat in the grandstand, marked with his name. He knew the capacity and achievements of every prominent player, local or visiting.

He served as Senator to the General Court of Massachusetts, from Suffolk County in 1869. He was a member of the Massachusetts Historical Society, which has the collection of his writings. George was proud of one incident in his life when he lived in Dedham. He acted as a conductor of Abraham Lincoln (who at this time had not attained great National importance) from Boston to Dedham, where Lincoln was to make a speech. His daughter told her nieces, that George was embarrassed because Mr. Lincoln removed his coat and sat in his shirt sleeves on the train trip.

George became a Republican at the early stages when the party was being formed but was not a strict adherent to party lines.

His wife was the daughter of Dr. William and Alice (Brazer) Ingalls of Boston, Massachusetts. Her maternal grandfather, John Brazer, took part in the Battle of Bunker Hill. The Brazer tomb is on the Boston Common, near the Boylston Street subway entrance. He was the second largest tax payer in Boston at the time of his death in 1828.

Alice's birth is recorded as 22 Oct 1829, but the family always celebrated her birthday on 22 Sep.

Ref: "Lexington, Mass. Munroes", 2nd ed. by R. S. Munroe - 11-10/5-10/3

George married Alice Mira Ingalls on 25 Aug 1850 in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, USA. Alice was born on 22 Sep 1828 in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, USA; died on 17 May 1918 in Brookline, Norfolk Co., Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Harris was a private in the War of 1812 in the Company of Captain Samuel Child, Jr.

When Harris moved to Dedham, Massachusetts, James Monroe was President of the United States and as the Lexington Family was otherwise unrepresented in the neighborhood, it was natural for the townspeople to adopt, and for Harris Munroe to change the spelling of his name to conform to that of the President.

Ref: Lexington Munroes, 2nd ed. 11-10/5-10/

Mackenzie says Harris was not married.

Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Genealogist, Clan Munro Association, USA

Harris married Rebecca Ellis on 26 Jul 1821 in Wrentham, , Massachusetts. Rebecca was born on 4 Apr 1803 in Wrentham, Massachusetts; died on 9 Apr 1882 in Dedham, Norfolk Co., Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Nathan was a member of Captain Parker's minute men, and took part in the battle of Lexington in 1775. He lived on Monument Street. His house received several balls, which were taken out subsequently, when the house was repaired. A chest of drawers in Nathan's house was hit by a stray ball which penetrated the front panel of the third drawer down, from the top of the chest. It pierced the panel a bit to the right of the center and tore out a large section of the wood on the inside of the drawer. This chest is still in possession of one of the family (1964), with the bullet hole still remaining.

Following is a deposition made by Nathan on 22 Dec 1824.

I, Nathan Munroe, in the county of Middlesex and state of Massachusetts, do testify and say, that I was enrolled as a soldier in the company commanded by Captain Parker of said Lexington, in the year 1775; and, knowing that several British officers went up the road towards Concord in the evening of the 18th of April of said year, I, with Benjamin Tidd, at the request of my captain, whent to Bedford in the evening, and notified the inhabitants through the town, to the great road at Merriam's Corner, so called, in Concord, and then returned to Lexington. When arrived at the common, the bell was ringing, and the company collecting. I immediately got my arms and went to the parade. Captain Parker gave orders to us to load our guns, but not to fire unless we were fired upon first. About five o'clock in the morning, the British made their appearance at the east end of the meeting-house, near where our men were, and immediately commenced firing on us. I got over the wall into Buckman's land, about six rods from the British, and then turned and fired at them. About the middle of the forenoon, Captain Parker, having collected part of his company, marched them towards Concord, I being with them. We met the regulars in the bounds of Lincoln, about noon, retreating towards Boston. We fired on them, and continued to do so until they met their reinforcement in Lexington.
(signed) Nathan Munroe

Middlesex, ss. Lexington, 22 December 1824. Then the above named Nathan Munroe made oath to the above, and subscribed his name to the same, before me,

(signed) Amos Muzzy, Justice of the Peace

Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Genealogist, Clan Munro Association, USA

Nathan married Elizabeth Harrington on 3 Oct 1769. Elizabeth (daughter of Henry Harrington and Sarah Laughton) was born on 11 Apr 1750 in Lexington, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA; died on 24 Dec 1812 in Lexington, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

References:

(1) "History and Genealogy of the Lexington, Mass. Munroes" by R. S. Munroe,
2nd ed. - Florence, Massachusetts (1986) - 11-10/5 - p. 42

Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Genealogist, Clan Munro Association, USA