William Henry Munroe

Notes:

William grew up in the North End and attended the Eliot School there. Later he went to Andover Academy and Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut and completed his study for the ministry at the Alexandria, Virginia Theological Seminary.

He was ordained in 1856 by Bishop Eastburn and his first church was Trinity in Melrose, Massachusetts, where he stayed for six years. The next four years he spent at St. Stephen's Church in Beverly, New Hampshire. He then went to Immanuel church in The Kensington District of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for eight and a half years, where his work was among the poor.

Following this service, he spent three years at St. Matthias Church in Philadelphia. He then received a call from St. John's Church in East Boston and was there until 1 Dec 1881 when he became rector of Christ Church (the Old North Church). There he remained for the rest of his life.

He was an active Mason and was Captain of the grand Lodge at the time of his death. The Boston Directory of 1880 is the earliest to include him and lists him as "Rev.," living at 171 Brooks Street, East Boston. He later lived on White and Meridian Streets before moving to Chelsea in 1885 where his house was at 132 Bellingham Street. He died there in 1892.

His obituary in the Boston Transcript of 15 Sep 1892 says that he left "a widow and two adult children." They probably were Ernest V. Munroe, listed in Chelsea Directories as a lawyer, and William W. Munroe, shown in 1888 Chelsea Directory as having moved to Bennington, Vermont.

References:

(1) "History and Genealogy of the Lexington, Mass. Munroes" by R. S. Munroe,
2nd ed. - Florence, Massachusetts (1986) - 13-84A-11-2 - p. 360-361

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

Family/Spouse: Unknown. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Ernest V. Munroe was born est 1852 in Of, Chelsea, Massachusetts, USA; and died.
2. William W. Munroe was born est 1854; died in in Of, Bennington, Vermont, USA.

Notes:

William married the daughter of Francis and Mary Brown.

The "Boston Directory" of 1822 lists William Munroe as a grocer at 48 Fish Street, with a house on Lynn. From 1823 to 1827 he lived on Fleet Street and from 1828 to 1848 on Tileston. The 1830 "Directory" carries the joint listing of Abel and William Munroe, provisions, at 214 Hanover Street. In 1848 William became a constable and continued as such for the rest of his life. He was a junior warden at the Old North Church and had most of his children baptized there.

His will was made on 23 Mar 1871 and proved on 20 May 1872. In his will, a granddaughter named Eliza C. W. Lawson is mentioned. It is not known which of William's children was her parent.

He died at 118 Eutaw Street in East Boston.

References:

(1) Clan Munro library - "History and Genealogy of the Lexington, Massachusetts
Munroes", 2nd edition, by R. S. Munroe, (1986) -
13-84A-11

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

William married Eliza Brown on 3 Oct 1820 in Old North Church, Boston, Massachusetts. Eliza was born about 1801 in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, USA; died in 22 Jun in East Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Abel lived in Surry, New Hampshire as early as 1795. He is thought to have lived first in house No. 22 which stood on land bought in 1790 by his uncle, Dr. Philip Munroe. That house was torn down before 1799 and the timbers used to build the second story of house No. 23, which Dr. Munroe opened that year as a tavern.

Abel's wife, Bethany Barron was of Scottish descent and came to New England from Northern Ireland.

In 1799, Abel was carrying on the farm for Widow Brockway after the death of her husband, John. On 18 Jan 1800, Abel took out a license to keep tavern at Widow Brockway's and he continued there until 21 Jun 1805 when the place burned down. In 1803, Abel paid a salary tax of 50 cents. In the census taken during the summer of 1806, he appears as 31 years old, with wife Bethany aged 33, and five children: William aged 9, James 7, Abel 5, John 3, and Rebecca 1.

On 12 Oct 1808, his name is 34th on a list of 51 soldiers who "did military duty with the 4th Co., 20th Regt., the 11th of this instant." On 9 Dec 1811, he took out a license at the Col. Bond house.

Sometime between 1811 and 1818, Abel appears to have moved with his family to Boston, Massachusetts and is found in the Boston Directory of 1818 living on a small street in the North End called Henchman Lane and working as a laborer. Subsequent directories show him living on Lynn Street (1823), Battery Street (1830-1832), Tileston Street (1835). He is no longer listed after 1835.

The death record of his son, Abel, says Abel Sr. was born in Shrewsbury, New Hampshire and that Bethenia was born in Derry, New Hampshire. This information is thought to be in error.

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In the Richard S. Munroe's History and "Genealogy of the Lexington, Massachusetts Munroes" this Abel is listed as the son of Philip and Rebecca rather than the grands. Estelle Wait in an article in NEHGR Vol126 p.240 corrects this "Among the Munroe births recorded at Rutland Mass, is the following 'Abel, grands. Philip & ---- Oct. 30, 1785 bap. C.R.' Surely this was Abel, son of Abel and Rebecca Sadler Munroe, baptized at the age of ten. With his mother dead and his father remarried, he had gone perhaps to Rutland to live with his Munroe Grandparents. Ms Wait also believes Abel Sr. is the first child of the Philip Munroe's marriage to his second wife Abigail, whose baptism appears in the Lexington birth records on 7 Oct. 1750, no parents names being given.

In a paragraph in Mrs. Wait's article Richard S. Munroe that his 1966 genealogy was incorrect and applauded Estelle Waits work.

Abel Jr. then married Bethany Barron at Keene, N.H. 22 SEpt. 1796 He appeared in Surry as early as 1795 and is thought to have lived first in house No.22, which stood on land bought in 1790 by his uncle, Dr. Philip Munroe. It was torn down before 1799 so its timbers could be used for the second story house No.23, which Dr. Munroe opened that year as a tavern.

In 1799 we find Abel Munroe carrying on the farm for Widow Browckway following the death of her husband John. On 18 Jan. 1800 Abel took out a license to keep tavern at Widow Brockway's, and he continue there until 21 June 1805, when the place burned. In 1803 he paid a salary tax of fifty cents. In the census taken during the summer of 1806 he appears as 31 years old, with wife Bethany, aged 33, and five children: William 9, James 7; Abel, 5; John, 3 and Rebecca.

1. On 12 Oct. 1808 his name is 34th on a list of 51 soldiers who "did military duty with the 4th Co., 20th Regt., the 11th of this instant."
On 9 Dec 1811 he took out a license at the Colonel Bond House, and that is the last glimpse of him at Surry.

Sometime between 1811 and 1818, Abel appears to have removed with his family to Boston, for the Boston Directory of 1818 shows an Abel Munroe, laborer, living on Henchman Lane, a small street in the North End. Abel of Surry and Abel of Boston are undoubtedbly the same man because subsequent directories show Abel, laborer, at the same addresses as men bearing names of sons of Abel of Surry. In 1823, Abel lived on Lynn Street, and William Munroe was on Lynn Street in 1822. From 1830 to 1832 Abel was on Bettery Street, where Jotham Munroe was located in 1830. In 1835 Abel was on Teleston Street: William and Abel Jr were on Tileston in 1831 and later James, John and Jotham Munroe all resided there. After 1835, Abel, the laborer is no longer listed.

Wait, Estelle The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, 1847-1994 101 Newbury Street, Boston MA 02116, Volume 126p. 240

(Email from Suzanne Spencer - 16 Sep 2009)
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Ref: Lexington Munroes, 2nd ed. 13-84A-1, 13-84A-12

References:

(1) Clan Munro files - Roeser, Douglas Lee - Direct Descendants of Abel Monroe
- undated

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

Abel married Mary Bethania Barron on 22 Sep 1796 in Keene, Cheshire Co., New Hampshire, USA. Mary was born on 12 Dec 1772 in Surry, Cheshire Co., New Hampshire, USA; died on 19 Oct 1844 in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

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

Notes:

Abel was probably a veteran of the American Revolutionary War.

Ref: Clan Munro files - Yard, Prof. F. L. Dixon

References:

(2) Clan Munro files - Roeser, Douglas Lee - Direct Descendants of Abel Monroe
- undated

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The following is from "Descendants of John Munro" received from W. M. Roeser - 14 May 2012

«i»Abel was probably a Revolutionary War veteran, and probably lived in Canaan, Columbia County, New York in 1790; and in Stephen, Rensselaer County, New York in 1800. He died in the city of Hudson, Columbia County, New York in 1824. This information was put together for Sarah Elizabeth Monroe (Aunt Lizzie) Altenburg by Myron Hawley Monroe's cousin, Theodore Monroe of Conowingo, Maryland.

Abel Monroe is most probably the Abel who appears on page 63 of "The Monroe Book" by Joan P. Guilford, Ph.D. detaling the history of the Munro Clan. Abel would have been the Great-Grand son of William Munro who was sent to this country in 1652 by Lord Cromwell after the battle at Worcester, England«/i».
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The following is a transcription of RW "Billy" Munro's genealogy notes:

«i»Baptised ? Lexington, MA 7 October, 1750«b». «/b»

Estelle M.Waite in New England History & Genealogical Register Oct., 1972 Pages 240-246, especially page 241. Richard S. Munroe 19, and his notes on above page 246
«/i»**********
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The following is from the Spencer reference:

«i»He is probably the Abel at Canaan, Columbia Co., NY in 1790 where his brother Lemuel resided at the time. After compiling this family, we found that Estelle Wait, compiler of the descendents of John Munroe of Bristol had previous done so (NEHGR, 126:240-246) and that Richard Munroe, compiler of the original genealogy of William, had written a note thanking her for the addition of this line. The title of Wait's article is "The Finding of Abel Munroe."

NEHGR The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Boston MA: New England Historical and Genealogical society, Vol. I 1847 to present.

Munroe, Richard S. History and Genealogy of the Lexington, Massachusets munroes, Florence MA: Munrow 1966; Sec. Ed. 1987 Ann Monroe Organ

Estelle Wait of Newton Centre, Mass wrote for NEHGR Vol. 126 p. 241 clearing up the mystery of several Abels. This Abel was probably the eldest child of Philip Munroe and his second wife Abigail whose baptism appears in the Lexington birth records on 7 Oct. 1750, no parent's names being given. After the birth of his daughter Rebecca (now his second marriage to Beulah Potter) Abel Sr. seems to have vanished from the Upton-Sutton area...
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«/i»The following is from an email from Craig Richardson - 5 May 2009:
«i»
The Lexington vital record book has a record of the baptism of Abel Munroe on 7 Oct 1750. I am not certain about Abel's death, but I did find a death notice that might well be him.

HeritageQuest has a book containing transcribed death notices from the Northern Whig, which was published in Hudson, Columbia County, NY. It includes a death notice for Abel Monroe dated 10 Aug 1824. The book was typewritten and the text is very fuzzy and hard to read, but here is my attempt at a transcription:

MONROE on the 6th Mr. Abel Monroe, a 76 yrs. (Printers & [??? news for] the western part of N.Y. State are requested to print death.

According to my notes, the transcribed date of death looked like it had been corrected, and might have been August 5th. The age given in the death notice would correspond to a birth in late 1747 or the first part of 1748, which is about right. Since our Abel Munroe had relatives in the western part of NY (for example, brother Lemuel), I think the inclusion of that request is a promising sign, but obviously there is no solid proof that this is the right Abel Monroe.

There is no listing for an Abel Monroe in the NEHGS NY Will Abstracts database, so this Abel Monroe probably died intestate. However, it's possible that land records would help to identify his wife and children.

I've found a public family tree called the Clan Munro Genealogy Database 2009 that has our Abel's death occurring in 1824 in Hudson NY (which matches the newspaper death notice). It also includes a number of additional children. However, I'm not sure whether to trust this, because I *know* the database includes some serious errors. For example, it has the wrong husband and children for my own ancestor Mary Monroe (daughter of Freedom Monroe). I've written to the database owner to see if this error can be corrected, but no response after two weeks. If I hear from them, I'll certainly ask about the source of their information on Abel Munroe.«/i»
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Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Genealogist, Clan Munro Association, USA

Birth:
Birth place unverified

Abel married Rebecca Sadler on 23 Nov 1773 in Upton, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA. Rebecca (daughter of Stephen Sadler and Elizabeth Taintor) was born on 8 Mar 1757 in Upton, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA; died on 3 Nov 1775 in Upton, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

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

Birth:
Birth place unverified