James Hill Monroe

Notes:

Ref: Clan Munro files - Williams, Herbert

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

Notes:

In the winter of 1860, Frank was a Congressional page. He kept an autograph book in which appear the signatures of over 100 senators and members of the House of that time, never dreaming that he would one day serve as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Louisiana.

In the summer of 1861, Frank joined the Confederate Army before he was 18 years old. He was assigned to the 4th Kentucky Infantry, but his mother, knowing his preference for calvary service, applied for his discharge, then provided him with a horse, bridle, and saddle. As the 1st Louisiana Cavalry was passing through Decatur, Alabama, he joined Company C of that regiment. He soon proved to the Louisiana boys that Kentucky valor was fully equal to theirs. He was conspicuous for gallantry in every fight.

Frank was seriously wounded in a battle at Somerset, Kentucky and was left behind by the retreating Company C. He was taken prisoner and for three months remained in a log cabin on the battlefield. He was then removed to Lexington, Kentucky and later to Baltimore where he was exchanged.

Having fought with Louisiana, Frank concluded that he might be agreeable to living with them, and he moved to New Orleans where he prepared himself for admittance to the New Orleans Bar. He became a well-known lawyer, a member of the Pickwick Club, a Judge, and Associate Justice, and finally Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the state of Louisiana.

The following is from "Who's Who in America 1922":

Monroe, Frank Adair, judge; b. Annapolis, Md., Aug. 30, 1844; s. Victor and Mary Townsend (Polk) M.; educated private schools and, 1860-1 Kentucky Military Institute; left latter at beginning of sophomore yr.; and entered C. S. A.; served 4 yrs. in Co. E, 4th Ky. Inf., and Co. C, 1st La. Cav.; wounded and captured nr. Somerset, Ky., Mar., 1863; exchanged, Oct., 1863; paroled at Abbeville, S. C., 1865; m. Alice, d. Jules A. Blanc, of New Orleans, Jan. 3, 1878. Admitted to bar, 1867; practiced in New Orleans; elected judge 3d Dist. Ct. Parish of Orleans, Nov., 1872; dispossessed of office after a month's service; took part with White League in action of Sept. 14. 1874, which overturned "Packard" govt.; re-elected judge, Nov., 1876; apptd. judge Civil Dist. Ct., Parish of Orleans, 1880; reapptd. 1884 and 1892; took active part in anti-lottery campaign, 1892; mem. La. Constl. Conv., 1898; apptd. asso. Justice Supreme Ct. of La., Mar. 1899; elected without opposition, for terms 1908-20, 1920-32; became Chief Justice, Apr. 6, 1914; retired, October 1921, after 40 years service on the bench. Was member law faculty, Tulane U. of La., 20 yrs. Was pres. Assn. Army of Tenn. (Camp No. 2, U. C. V.); many yrs. mem. bd. of governors (Confed.) Memorial Hall at New Orleans. Democrat. Mem. Am. Bar Assn. (v-p for La.). Home: 1331 Philip St., New Orleans, La.

The following is from "Proceedings before the Supreme Court of Louisiana January 2, 1922, upon the Occasion of the Retirement of Chief Justice Frank A. Monroe."

There were present Their Honors Frank A. Monroe, Chief Justice, and Oliver O. Provosty, Chas. A. O'Niell, Ben D. Dawkins, Winston Overton, John R. Land and Joshua G. Baker, Associates Justices.

By Mr. William O. Hart, Chairman of the Committee of the Bar

May It Please Your Honors:

I have been delegated by members of the Bar of Louisiana to say a few words on the occasion of the retirement from the Bench of the Chief Justice, and I shall address my remarks as I proceed, particularly to him.

Though on January 9th, 1917, we celebrated the fortieth anniversary of your judicial career, we have since then granted a rehearing and now believe that you should be considered as a member of the Bench of Louisiana beginning November 22, 1872, when you ascended the Bench of the then Third District Court for the Parish of Orleans, to which you had been elected by a vote of the people on November 4th, 1872, and therefore, you are now in the fiftieth year of your judicial career, retiring from the Bench, so to speak, at the time of your "Golden Jubilee."

We believe that whether we take the dates '72 or '77, you have the longest record of judicial service in the United States, and it is with pain and sorrow that we see you leave the Bench.

Your judicial career is most interesting and I might recapitulate it as follows: Elected Judge of the Third District Court for the Parish of Orleans, November 4, 1872; ascended the Bench november 22, 1872; forcibly removed by order of P. B. S. Pinchback (who by the way died on December 21st, 1921), claiming to act as Governor, December 17, 1876; again ascended that Bench January 9, 1877, and served until the Court was abolished by the Constitution of 1879, July 31, 1880.

Appointed Judge of the Civil District Court by Governor Wiltz for four years and became a member of that Court on its organization, August 2, 1880, serving until March 23, 1899; re-appointed by Governor McErnery in 1884 for eight years; re-appointed by Governor Foster in 1892 for eight years; became Presiding Judge of the Civil District Court, August 2, 1888, serving until you became Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.

Appointed Associate Justice of the Supreme Court by Governor Foster and became a member of the Court March 23, 1899.

Elected Associate Justice in 1906 for the twelve-year term beginning April 5, 1908; became Chief Justice under the provisions of the Constitution of 1913, March 31, 1914.

Re-elected Chief Justice in 1918 for the twelve-year term beginning April 5, 1920.

You hold commissions from the first four Governors of Louisiana after Reconstruction times: Nicholls, Wiltz, McEnery and Foster. You were the first Justice of the Supreme Court elected for nearly fifty years, and you were the only Chief Justice ever re-elected.

That you have well and faithfully performed the duties encumbent upon you is known to all men and when we reflect that never, since 1876, have you had an opponent when you were appointed or elected, and that in your last two you had no opponent even in the primaries, it will be conceded that the people were satisfied with you.

Your judicial career by no means embraces all your life's activities. For four years you served in the tented fields as a private in the Confederate Army; you were an honored member of the Bar before you became Judge, and it is some satisfaction that though we lost you as a Judge, to welcome your return as a brother, or should I not say as to some of us, a father, in the law.

The people of this State can never forget your work in the Anti-Lottery Campaign and the number of lawyers who were taught by you in Tulane University Law School is almost legion.

Therefore, I may say, as soldier, lawyer, citizen, teacher and Judge, you have left your mark on the history of this State, and when all of us who are here today are gone and forgotten, your record will be a beacon light to those who may come after.

Words ar best are trite! Actions speak louder that words! What we do, rather than what we say, shows the measure of our responsibility and how we have met it. Your words, in the reports of the State covering a period of nearly twenty-three years, represent in permanent form your actions in passing upon the lives, liberty and property of the people in this State.

Excluding your first election, your term of office as District Judge and your term of office as Supreme Court Justice are almost of the same length, a little over twenty-two years to each. Of the twenty-two years, you have spent on the Supreme Court, half was spent in the Old court room in the Cabildo and half in this new and imposing court room (Chartres and Conti Streets).

You leave the Court full of years and full of honors, voluntarily, because the seventy-five year provision in the constitution could not apply to you before 1932, and when you leave the Court, I am sure that every member of the Court feels that he has lost a guide, philosopher and friend.

Your memory will ever be enshrined in our hearts, and I wish every one here could express his feelings on this occasiion, but we have all joined together in asking you to accept from us this golden loving cup, and I will ask Mr. J. Z. Spearing, the President of the Louisiana Bar Association, to read the inscriptions thereon, when I will then give the Loving Cup to Mrs. Monroe, your helpmate throughout your judicial career, so that for us, she may hand it to you, and retain the flowers therein for herself.

Ref: Clan Munro files - Chambers, John
Connery, Marcia Monroe
Kendall, Moyna Monroe
Marsh, Kate Adair

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

Francis married Alice Blanc on 3 Jan 1878 in New Orleans, Orleans Par., Louisiana, USA. Alice (daughter of Jules Arnaud Blanc and Maria Inskeep Palfrey) was born on 24 Aug 1857 in New Orleans, Orleans Par., Louisiana, USA; died on 28 Jun 1935 in New Orleans, Orleans Par., Louisiana, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

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

Notes:

Victor was appointed by Pres. James K. Polk. as the first Federal District Judge for the Washington Territory.

Ref: Clan Munro files - Chambers, John
- Conery, Marcia Monroe

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

Died:
The State of Washington was founded in 1889.

Victor married Mary Townsend Polk on 16 Jun 1840 in New Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut, USA. Mary (daughter of William Winder Polk, U. S. N. and Almy Townsend) was born on 8 Sep 1822 in New Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut, USA; died in in Milledgeville, Baldwin Co., Georgia, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

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

Notes:

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

Jules married Maria Inskeep Palfrey on 6 Mar 1856 in New Orleans, Orleans Par., Louisiana, USA. Maria (daughter of Henry William Palfrey and Mary Bloomfield Inskeep) was born on 1 Dec 1828 in New Orleans, Orleans Par., Louisiana, USA; died on 19 May 1887 in New Orleans, Orleans Par., Louisiana, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Maria was the widow of C. C. Williams when she married Jules.

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

Notes:

Judge Monroe acquired some knowledge of books and after reaching manhood settled in Barren County, Kentucky. In 1816 he was elected to the Legislature and in 1819 he began to study and practice law. He never read a law-book until he announced himself ready to be a lawyer.

He moved to Frankfort, Kentucky in 1821 and in the winter of that year he attended lectures, and graduated in the Law Department of Transylvania University. He served as Secretary of State under Governor Adair for one year starting in Sep 1823. in 1825 he was appointed by Governor Desha as reporter of the decisions of the Court of Appeals. At about this time, he published his seven volume "Monroe's Kentucky Reports". In 1834, he was appointed by President Andrew Jackson as Judge of the United States District Court of Kentucky. He was an early supporter of the doctrines of Jefferson, but after becoming a judge, he ceased to take an active interest in politics.

As a Judge, his decisions were of the highest order being seldom reversed, and his long term of office was characterized by learning, justice, fairness and great honor.

He became a professor in the University of Louisiana in 1848 and spent several winters in New Orleans in discharge of his duties with that institution. He later filled the Chair of Civil, International and Criminal Law in Transylvania University in Lexington. He was also Professor of Rhetoric, Logic and History of Law at the Western Academy at Drennon Springs, Kentucky and taught a law class at his own home near Frankfort.

Eventually, the University of Louisiana, Centre College and Harvard University conferred upon him the degree of L. L. D.

During the Civil War, when United States troops occupied Frankfort, Kentucky in 1861, they encamped on Judge Bell's. Thereupon this fine old gentleman resigned the appointment given him by President Jackson on March 8, 1834, and went to Nashville, where in the Confederate States District Court for the Middle Division of Tennessee he took the following oath of allegiance to the Southern side:

"I, Thomas B. Monroe, hereby declare that, having renounced my citizenship of the United States, I hereby adopt myself a citizen of the 'Confederate States of America,' and solemnly swear that I will support their Constitution and will true allegiance bear to its Government so long as I am a citizen thereof."

He remained in Canton, Mississippi with his family until after the fall of Vicksburg and then went to Marietta, Georgia for a time earnestly engaging in the cause of the sick and in such other duties as he could perform.

When Kentucky was admitted to the Confederacy on 10 Dec 1861, Thomas was elected as one of the deputies to the Provisional Congress that drafted the Constitution of the Confederate States of America. In 1864 he went to Richmond, Virginia and was a member of the Confederate Congress until the fall of Richmond. He attempted to practice law but became weary of the strife and returned to his family in Abbeville, South Carolina.

After the surrender of General Lee, he went to Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he spent the remainder of his days, never having an opportunity to return to his beautiful home in Kentucky.

At least one reference confuses Thomas with Robert Bell Monroe [5270]. The parents of Robert were Andrew Monroe born about 1759 in Virginia and Ann Bell. The parents of Thomas were Andrew Monroe born 1749 in Kentucky and Anna Bell. Whether this is an error or an interesting coincidence is not known. Anyway, care must be taken at this point in both families because of the similarity of the names places and dates.

Ref: Clan Munro files - Chambers, John
- Conery, Marcia Monroe
- Guilford, Dr. Joan S.
- Johnson, Monroe

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

Buried:
Live Oak Cemetery

Thomas married Eliza Palmer Adair on 3 Nov 1812 in Whitehall, Mercer Co., Kentucky, USA. Eliza (daughter of Gen. John Adair, Governor Of Kentucky and Catherine Palmer) was born on 10 Aug 1790 in Whitehall, Mercer Co., Kentucky, USA; died on 7 Aug 1871 in Pass Christian, Harrison Co., Mississippi, USA; was buried in Pass Christian, Harrison Co., Mississippi, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

References:

(1) Clan Munro files - Kelly, Robert Coffin - Letter dated 29 Jul 1967

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

Buried:
Live Oak Cemetery

Notes:

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

William married Almy Townsend. Almy (daughter of William Townsend and Margaret Townsend) was born about 1789; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

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

Birth:
Estimate: This birth date is an estimate based on the birth dates of nearest relatives or contemporaries, or based on other clues such as christening date, marriage date, birth order, etc.

Notes:

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

Birth:
Orleans Parish, Louisiana was founded in 1807.

Evariste married Marie Fanny Labatut on 24 Jan 1811 in New Orleans, Orleans Par., Louisiana, USA. Marie (daughter of Gen. Jean Baptiste Labatut and Félicilé Beauché Saint-Martin) was born in Jan 1791 in New Orleans, Orleans Par., Louisiana, USA; died on 28 Dec 1875 in Bayou Saint John Par., , Louisiana, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

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

Birth:
Orleans Parish, Louisiana was founded in 1807.

Notes:

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

Henry married Mary Bloomfield Inskeep on 4 Feb 1828 in Boston, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, USA. Mary (daughter of Abraham Hulings Inskeep and Mary Mcilvane Giles) was born about 1804; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

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

Birth:
Estimate: This birth date is an estimate based on the birth dates of nearest relatives or contemporaries, or based on other clues such as christening date, marriage date, birth order, etc.