George Albert Munro

Notes:

He lived in Galveston, Texas.

He started working for Southwestern Bell on 1 Sep 1901 as a teamster in Galveston, Texas. He stayed with Southwestern Bell for over 30 years until he was killed by a fall from a pole. He worked successively as a teamster, lineman, toll repairman, exchange repairman and combinationman. Four years of his service were in Corpus Christi, while the remaining time was nearly evenly divided between Galveston and Flatonia, Texas.

Ref: Clan Munro files - Stroud, Anna Margaret

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

Birth:
George was born at 6 am.

Buried:
George was buried at the Flatonia Cemetery.

George married Carlotta B. Frederick in Galveston, Galveston Co., Texas, USA. Carlotta was born about 1875; died on 15 Aug 1933 in Flatonia, Fayette Co., Texas, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Harvey Albert Munro was born on 4 May 1903 in Galveston, Galveston Co., Texas, USA; died on 14 Sep 1986 in Grand Saline, Van Zandt Co., Texas, USA.

Notes:

William was born about 1837 in Williamsburg, Dundas County, Ontario, Canada and was christened there in the St. Peters Lutheran Church on 16 Jul 1837.

His ancestor, Captain John Munro, had fought on the side of the British in the American Revolutionary War, and had been banished to Canada with many other Loyalists.

Family tradition says that William Harvey immigrated from Scotland. It is said that he arrived in his kilts and had papers to a castle in Scotland, but the papers were lost in the 1900 Galveston flood. In view of other evidence, this tradition is not likely.

He spent his childhood in Williamsburg and is found there on the 1851 census where he is listed as a 13 year-old laborer living with his parents. This would place his birth in about 1838. He is also found in the 1861 Williamsburg census as being 24 years old, placing his birth in about 1837.

William seemed to lack a sense of focus as a youngster. He moved from his parents' home in Williamsburg and went to Russel Township, Ontario and found work as a carpenter. He is listed there on the 1861 census, but he must have left shortly after the census was perpared because on 2 Feb 1862, he married Julia Elizabeth Potter in Galveston, Texas. Julia was the daughter of Albert M. and Elizabeth (Tuttle) Potter. Their first child, William Harvey Munro, Jr., was born in Galveston on 18 Jan 1863.

Texas didn't hold his interest very long either. Possibly as early as 1869, William and his wife took their young son and made the long trek to Corinne City, Territory of Utah and settled there. Their second child, Gertrude, was born there on 15 Oct 1869. Since Corinne City was settled in Mar 1869, William must have been one of the founding fathers of that community.

William first worked as a grocer in this infant settlement and with hard work and good luck, his fortunes began to brighten. He quickly became an influential businessman and community leader serving as Councilman (1869-1870 and 1873-1874), Mayor (3 Mar 1870-3 Jul 1872), and member of the Board of Trade (1871). He was one of the managers of a benefit to help build the new Episcopal Church in 1869, and he was an active member of this church.

The following is the text of an article that appeared in a local Corinne newspaper on 6 Jul 1871:

"Last night at the hour of 12 o'clock as Mayor Munro and family were retiring, his attention was attracted to something stirring outside. Promptly opening the blinds, a man was discovered crouched close to the house, when quick as thought our worthy executive bounded through the casement and gave chase to the stranger, who had, upon discovery, fled from the place. Over the fence flew the fleet pursuer and then the race ended, for the prowler was caught fast in the Mayor's grip. Mr. Munro started to take the rascal to jail, but the chilly night reminded him that the rainment he then had on was too thin for the hour, whereupon, with a dozen well directed kicks he let the marauder off, pledged never to be seen on Colorado street again. The adventure will have the effect of making housekeepers more watchful of nights."

Also in 1869, he formed a partnership with John Creighton and founded the firm of Creighton and Munro, wholesale and retail grocers. His business grew to be one of the largest of its kind west of Omaha, Nebraska, and he owned a huge warehouse at the corner of Montana and 6th Streets which often contained nearly a million pounds of freight awaiting shipment. By 1871, when he sold his interest in the firm to his partner, he was the general western agent for the Far West Fast Freight Line Company and began to enjoy awesome success. He became known as "The Merchant Prince West of the Rockies."

He served as Secretary of the Corinne Steam Navigation Company, which built a steamboat 130 feet long and three stories high to carry ore from the mines on the south shore of the Great Salt Lake to the smelters at Corinne. It was named "The City of Corinne" and was a very famous boat during that time (1871).

An 18 Jun 1870 census of Corinne City, Box Elder County, Territory of Utah, shows William as 30 years old and working as a grocer. Also included in his household is his wife, Julia age 27, William age 7, Gertrude age 8 months and Annie Frew, age 18, a domestic servant from Scotland.

William was not all work and no play. He owned a horse named "Sheep" which he enjoyed entering in local harness races. He also played third base on the town baseball team. He served on the reception and transportation committee for the Independence Day celebration in 1870, and was floor manager of the Christmas dance held 25 Dec 1869.

After his third child, George, was born in Apr 1873, things seemed to begin falling apart for William. He moved his family back to Galveston, Texas, where in 1879, his wife, Julia, filed for divorce accusing William of neglect and drinking. The divorce was granted in Jan 1880. William received custody of their son, William, Jr. and their daughter, Gertrude, with 6 year old George going to Julia.

Shortly after the divorce, William moved to Beaumont, Texas, where he lived in a boarding house and worked as a bookkeeper. William, Jr. worked as a hotel clerk and Gertrude, now 10 years old, attended school and boarded with George Stovall, a school teacher. All three are found on the 1880 census of Beaumont. By 1881, he had moved again, this time to Woodville, Texas, where he found a job as an agent for the East Texas Railroad.

Nothing more is known about William Harvey Munro, wanderer, pioneer, merchant, entrepreneur.

References:

(1) Clan Munro files - Stroud, Anna Margaret - letter from Marian Danielson,
recorder of Corinne City, Utah dated 6 Jul 1988

(2) Clan Munro files - Muro, William Barton - "Yellowed Pages", Vol. 23, No. 2,
Summer 1993, p. 34

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

William married Julia Elizabeth Potter on 2 Feb 1862 in Galveston, Galveston Co., Texas, USA, and was divorced. Julia was born on 24 Aug 1845 in , Steuben Co., New York, USA; died on 21 Mar 1920 in Flatonia, Fayette Co., Texas, USA; was buried in Mar 1920 in Flatonia, Fayette Co., Texas, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

References:

(1) Clan Munro files - Munro, Henry Dallas - GEDCOM file HMUNRO.GED dated 9
Oct 1996

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

Buried:
Julia was buried at the Flatonia Cemetery.

Notes:

Married:
William and Julia were married at the Saint Petersburg Luthern Church.

Notes:

Henry and Sophia's marriage was witnessed by Jacob and Jane Willman, Sophia's parents.

In 1852, Henry was farming 50 acres and living with his family in Williamsburg, Canada. He was a Presbyterian and his wife, Sophia, belonged to the Church of England. They were married in the Luthern Church.

An Agriculture census shows that Henry owned 50 acres with 25 acres under cultivation (8 to 10 acres in crops such as wheat, barley, etc.; and 15 to 17 acres of pasture). One acre used for home garden and orchard and the remainder listed as "woods and wild".

Henry does not appear on the 1861 census of Williamsburg Township.

References:

(2) Clan Munro files - Stroud, Anna Margaret

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

Henry married Sophia Willman on 17 Jun 1835 in Williamsburg, Dundas Co., Ontario, Canada. Sophia was born about 1816 in , , , Canada; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Sophia was the daughter of Jacob and Jane Willman.

References:

(1) Clan Munro files - Munro, Henry Dallas - GEDCOM file HMUNRO.GED dated 9 Oct
1996

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

Notes:

On 1 Feb 1780, John Munro, Jr. enlisted in his father's company to fight for the British in the American Revolutionary War. In 1784, after the war ended, he went to L'Assumption.

An Agriculture census shows that John owned 50 acres with 25 acres under cultivation (8 to 10 acres in crops such as wheat, barley, etc.; and 15 to 17 acres of pasture). One acre used for home garden and orchard and the remainder listed as "woods and wild".

John does not appear on the 1861 census for Williamsburg Township.

Ref: Clan Munro files - Stroud, Anna Margaret

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

John married Kathryn Rosenberger about 1810 in , , Ontario, Upper Canada. Kathryn was born about 1795 in , , , USA; died about 1851 in Williamsburg, Dundas Co., Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Kathryn does not appear in the 1861 census for Williamsburg Township, Ontario, Canada.

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