Mary Katherine Monroe

1854 - 1917  (62 years)

• Name	Mary Katherine Monroe
  Born	22 Oct 1854	Oberlin, Lorain Co., Ohio, USA
  Gender	Female
  Died	12 Oct 1917	Oberlin, Lorain Co., Ohio, USA
  Buried	Westwood Cem., Oberlin, Ohio
  Person ID	I18787	Munro
  Last Modified	27 May 2001

  
  

  Father	James Wilbur Munroe,   b. 18 Jul 1821, Plainfield, Windham Co., Connecticut, USA ,   d. 7 Jul 1898, Oberlin, Lorain Co., Ohio, USA  (Age 76 years)
  Mother	Elizabeth Maxwell,   b. 14 Aug 1825, Mansfield, Richland Co., Ohio, USA ,   d. 20 Feb 1862, Oberlin, Lorain Co., Ohio, USA  (Age 36 years)
  Married	19 Jan 1847	Richland Co., Ohio, USA
  Family ID	F5859	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Mary was born in Oberlin, Ohio and spent most of her childhood there. Her mother died when she was eight years old and shortly after, her father was given the position of American consul to Brazil by President Lincoln. When her father left for Brazil, Mary and her siblings were placed in the care of a good New England family. In 1866, her father returned home for a brief visit, remarried, and returned to Brazil with the entire family. They lived together in a suburb of Rio de Janeiro for the next three or four years. While there, she was admitted to the communion of the Church of England. After she returned home, she joined the Congregational Church in May 1870. Her education was attended to by private tutors. She graduated from Oberlin College with the class of 1874, after which she spent several winters in Washington, D. C. with her parents, as her father was then a Congressman from Ohio. She enjoyed Washington very much, especially the Library of Congress where she was allotted a desk or alcove by the honored Librarian, Mr. Spofford. At the library, she carried on advanced studies in history and art. In 1881, she was invited by Mr. Durant, the founder of Wellesley College, to become an English teacher there. She held that position for seven years, when she resigned on account of growing deafness. In spite of this partial disqualification, she was requested, both then and later on, to continue at her post. Her sweet and powerful influence was appreciated by both faculty and pupils, and this influence was continued by an affectionate correspondence with a number of the students for many years. She returned to Oberlin, Ohio to live and her active nature found constant exercise in good works, including about fifteen years association with the Girls' Sewing School. After her father's death in 1898, she spent two years in Europe, with her mother, making a leisurely sojourn in different countries. Upon her return to Oberlin, Europe was the subject of several of her addresses to the Art Association. The last four winters of her life were spent in Florida where she enjoyed long walks and the study of botany. She was also occupied in making notes, at the request of Oberlin College, for a history of Oberlin, particularly for the children and young people of the community. When she was about 30, Mary realized that she was going deaf when she could no longer hear her father's conversation at table nor readily understant that of her friends. She became very unhappy, and when alone, wept much. While she was visiting Dr. Noble of Oberlin, for professional advice, she told him that if she were not happy, she might at least appear to be so. He answered, "That is not enough. One must be happy." She left him saying to herself, "Of course, of course," and made a swift acceptance of her privation. This was followed by entire relief of mind that was constant throughout her life from that point on. In her later illness, she rejected the word "brave", which was so naturally applied to her, saying that she was not afraid, and so there was no exercise of bravery. In 1906, her health deteriorated and she died of tuberculosis at her home at 47 College Place, Oberlin, Ohio. Ref: Clan Munro files - Guilford, Dr. Joan S. Mary was born in Oberlin, Ohio and passed her childhood there up to eleven years of age. Mary lived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for three years near the close of the Civil War. Her father was the American consul there. She received an L.B. degree in 1874 from Oberlin College and also studied at the conservatory of music. After her graduation, she spent several winters in Washington, D. C. with her parents, her father being at that time representative in congress from Ohio. She spent a lot of time in the Library of Congress where she read and studied as she chose. In 1881, she became a teacher at Wellesley college and held that position until 1887 when increasing deafness made her unable to continue. She remained friends with many of her students for many years. She moved back to Oberlin, Ohio where she spent the rest of her life. After her father's death in 1898, she spent two years in Europe with her mother. She brought back with her impressions and recollections of her European tour which found expression in later years in papers which she read before Oberlin audiences. Her last four winters were spent with her mother in Florida, where she found opportunities for outdoor life and botanical studies which gave her pleasant occupation. She was a member of the First Congregational Church in Oberlin from the time she was a little girl. She died of tuberculosis at her home at 47 College Place, Oberlin, Ohio. Ref: Clan Munro files - Guilford, Dr. Joan S. Mary was born in Oberlin, Ohio and passed her childhood there up to eleven years of age. Mary lived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for three years near the close of the Civil War. Her father was the American consul there. She received an L.B. degree in 1874 from Oberlin College and also studied at the conservatory of music. After her graduation, she spent several winters in Washington, D. C. with her parents, her father being at that time representative in congress from Ohio. She spent a lot of time in the Library of Congress where she read and studied as she chose. In 1881, she became a teacher at Wellesley college and held that position until 1887 when increasing deafness made her unable to continue. She remained friends with many of her students for many years. She moved back to Oberlin, Ohio where she spent the rest of her life. After her father's death in 1898, she spent two years in Europe with her mother. She brought back with her impressions and recollections of her European tour which found expression in later years in papers which she read before Oberlin audiences. Her last four winters were spent with her mother in Florida, where she found opportunities for outdoor life and botanical studies which gave her pleasant occupation. She was a member of the First Congregational Church in Oberlin from the time she was a little girl. She died of tuberculosis at her home at 47 College Place, Oberlin, Ohio. Ref: Clan Munro files - Guilford, Dr. Joan S. Mary lived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for three years near the close of the Civil War. Her father was the American consul there. She received an L.B. degree in 1874 from Oberlin College and also studied at the conservatory of music. After her graduation, she spent several winters in Washington, D. C. with her parents, her father being at that time representative in congress from Ohio. She spent a lot of time in the Library of Congress where she read and studied as she chose. In 1881, she became a teacher at Wellesley college and held that position until 1887 when increasing deafness made her unable to continue. She remained friends with many of her students for many years. She moved back to Oberlin, Ohio where she spent the rest of her life. After her father's death in 1898, she spent two years in Europe with her mother. She brought back with her impressions and recollections of her European tour which found expression in later years in papers which she read before Oberlin audiences. Her last four winters were spent with her mother in Florida, where she found opportunities for outdoor life and botanical studies which gave her pleasant occupation. She was a member of the First Congregational Church in Oberlin from the time she was a little girl. She died of tuberculosis at her home at 47 College Place, Oberlin, Ohio. Ref: Clan Munro files - Guilford, Dr. Joan S.