James Monro

1771 - 1806  (35 years)

• Name	James Monro  [1]
  Born	1771	, , New Jersey, USA   [2]
  Gender	Male
  Died	26 Mar 1806	Charlotteville Twp., Norfolk Co., Ontario, Canada   [2]
  Person ID	I40162	Munro
  Last Modified	27 May 2001

  
  

  Father	Robert Munro,   b. 1717, Isle Of Mull, Argyleshire, Scotland ,   d. 1 Jul 1803, Flanders, Morris Co., New Jersey, USA  (Age 86 years)
  Mother	Mary Wilson,   b. 1732, , , , Scotland ,   d. 1 Mar 1805, Flanders, Morris Co., New Jersey, USA  (Age 73 years)
  Married	1755	, , , Scotland   [2]
  Family ID	F13661	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Catherine McCall,   b. 1770, Basking Ridge, Somerset Co., New Jersey, USA ,   d. Abt 1807  (Age 37 years)
  Married	Bef 1797	, , New Jersey, USA   [3]
  Children	+ 1. Robert Munro,   b. 29 Sep 1797, Walsingham Twp., Norfolk Co., Ontario, Canada ,   d. 25 May 1879, Charlotteville Twp., Norfolk Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 81 years)   2. Mary Monro,   b. 24 Jan 1800, Charlotteville Twp., Norfolk Co., Ontario, Canada ,   d. 4 Apr 1828, Charlotteville Twp., Norfolk Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 28 years) + 3. Daniel Mccall Monro,   b. 3 Feb 1802, Charlotteville Twp., Norfolk Co., Ontario, Canada ,   d. 4 Jul 1853, Charlotteville Twp., Norfolk Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 51 years)
  Last Modified	20 Jan 2009
  Family ID	F13679	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  James' descendants from about 1840 most frequently spelled their surname "Monroe". However, this early head of the Norfolk County family invariably signed his name "Monro", as did his brothers. The pre-1850 family gravestones also record the name as "Monro". In the 1841 Assessment of Charlotteville Twp. and then the 1852 Census, the census taker spelled the name of all family members "Monroe". In particular, grandson Edwin Adopted the "Monroe" spelling, then perpetuated it in the writings of Norfolk County Historian, E.A. Owen. James and his wife, Catherine, followed her father from New Jersey to the settlement on Long Point Bay of Lake Erie in Upper Canada in 1797. They may have lived in Walsingham Twp. where the McCall block had been set aside, but only for a short time. They leased lot 14, Concession 4, Charlotteville Twp., Norfolk Co., from its owner Daniel Millard until purchasing the property in 1803. James may have paid out the cost over several years until his payment in full tipped the deed transfer. The Monro farm was located just west of the future village of Vittoria, southwest of the county seat of Simcoe. On 31 May 1797, James filed an Upper Canada Land Petition stating that he married a daughter of Daniel (sic: Donald) McCall and brought his family to the province. He had received a grant of 200 acres of land. James noted that his father served His Majesty during the American Revolution and was expected in the province during the following summer. James requested additional land for himself and a grant for his wife, the daughter of a loyalist. An attached certificate of Samuel Ryerse, JP dated 22 Mar 1797 stated that James was aged 25 years, born in New Jersey, a farmer. The mention of a family by James in this petition is cofusing. The oldest known child, Robert was born in Upper Canada after James arrived. In each township, the Executive Council which governed Upper Canada set aside some of the 200 acre lots as "reserved" lots to be leased, the revenue earmarked for the support of the government and the clergy. First rights on the leases went to the owners of the Crown Grants on either side. James Monro being on Lot 14, Concession 4, and his wife with her eyes on a United Loyalist grant in lot 14, Concession 6, Charlotteville Twp., took an interest in the adjoining leases. On 25 Jun 1798, James requested a lease on Crown Reserve Lot 15, Concession 6, Charlotteville Twp. This met with approval of the Executive Council. On 26 May 1801, James Monro filed an Upper Canada Land Petition stating that he held possession of Lots 13 and 14, Con 4, Charlotteville Twp. This land provided no water for his stock without going onto lot 15, a reserve. He received recommendation for a lease on that lot. While James and Catherine informally designated their chosen lots at Charlotteville Twp., they moved slowly in settling the formalities. On 29 Jun 1801, Catherine Monro filed an Upper Canada Land Petition stating she was married to James Monro and a daughter of Donald McCall, UE. She requested a grant of 200 acres of land as the daughter of a United Empire Loyalist. The request met with approval of the Executive Council. Catherine chose Lot 14, Concession 6, Charlotteville Twp., her deed dated 8 Jul 1801, was registered on 17 May 1802. James lived just under a decade at Norfolk Co. before his premature death. However, during that time he made a big splash in the community. His substantial two story frame home on lot 14 west of Vittoria served as the early community center for the Long Point Settlement. In his residence, James established a store with goods from New York and Montreal supplied by Catherine's brother Duncan McCall, making much needed manufactured goods and much wanted fashions available to the L.P. settlers who likely found the merchandise a relief from the "make do" necessities in the wilderness. The Monro establishment also included a tavern for the patron's entertainment known as Fort Monro. James and Catherine's home, likely being the largest in the area, served as the location of the earliest London District Courts of the quarter Sessions from 1800 until the establishment of the London District capital at the town of Charlotteville in 1802. In that first court session in his home on 9 Apr 1800, James received a tavern license on the contition "that he keeps and maintains good order and rule and shall suffer no disorder or unlawful games." James and Catherine along with her parents and siblings were among the founders of the Presbyterian church in Charlotteville Twp. On 14 Oct 1800, they appeared before the court to acknowledge Rev. Jabez Collver, a fellow pioneer from New Jersey, to be their settled Minister in support of Rev. Collver's application for a license to perform marriages. The Courts being held at the Monro home led logically to the establishment of a gaol to punish offenders. On 15 Jan 1801, the magistrates appointed James to build a temporary gaol near his house and to act a s gaoler with a salary of 100 dollars per annum. While it was the seat of the London District court, Fort Monro served as the focal point of the District. The need arose for a road to Monro's in order to provide better access from the northern areas of the district, so on 15 Oct 1800 the Grand Jury ordered that the Commissioners of Highways immediately proceed to open that part of the said road from James Monro's to Burford. James' tavern license was renewed on 20 Mar 1802 and again on 20 Mar 1803. On 21 Apr and 23 Nov 1802, James filed two more petitions foor leases on Lots 15, Concessions 4 and 6, Charlotteville Twp. On 11 May 1802, James' name appeared on a list of persons who wrote to Thomas Welch to have their Crown Leases prepared. His Lease document for Lot 15, Concession 4 was issued on 22 Aug 1801. Two for Lot 15 Concession 6 came out on 22 Aug 1801 and 6 Jun 1803. On 17 May 1802, James received a Crown Grant on Lot 12, Front Concession of Walsingham Twp., in the original block given to the 1796 McCall settlement party. Years after settling on his Charlotteville property, James purchased the land on which he built "Fort Monro", lot 14, Con 4, from Daniel Millard on 13 Sep 1803. The court and gaol having been moved to the town of Charlotteville, James was dismissed from his employment as gaoler on 9 Mar 1803. He then received the contract for building a new gaol at Charlotteville. On 26 Jun 1803, he agreed to finish construction. During the time before his death, James engaged in purchases and sales of land lsewhere in Norfolk County. On 30 Jun 1803, he purchased from John P. Resch 200 acres in Lot 21, Gore of Woodhouse Twp. He then sold this to John Sovereign on 24 Sep 1803. On 13 Mar 1804, James served as foreman of the Grand Jury, and on 12 Sep 1804, he prosecuted the case of the King vx. James Watson. James apparently added a distillery to his operation without the required licence from the court. On 11 Dec 1805, the court indicted him for selling "Spirituous Liquors by the Quart at his Distillery." The magistrates laid the case over till the next session, but never pursued it. After a brief but illustrious career as Norfolk's store and tavern keeper, James died on 26 Mar 1806. His will dated 6 Mar 1806 provided for his wife, Catherine, and his young children, Mary, Robert and Daniel McCall Monro. James' widow continued on the homestead and maintained his estate as an active entity as late as 1817. In the 1815 Charlotteville assessments the estate had a value of 203 pound, one of the largest valuations in the township. The buriel place of James and Catherine is unknown. They may have been buried in the McCall-Fairchild Cemetery in Charlotteville Twp. where the early burials of Catherine's family took place. Another possibility is the Old Woodhouse Methodist Church Cemetery east of Vittoria where some of the infant children of their son Robert were buried. Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Genealogist, Clan Munro Association, USA [4]

  
  

• Sources

  [S447] Clan Munro files - Wheeler, Ken, Ken Wheeler, Email message (jwhee3939@earthlink.net) dated 22 Oct 199 9 - p. 1, 3 (Reliability: 3). [S447] Clan Munro files - Wheeler, Ken, Ken Wheeler, Email message (jwhee3939@earthlink.net) dated 22 Oct 199 9 - p. 1 (Reliability: 3). [S447] Clan Munro files - Wheeler, Ken, Ken Wheeler, Email message (jwhee3939@earthlink.net) dated 22 Oct 199 9 - p. 3 (Reliability: 3). [S447] Clan Munro files - Wheeler, Ken, Ken Wheeler, Email message (jwhee3939@earthlink.net) dated 22 Oct 199 9 - p. 3-5 (Reliability: 3).