Judge Francis Adair Monroe

1844 - 1927  (82 years)

• Name	Francis Adair Monroe  [1]
  Prefix	Judge
  Born	30 Aug 1844	Annapolis, Anne Arundel Co., Maryland, USA   [1, 2, 3, 4]
  Gender	Male
  Died	16 Jun 1927	New Orleans, Orleans Par., Louisiana, USA   [1, 3, 4, 5]
  Person ID	I533	Munro
  Last Modified	31 Jan 2009

  
  

  Father	Victor Monroe,   b. 27 Nov 1813, Glasgow, Barren Co., Kentucky, USA ,   d. 15 Sep 1856, Olympia, Thurston Co., Washington, USA  (Age 42 years)
  Mother	Mary Townsend Polk,   b. 8 Sep 1822, New Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut, USA ,   d. Milledgeville, Baldwin Co., Georgia, USA
  Married	16 Jun 1840	New Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut, USA
  Family ID	F254	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Alice Blanc,   b. 24 Aug 1857, New Orleans, Orleans Par., Louisiana, USA ,   d. 28 Jun 1935, New Orleans, Orleans Par., Louisiana, USA  (Age 77 years)
  Married	3 Jan 1878	New Orleans, Orleans Par., Louisiana, USA   [1, 3, 6]
  Children	+ 1. Francis Adair Monroe, Jr.,   b. 26 Nov 1878, New Orleans, Orleans Par., Louisiana, USA ,   d. 10 Nov 1969  (Age 90 years) + 2. Jules Blanc Monroe,   b. 3 Mar 1880, New Orleans, Orleans Par., Louisiana, USA ,   d. 1960, New Orleans, Orleans Par., Louisiana, USA  (Age 79 years) + 3. Alice Monroe,   b. 6 Mar 1882, New Orleans, Orleans Par., Louisiana, USA ,   d. 1965, New Orleans, Orleans Par., Louisiana, USA  (Age 82 years)   4. Kate Adair Monroe,   b. 27 Sep 1883, New Orleans, Orleans Par., Louisiana, USA ,   d. 1977, New Orleans, Orleans Par., Louisiana, USA  (Age 93 years) + 5. Gertrude Monroe,   b. 11 Jul 1885, New Orleans, Orleans Par., Louisiana, USA ,   d. 1968, New Orleans, Orleans Par., Louisiana, USA  (Age 82 years)   6. Winder Polk Monroe,   b. 13 Feb 1887, New Orleans, Orleans Par., Louisiana, USA ,   d. 23 Apr 1915  (Age 28 years) + 7. Adele Monroe,   b. 18 Jun 1888, New Orleans, Orleans Par., Louisiana, USA ,   d. 1982, New Orleans, Orleans Par., Louisiana, USA  (Age 93 years) + 8. Marion Monroe,   b. 22 Apr 1890, New Orleans, Orleans Par., Louisiana, USA ,   d. 1974, New Orleans, Orleans Par., Louisiana, USA  (Age 83 years) + 9. William Blanc Monroe,   b. 26 Aug 1895, New Orleans, Orleans Par., Louisiana, USA ,   d. 1969, New Orleans, Orleans Par., Louisiana, USA  (Age 73 years)   10. James Hill Monroe,   b. 22 Sep 1899, New Orleans, Orleans Par., Louisiana, USA ,   d. 1961  (Age 61 years)
  Last Modified	31 Jan 2009
  Family ID	F258	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• 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 [1, 3, 6]

  
  

• Sources

  [S666] Descendants of Judge Frank Adair Monroe, (reprint, n.p.: n.p., 1991.). [S344] Clan Munro files - Johnson, Monroe, Monroe Johnson, Descendants of Andrew Monroe - received 22 Apr 2004 - p. 51 , 73 (Reliability: 3). [S645] Clan Munro files - Boggs, Elizabeth Monroe, Elizabeth Monroe Boggs, Genealogy of the Family of Frank Adair Monroe and Alice Bla nc Monroe of New Orleans, Louisiana - undated (Reliability: 3). [S645] Clan Munro files - Boggs, Elizabeth Monroe, Elizabeth Monroe Boggs, Membership application for Elizabeth Monroe Boggs - 18 De c 1982 (Reliability: 3). [S344] Clan Munro files - Johnson, Monroe, Monroe Johnson, Descendants of Andrew Monroe - received 22 Apr 2004 - p. 51 (Reliability: 3). [S344] Clan Munro files - Johnson, Monroe, Monroe Johnson, Descendants of Andrew Monroe - received 22 Apr 2004 - p. 73 (Reliability: 3).