James Monroe (New York politician)
James Monroe | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Member of the New York State Assembly from the 10th District | |
In office January 1, 1852 – December 31, 1852 | |
Preceded by | Lebbeus B. Ward |
Succeeded by | Henry Shaw |
In office January 1, 1850 – December 31, 1850 | |
Preceded by | Garret H. Striker |
Succeeded by | Lebbeus B. Ward |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 3rd district | |
In office March 4, 1839 – March 3, 1841 | |
Preceded by | Churchill C. Cambreleng, Edward Curtis, Ogden Hoffman, Ely Moore |
Succeeded by | Charles G. Ferris, Fernando Wood, James I. Roosevelt, John McKeon |
Personal details | |
Born | Albemarle County, Virginia | September 10, 1799
Died | September 7, 1870 Orange, New Jersey | (aged 70)
Political party | Whig |
Spouse | Elizabeth Mary Douglas |
Children | 2 |
Parent(s) | Ann Bell Andrew Augustine Monroe |
Relatives | James Monroe (uncle) Elizabeth Kortright (aunt-in-law) |
Alma mater | United States Military Academy |
Military service | |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Branch/service | 4th Artillery Regiment |
Years of service | 1815-1822, 1832-1832 |
Rank | First lieutenant |
Battles/wars | Second Barbary War: • Battle off Cape Gata Black Hawk War |
James Monroe (September 10, 1799 – September 7, 1870) was an American politician who served as the United States representative from New York (1839–1841). He was the nephew of President James Monroe.[1]
Early life
[edit]James Monroe was born in Albemarle County, Virginia on September 10, 1799. He was born to Ann (née Bell) Monroe and Andrew Augustine Monroe (1755–1826). His father was the older brother of his namesake and future president, James Monroe (1758–1831).[2] As well as having a brother Tomas C. Monroe.
His paternal grandfather, Spence Monroe (1727–1774), was a moderately prosperous planter who also practiced carpentry. His grandmother Elizabeth Jones (1730–1774) Monroe in 1752 and they had several children.[3] His paternal 2x-great grandfather, Patrick Andrew Monroe, emigrated to America from Scotland in the mid-17th century. In 1650, he patented a large tract of land in Washington Parish, Westmoreland County, Virginia. Among James Monroe's ancestors were French Huguenot immigrants, who came to Virginia in 1700.[3]
Career
[edit]Monroe graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1815, and was commissioned in the Artillery Corps. Shortly after graduating, he was sent to fight in the war with Algiers, and was wounded while serving as a gunnery officer on board the USS Guerriere. From 1817 to 1822, he served as aide-de-camp to General Winfield Scott,[4] receiving a promotion to first lieutenant in December 1818. Upon the re-organization of the US Army in 1821, he was assigned to the 4th Artillery Regiment. In June 1832, he was again appointed as General Scott's aide for the Black Hawk War, but shortly afterward contracted cholera. He resigned his commission on September 30, 1832, and moved to New York City.[5]
Political career
[edit]Monroe served as assistant alderman of New York City in 1832, alderman 1833–1835, and president of the board of aldermen in 1834. He was elected as a Whig to the 26th United States Congress, holding office from March 4, 1839, to March 3, 1841.[6] He was a member of the New York State Assembly (New York Co.) in 1850 and 1852.[4]
Personal life
[edit]He married Elizabeth "Eliza" Mary Douglas (1799–1852), daughter of George Douglas (1741–1799) and Margaret Corne (1767–1827). Together, they were the parents of::
- George Monroe, who entered the seminary.[1]
- William D. Monroe[1]
- Frances "Fanny" Monroe (1824–1906), who married Douglas Robinson Sr. (1824–1893)
- Elizabeth Mary Monroe (c.1833–1857), who married Solomon Betts Davies (1827–1860)
Following his wife's death, he retired from public life to Orange, New Jersey, where he died on September 7, 1870, at age of 70, days before his 71st birthday.[4] He is interred at Trinity Church Cemetery in Manhattan.[4][7]
Descendants
[edit]Monroe's grandson, Douglas Robinson Jr. (1855–1918), married Corinne Roosevelt (1861–1933), the younger sister of President Theodore Roosevelt and an aunt of First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt. Their children, and Monroe's great-grandchildren include Connecticut Representative Corinne Douglas Robinson (1886–1971) and New York State Senator Theodore Douglas Robinson (1883–1934), who married his distant cousin Helen Rebecca Roosevelt, daughter of James Roosevelt (1854—1927), the brother of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Helen Schermerhorn Astor (1855—1893) of the Astor family.[8][self-published source][9]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "James Monroe (1799-1870) Family Papers, 1806-1860". scdb.swem.wm.edu. The College of William and Mary. Archived from the original on 10 May 2017. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
- ^ Ammon, Harry. "James Monroe" in Henry F. Graff ed., The Presidents: A Reference History (1997).
- ^ a b Harry Ammon, James Monroe: The Quest for National Identity (1990), p. 577
- ^ a b c d "Death of Col. James Monroe". The New York Times. 10 September 1870. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
- ^ Career profile
- ^ "MONROE, James - Biographical Information". bioguide.congress.gov. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
- ^ "Funeral Honors to Col. Monroe". The New York Times. 11 September 1870. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
- ^ Taylor, Robert Lewis. Along The Way: Two Paths From One Ancestry Xlibris Corporation, 2014
- ^ Brogan, Hugh and Mosley, Charles American Presidential Families October 1993, page 568
External links
[edit]- United States Congress. "James Monroe (id: M000856)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
- James Monroe at Find a Grave
- James Monroe Archived 2008-10-30 at the Wayback Machine
- 1799 births
- 1870 deaths
- Monroe family
- Politicians from Albemarle County, Virginia
- Members of the New York State Assembly
- New York City Council members
- American people of the Black Hawk War
- United States Army officers
- United States Military Academy alumni
- American people of the Barbary Wars
- Whig Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state)
- 19th-century New York (state) politicians
- 19th-century American legislators
- Burials at Trinity Church Cemetery