The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-04-15
For the Dispatch
James Monroe
OF SCOTCH ANCESTRY AID PRESUMABLY THE
SAME AS THE MoNROEs OF MAssACHUsETTs-
RACE OF HEROES.

OF SCOTCH ANCESTRY AID PRESUMABLY THE
SAME AS THE MONR0ES OF MAssACHUsETTs-
A RACE OF HEROES.
or late years the regret has often been
expressed that there was so little i'm print
regarding the early life OF James Monroe,
fifth President of our republic. A crafty
ing effort in this direction is the admirable
monograph "James Monroe in his Rela-
tions to the Public During Half Il Century,
l776 to 1896" recently contributed by
Daniel G. Gilman, LII. d., president Of
Johns Hopkins University, to the "Ameri,,
can Statesmen" serial.
DR.. Gilman, in limited bounds, has per-
formed his task with singular ability.
felicity, and judgment. He presents in
critical analysis and by iudicious extracts
a comprehensive and faithful review Of
the life and services OF Monroe, and claims
for him a greater need for worth and
ability, and higher rank as a statesman,
! than it has been the wont of most writers
| to accord him. The tribute, j opine, would
| scarcely have been more just had ii been
penned by the most enthusiastic Vhginian.
The difficulty experienced by DR.. Gilman
in obtaining information Of the early career
of Monroe has engendered with him an
i
writes me, ga sincere hope" that his
"sketch OF Monroe will lead TO a fuller
study of his life ana writings This hope
is already meeting response. Our brothers
in New England claim for their Monroes
a common ancestry with that OF the Presi-
dent.
According to the family tradition, the
original ancestor in Virginia of James
| Monroe Major An1r.s,.
tive OF Scotland and an officer i'm the army
OF the unfortunate Charles l., who fled
from England and settled i'm Westmoreland
county, of which. in evidence Of the esteem
In which he was held, he was Justice in
1860. He appears in the records of the State
Land Registry as a patentee OF several grants
IN northumberland county about the mid
die OF the seventeenth century. the first OF
which Is dated June 8, 1850. In 1904
there are grants to John Monroe, pre-
sumably his son. and the grandfather
OF James Monroe, whose parents were
Spence Monroe and his wife Eliza Jones.
OF King George county, a sister Of Judge
Joseph Jones. member OF the old Con-
gress, district Judge, etc. 1t is an interest
ing fact that Spence Monroe and John Mon
roe probably his brother) appear as signers
70 the Resolutions OF the Association Of
Westmoreland County, February 20, 1850
IN opposition TO the enforcement of the
stamp Act, upon the original document in
the cabinet OF the Virginia Historical Soci.
ETY.. In the hope of enlisting the assistance
OF Virginian psychologists and Of elicting
evidence IN confirmation OF the common
origin OF the Monroes Of Massachusetts and
Virginia, DR.. Gilman has kindly sent me a
pertinent newspaper paragraph and an in
teresting letter from Professor +. b. Sam
born, OF Concord, Mass, who is presumed
~ the writer, also, Of the paragraph, which
is as follows:
president Gilman. Ia his interesting
life OF Monroe. the fifth President, finds It
more difficult 10 trace his ancestry than Il
has been to trace the true pedigree OF
Washington; but fancy be has found the
right line when he derives the Virginia
Monroes from the same stock rs the Massa-
chusetts family Of that name--viz., from
the Monro clan OF Ross-shire, in the North
OF Scotland, whose head was the baron OF
Fowls for many centuries, and whose
family record was written out by DR.. Dod- 4
bridge In an appendix to bis Life Of Colo