Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Munroe, George 1821 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 9, 2007, 10:49 pm Author: Portrait & Bio Album, 1890 GEORGE MUNROE. The wholesale grocery interests of Joliet are worthily represented by the subject of this notice with the firm of George T. Relyea & Co., of which he is the senior member. Mr. Munroe belongs to one of the best nationalities on the face of the globe, having been born in Lanarkshire, Scotland, and first opened his eyes to the light April 4, 1821. His parents were Daniel and Jane (Richmond) Munroe, who were likewise of Scotch birth and ancestry, and who emigrated to the United States in 1827, settling in Brownville, Jefferson County, N. Y. They brought with them three children— George, Angus and Barbara. The family remained residents of Jefferson County until 1849, then emigrated to Illinois, locating in Will County where the father died in 1860. The mother had passed away at Brownville, N. Y., about 1829. For thirteen years after coming to this county Mr. Munroe engaged in farming in Florence Township. In the meantime he was recognized as a valued addition to the community and filled with credit many of the local offices. In 1862 he was elected Sheriff on the Democratic ticket and that same year removed to Joliet, assuming the duties of his office in November following. Subsequently he served three years as County Treasurer, but in the meantime in company with his son, George H., engaged in the retail grocery trade, being first located at the corner of Jefferson and Chicago Streets. They remained there ten years and then removed to the Opera House Building where they did business six years. The well-known firm of George Munroe & Son has existed since 1865. Mr. Munroe with his son, George H., established the first wholesale grocery store in Joliet, and with his old book-keeper, Mr. Relyea, is the oldest representative of the wholesale grocery business in this city. G. Munroe & Son put up the Hotel Munroe Building which they still own and they occupied the ground floor for their wholesale trade until 1889, when they erected an elegant stone building, 65x120 feet in dimensions and three stories in height into which the new firm, G. T. Relyea & Co., removed and which they now occupy. For the last five years George and George H. Munroe have dealt extensively in real estate, under the firm name of George Munroe & Son, the latter, George H., being the active manager, and who has contributed largely to the building up of the business part of the city. Mr. Munroe occupies a fine residence, No. 1204 Cass Street. He has been prominent in local affairs, representing his Ward in the City Council, serving as School Trustee and in various other capacities. Socially, he belongs to the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Commandery, A. F. & A. M. in each of which he has held the different offices and he is prominently connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church, serving as Trustee at the present time. He has been in some official capacity in the church since coming to Joliet and gives to it a liberal support. Miss Sarah M. Hentze of Brownville became the wife of our subject December 22, 1842. Mrs. Munroe was born in Brownville, N. Y., April 30, 1822, and is the daughter of Henry and Charity (Gould) Hentze, who were natives of New York and spent their last years in California and Illinois. This union resulted in the birth of five children, four of whom are living, viz: George H., Jane Amelia, the wife of Rev. G. R. Van Horn, now Presiding Elder of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Rockford; Mary Elizabeth, Mrs. C. B. Hayward; Edwin, traveling salesman for the firm of Reed & Murdock, Chicago Street. Additional Comments: Portrait and Biographical Album of Will County, Illinois, Containing Full Page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the County; Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1890 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/will/bios/munroe561gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ilfiles/ File size: 4.4 Kb