Born Old Franklin Howard Co Mo
APPLICATION- Sons of the American Revolution Membership
Name: John Tompkins Monroe
Birth Date: 6 May 1822
Birth Place: Howard, Missouri
Death Date: 23 Feb 1871
Death Place: Savannah, Georgia
Application Date: 4 May 1967
Father: Dnaiel Munro
Mother: Elizabeth Copeland
Spouse: Rebecca Isidora Shepard
Children: Thomas Wybry Monroe
Contributor: jane Mangum

From the book "Jewell's Crescent City, Illustrated by Edwin Jewell published
1873


MAYOR JOHN T. MONROE

The capture of New Orleans in April 1862, by Farragut and Butler, brought the
name of Mayor Monroe before the country, and the people, both of the United
States and the then Confederate States. Nor was this prominency confined to the
belligerent powers. It pervaded all British journalism, and even made its way
into Parliament. Mayor Monroe's refusal to surrender the city, although under
the guns of the Federal fleet, his subsequent refusal to lower the Confederate
flag floating from the City Hall after the enemy was in full possession,
resulted in his deposition from the Mayoralty, (when near the expiration of his
term) by General Butler, and his incarceration in Fort St. Philip, and afterward
in Fort Pickens. Refusing to take the new oath of allegiance imposed by the
Federal Government he endured, until the summer of the succeeding year, all the
rigors of prison life, consigned at one time to solitary confinement and doomed
at another time to wear ball and chain. Regarded at last as one possessed of a
spirit untamable by the process known to jailors, he was released on condition
that he should immediately go within the lines of the Confederates. This he did,
going first to Mobile and from thence to Richmond, where he was received by Mr.
Davis with unusual cordiality and finally fixing his residence in the former
city, where he was when captured by General Canby. Returning to New Orleans
after the close of the war, Mr. Monroe was arrested and kept under surveillance
for several months. No reason was assigned by the Federal Provost Marshal for
his extraordinary proceeding. Shortly after the reorganization of Louisiana
under what is commonly known as the Johnsonian policy, Mr. Monroe was re-elected
Mayor of New Orleans. He took his seat in March 1866, and was deposed by General
Sheridan under the Reconstruction Act of Congress, the pretext being complicity
in the celebrated riot of the 30th of July of the same year.
The second deposition of Mayor Monroe took place in March 1867, after much ex
parte testimony taken against him at the instance of General Sheridan. This act
was followed by the appointment of a Radical Mayor, and an Americo-African
Common Council, the genesis of the humiliation and misrule which has since
befallen Louisiana. In April following, Mr. Monroe visited Washington and was
kindly and sympathetically received by President Johnson and Attorney-General
Stanbury. Nor did he leave the capital until his restoration was clearly
intimated and the removal of General Sheridan made certain. There can be no
doubt that the deposed Mayor would again have been seated but for the second
batch of Reconstruction measures which overthrew the opinion of the
Attorney-General defining and limiting the provisions of the first act.
John T. Monroe, a blood relation of President Monroe, was born in Dinwiddle
County, VA., and was carried to Missouri when quite young. His father, Daniel
Monroe, represented at an early period the latter State in Congress. Coming to
New Orleans before his majority, the future Mayor learned the business of a
stevedore, which made him familiar with the men who form and control what is
popularly known as the "masses." Over the working classes he possessed a power
which was not broken at any time. He was of the people and with the people, and
they looked upon him as their representative and champion. They made him an
Assistant-Alderman and the lower Board seated him as its President. He served as
Assistant-Recorder and was twice elected Mayor. His mind was eminently
practical, his integrity unquestionable, and his proverbial fearlessness, the
sequence of the practicability and integrity of character. He knew men so well
that it was difficult to impose upon him, and he discharged his duties with a
conscientiousness which made him disregard clamor or criticism. Mr. Monroe
removed to savannah, Ga., and died there in February 1871, when about
forty-eight years of age. The rigors of imprisonment and of official
vicissitudes told severely upon him. He looked old while yet in his prime of
years. He had ascended the Masonic ladder to its topmost round, and hence was
buried in Savannah with distinguished Masonic honors. The year succeeding his
death his remains were brought to New Orleans, where they were deposited in the
family tomb by his Masonic brethren beside the body of his favorite son. When
this son lay upon his deathbed, the father was a prisoner in Fort St. Philip.
General Butler sent word that if the Mayor would take the new oath of allegiance
he might come to the city and see his dying child. The offer was promptly and
firmly declined, and father and son never met in life. Of such Roman mettle was
the subject of this brief biographical sketch."

INFORMATION SOURCE: Graves, Find A Grave member