My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in the book, The History of Knox County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1887.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Joseph Monroe, an old settler and substantial farmer of Knox County, was born January 31, 1836, in Rush County, Ind., and is the only child of George Washington and Elizabeth (Seright) Monroe, natives of Indiana and Kentucky, respectively, and married in Decatur County, Ind., where the mother came with her parents when a mere child. After marriage they moved to Rush County, Ind., and there settled upon a farm, but when our subject was five years old immigrated to Knox County, Mo., settling upon a farm the father had entered, and where our subject is still residing. There the father died in 1857, having spent his life in farming, and his widow followed him in 1878. Our subject was educated at the common schools of Knox County, but his schooling was limited to the meager opportunities of those early days. After his father’s death, and before he became of age, our subject assumed control of the farm, and cared for his mother; at the age of twenty-three he married Emily G., daughter of Thomas E. and Catherine M. (Anderson) Lair, and who was born in October, 1841, in Shelby County, Mo., and came to Knox County with her parents when a little girl. Her marriage with our subject took place March 11, 1860, and after giving birth to five children, she died March 27, 1869. December 12, 1872, our subject was married to Martha, daughter of William and Sarah Wait. This lady was a native of Kentucky, and born September 14, 1831. This union was blessed with one child. The children of our subject are as follows: George W., Thomas P., Sarah E., Martha A. and James H. by the first marriage, and Cynthia A. Delia by the second. Mr. Monroe has been active and industrious, and still retains the farm of 240 acres originally entered by his father, which he has, however, greatly improved. Our subject has been a resident of Knox County since the time he came here a mere lad, and has won the confidence and esteem of the entire community, having been elected justice of the peace of Lyon Township, which office he satisfactorily filled for twelve years. He is, and has always been a stanch Democrat, and cast his first presidential vote for James Buchanan, in 1856. His first wife was an active member of the Baptist Church, and his present wife is an active and devout member of the same church.

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This family biography is one of 204 biographies included in the Knox County, Missouri portion of the book,  The History of Lewis, Clark, Knox and Scotland Counties, Missouri published in 1887.  For the complete description, click here: Knox County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Knox County, Missouri family biographies here: Knox County, Missouri Biographies

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