Mary (Brower) Munro (1738 - 1815)

Born 9 Oct 1738 in Schenectady, Schenectady Co., New York

Ancestors

Wife of John Munro UE — married 5 Apr 1760 in Schenectady, Schenectady Co., New York

Descendants

Died 12 Apr 1815 at age 76 in Morrisburg, , Ontario, Canada

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Kevin Munro [send private message]

Biography

Mary was born on 9 October 1738 in Schenectady, Schenectady Co., New York, United States. She was the daughter of Cornelis Hendrickse Brouwer and Cornelia (Barheit) Brouwer.^[1]

Mary was baptized on 14 October 1738 in Schenectady, Schenectady Co., New York, United States. Note: #CI6255^[1]

When Mary was 21 she married John Munro on 5 April 1760 in Schenectady, Schenectady Co., New York, United States. The couple had 8 children: Christiana Munro, Cornelia Munro, Hugh Munro, Cornelius Munro, Henry Munro, John Munro, Marie Charlotte Munro and William Johnson Munro.^[2]

Mary died at the age of about 229 on 12 April 1815 in Morrisburg, Ontario, Canada and was buried in 1968 in Riverside Heights, Ontario, Canada. Note: #XI6255^[1][3]

Research Notes

Sources with no fact or date

There are additional sources with no facts or date. Often these are sources for the baptism or marriage of children that mention the parents or father. This section can just be removed if you will be adding those children and using these sources there.^[4]

Alternate Names

There are alternate names for this person:

• Marie
• Marie Talbot Gilbert Bruere
• Maritje Talbot Gilbert Brouwer
• Mary BROWER
• Mary Brewer

Notes from external profile

Mary was the daughter of Cornelius Brower of Albany, who was the grandson of William Brower, an immigrant from Holland.
The following Family Tree is found among the "Munro Papers" in the Archives of McCord Memorial Library, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada:
I. William Henrdickse Brower b. Holland d. Albany, N.Y. 1668
II. Hendrick Brower b. ? d. 1706 m. at Albany, New York on 26 March 1692 to Maria Pietrse BORSBOOM, daughter of Pieter Jacobuse Borsboom d. 1687
III. Cornelius Brower b. 22 Jan 1704 d. ? m. 27 July 1736 to Cornelia BARLIEYT b. Albany, New York 6 Oct 1706, daughter of Johannes Barlieyt and Catherine Gilbert m. 16 July 1701.
IV. Maria Brower m. 5 April 1760 to Capt John Munro " a Tory from Schenectady son of Hugh Munro of Fyrish (in the parish of Almsquire (sic), County of Ross, Scotland"
The descendant list continues with Christiana Munro's marriage to Dr. Philip Mount; the above information was provided by a Mount descendant, Winnifred Hill.
A LETTER FROM A LOYALIST WIFE ADDRESSED: JOHN MUNRO ESQ., MONTREAL
Mr dear John I hope when you receive these few lines they may find you in good health.
Your Dear Children are all well, as for myself I am in a poor state of health and very much distresst. I must leave my house in a very short time, and God knows where I shall get a place to put my head on, for my own relations are my greatest enemys, the mills they have had a long time in their possession -- likewaise all your tenants houses and lands -- They have distressed me beyond expression. I have scarcly a mouthful of bread for myself or Childer for heavens sake my dear Mr. Munro send me some relief by the first safe hand. Is there no possibility of your sending for us, if their is no method fallen upon we shall perish, for you can have no idea of our sufferings here, let me once more entreat you to try every method to save your family - my heart is so full it is ready to break -- Adew my Dearest John May God Almighty bless and preserve and protect you, that we may live to see each other is the constant prayers of
Your affectionate tho afflicted wife Mary Munro
P.S. The Childer send their love to you
[Public Archives of Canada MG 21, Vol B214, Pg 35] This undated letter was written from Shaftsbury, Vermont, on the New York border, in the "New Hampshire Grants," then considered part of New York.
Here John Munro was granted 4000 acres in 1765 [land grants for Army service in French-Indian War] together with relatives of his wife, Mary Brouwer of an old Schenectady Dutch family. (The Brouwer House at 14 Church Street claims to be Schenectady's oldest house, built and lived in by Brouwers 160 years before John Munro took his bride Marytje from here.)
John was a newcomer, born in Ross-shire, Scotland, who came to New York in 1756 in the British Army. He went into business in Schenectady but soon moved on to Albany, where he became a Justice and was one of the first Elders in the Albany Presbyterian Church. For 13 years their home** was in Shaftsbury where he was Sheriff and Chief Magistrate of this newly settled district, in which he enforced the claims granted by New York in conflict with the grants made by New Hampshire. Many of the latter settlers were from Connecticut. He was most unpopular with the New Englanders, and in turn, he expressed great contempt for "those gentlemen called 'the Green Mountain Boys.'"
John Munro remained loyal to the crown and in August 1777 [after several adventures as a "Tory Spy" and 18 months imprisonment at Esopus with a 'death sentence' he escaped] and fled to Burgoyne's camp and went with Sir Guy Carlton to Montreal where the King's Royal Regiment was formed under the command of Sir John Johnson. He was commissioned senior Captain in the First Battalion and was very active against "the Rebels."
In the meantime poor Mary with seven children was left in this desperate situation. However she was relieved soon after this letter was written, for John petitioned Governor Haldimen in Canada and was given permission to bring his family to Montreal in October 1778.
The above is from CONNECTICUT ANCESTRY, a Quarterly Magazine of Stamford, Connecticut Genealogical Society (May 1976, Vol 18, No. 4, Pg 117-118) written by Richard and Elizabeth Hubert. Richard is the great-great grandson of Charlotte Munro de Lotbiniere, youngest daughter of Mary and John Munro.
There were seven children with Mary in Vermont. William Johnson Munro, their eighth and last child was born in Montreal on 10 December 1781. John Munro named his Shaftsbury Estate "Fowlis" in honor of his family connections to the old knighted Baronial Munro Clan Chiefs and Castle Fowlis near his birthplace in Ross-shire, Scotland. He constructed not only a "Manor-house" but stables, potash and grist mills, a nail factory and sundry other projects. Before the outbreak of the Revolutionary War he had settled over 100 tenants on his lands, and was a prosperous landowner. After his arrests and final conviction and imprisonment his lands and all his belongings were confiscated. Many of these were subsequently sold or auctioned.
During this time Mary was allowed to live in the home at Fowlis with very meager provisions. When the cattle and stock were driven away an official directed that "one milk cow was to be left for her use for the children" but was to be also surrendered when she left. Family tradition reports that Mary left Fowlis and was able to finance her escape by selling some Silver Plate that she had hidden. She took the children first to Schenectady but there relatives refused to shelter or help her. She was finally aided by a friend [or relative ?] and made her way to Lake Champlain over the roads and Indian trails where she was provided transportation by boat to Crown Point and Fort St. John. There she was met by her husband who took her to Montreal where he had obtained quarters for his family.
Although the seven children seemed to survive this adventure with little ill effects, Mary was very ill. Although she eventually recovered, she suffered from the debilitating effects of these years for the remainder of her life. Even 20 years later, in 1798, William Johnson Munro writes to his father from Grand Portage while in the North West Fur Company "For Gods sake keep a good store of nourishment in the house which is the only thing you can have to comfort you and my poor ailing Mother who has suffered so much for us all."
Mary Brouwer Munro, widowed in 1800 died in Upper Canada - at another Manor-house and estate called Fowlis - on 12 April 1815, aged 76 years, 6 months and 3 days.
December 1, 1814 WILL OF MARY BROUWER MUNRO In the name of God, Amen. I, Mary Munro, the Widow of the late Hon. John Munro, Esq. of the township of Matilda, in the East District in the Province of Upper Canada, Weak in body but of sound mind and memory, praised be to God for the same, do make and publish this my last will and testament in manner and form following, but first commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God, my Creator, Etc.
As to my worldly estate I give and bequeath the same as follows; FIRST give all Estate Real and Personal of every description whether of lands, tenements, house furniture and every part thereof to my loving son JOHN MUNRO of Matilda, aforesaid and to his heirs and assigns forever; SECONDLY I give all my wearing apparel to my daughter-in-law Catherine, wife of my son John Munro aforesaid, and their Eldest daughter Marie of every description, and I do further by these presents give all of my estate, real and personal, whether of lands, debts, Bond obligations, Legasees and loss of kind of property of whatever name or notation and all my Rights, Dues or Debts or Dower that may belong to me in the United States of America and particularly in the State of New York. Also by these presents authorizing the aforesaid John Munro Esq., my son, to collect, obtain, and receive the same in any way lawfully divided, advised or as his judgement may advise - and I do thusly make order and appoint the Rev. John Bethune, Jr. of Augusta in the District of New Johnston, and Lucius P. Sherwood, Esq. of Elizabeth Town or the survivor of them to be the Executors of this my last will and testament, Revoking all others.
Witness by my hand this first day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fourteen.
(s) Mary Munro Signed,
sealed and delivered by the said Testamentarian as the Last Will and Testament in the presence of us: T.G. Weagent, P. Gladdon, John Moseby
(Copied from Photostat original at Upper Canada Village Library, Morrisburg, Ontario - June 15, 1992 by Vallena B. Munro from Surrogate Court Records of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, wills 1800-1821, Reel 862340)
References:
(1) "The Munro Eagle" - number 27 - summer 1997-1998 - p. 29
Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Genealogist, Clan Munro Association, USA - e-mail: alger@@alum.mit.edu^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Burial: Title: Clan Munro files - Munro, Henry Dallas Abbreviation: Clan Munro files - Munro, Henry Dallas Author: Henry Dallas Munro. Citing: Page: GEDCOM file - prepared 8 Oct 1996 - RIN 74, 78-79 (accessed before 24 December 2013)
2. ↑ Marriage: Title: Clan Munro files - Munro, Henry Dallas Abbreviation: Clan Munro files - Munro, Henry Dallas Author: Henry Dallas Munro. Citing: Page: GEDCOM file - prepared 8 Oct 1996 - RIN 73 (accessed before 24 December 2013)
3. ↑ Memorial: Find a Grave (has image)
   Find A Grave: Memorial #137173970 (accessed 2 November 2023)
   Memorial page for Mary Brewer Munroe (9 Oct 1738-12 Apr 1815), citing Holy Trinity Anglican Church Cemetery, Morrisburg, Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry United Counties, Ontario, Canada; Maintained by Anne Leroux (contributor 48483075).
4. ↑ Unclassified: Title: Clan Munro files - Postma, Anna Mary Abbreviation: Clan Munro files - Postma, Anna Mary Author: Anna Mary Postma. Note CI6255. Mary was christened in the Dutch Reformed Church in Schenectady, New York. Note DI6255. Dundas County. Note XI6255. Mary is memorialized at the UEL Memorial in Riverside Heights, Dundas County, Ontario, Canada. Citing: Page: Descendants of John Munro (CAPT.) dated 28 Jan 2005 (accessed before 24 December 2013)
5. ↑ Source: #S14 Page: GEDCOM file - prepared 8 Oct 1996 - RIN 74

Acknowledgments

• Profile Brower-378 was created through the import of HenryHerbertMUNRO.ged on Dec 24, 2013 by Kevin Munro.