John Alexander Munroe (1873 - 1942)

Born 26 Jun 1873 in Boularderie, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada

Died 12 Feb 1942 at age 68 in Canada

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Biography

Former boxer, won his first boxing title in 1900, once knocked out the Heavyweight Champion James J. Jeffries (1905), but lost in a rematch a year later.

John Alexander Munroe

Written by John Munroe Walker for his grand-nephew Timothy Walker Stoke February 24, 1977 Transcribed by Timothy Walker Stoke February 13, 2016

Dear Tim,

I am in the middle of a family history for you, but will pause and give you a sketch of one of the characters.

John Alexander Munroe (note correct spelling) 4th son of Alexander Munroe was born on a farm on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia around 1876.

In early manhood he left the farm (after attending local schools) to seek a living in the United States.

With his older brother Donald, he traveled ever westward, impelled by visions of gold at the end of the rainbow. The California and Alaska gold rushes were in full cry.

Pausing in Butte, Montana to work in the copper mines, an event occurred which radically altered the course of his life, and propelled him into national prominence overnight.

At that time Jim Jeffries was the heavyweight champion of the world, having defeated Bob Fitzsimmons for the title. He was barnstorming around the country giving exhibitions, and offering $300.00 to any man who would last 3 rounds with him in the ring.

Undaunted, unimpressed and totally inexperienced, but blessed with a powerful physique, Johnny Munroe was persuaded to accept the challenge in Butte. Not only did he last the 3 rounds, but he actually knocked Jim Jeffries off his feet – a feat never before accomplished.

This created a sensation and was flashed on the Western Union lines to all the newspapers in the country.

A spectator in the audience that night was Clark Ball, a fight promoter and former manager of Bob Fitzsimmons. He rushed up to the ring, signed up Johnny Munroe, took him under his wing, changed his name to Jack Munroe, and started a long campaign of exhibitions and fights all over the country that eventually led to a return match with Jim Jeffries in San Francisco. He defeated all the contenders except Jack Johnson who won a 6 round decision in Philadelphia. In the return bout Jim Jeffries knocked out Jack Munroe in the third round.

Having accomplished his purpose, which was to accumulate money, Jack Munroe returned to Canada, settled in Toronto and became a gold prospector in and around Kirkland Lake, Ontario, staking out claims and selling them to investors.

At the outbreak of the First World War Jack Munroe was prospecting in the bush, heard the news, rushed back to Toronto and enlisted in the famous Princess Pat’s regiment, an elite corps of soldiers of fortune (only experienced fighters were accepted – Donald and Jack Munroe had served in the Spanish-American war) and was the first overseas contingent to reach the battlefield in France.

He had a pet dog named Bobby Burns. He brought Bobby to training camp and the regiment adopted him as its mascot. At embarkation in Halifax he carried Bobby aboard in a duffel bag disguised as extra clothing. Bobby served with distinction in and out of the trenches, was gassed several times, and was awarded the Croix de Guerre for bravery in action.

At debarkation in Liverpool, Jack Munroe jumped from the deck to the dock before the gangplank was lowered, thus becoming the first Canadian to land in England.

The regiment trained for a few weeks in England then was dispatched to the front where they bore the full brunt of the savage German assaults on the Maine.

In battle Jack Munroe was an awesome sight, a towering man rising out of the trenches in a gas-mask, brandishing a two-edged battle-axe, he charged forward striking terror in the enemy, conjuring up frightful memories of their own ancestors – the Huns. He asked and gave no quarters. After fierce fighting and when the regiment was decimated with only 6 men surviving Jack Munroe received a bullet through the chest severing the nerves of his right arm. Blood spurted 5 feet in a straight line, he was rushed to the rear, then to an army hospital in England where he refused amputation of his arm and spent many months in painful recuperation. Here he learned to write with his left hand, but never giving up hope that one day life would return to his paralyzed right arm. For many years he endured the lonely regions of bush life in the harsh environment of Northern Ontario with no other companion than Bobby Burns.

When he was returned to Canada for further rest and recovery he retired to Haileybury, Ontario where, in the solitude of his beloved North Country, he wrote a book on the history of the Princess Pat’s Regiment, calling it “Mopping Up.” It became a best seller and was, and may still be, available at all Public Libraries.

The United States had now entered the war and Jack Munroe, still on active duty, was assigned, together with Bobby Burns to help the war effort in the United States by speaking at Liberty Bond rallies throughout the country. I was then Adjutant of Camp Merrit, New Jersey, and he often visited me there. One day he was riding in a taxi from his hotel to the rally when Bobby Burns jumped out of the car and disappeared in the crowd. The entire New York City police department was alerted and in short order returned this famous dog to his master. Another time we were traveling by train to Chester when the conductor refused to allow Bobby Burns in the passenger car until he relented when he was shown the Croix de Guerre on the collar.

Now the war was over and Jack Munroe embarked on a theatrical career appearing in vaudeville with Bobby Burns on the Keith Circuit coast to coast.

When the war fever subsided he returned to Toronto where he married Lina Craine, a lyric soprano with the Toronto Light Opera. They settled in Kirkland Lake, Ontario where he resumed his gold prospecting activities and became Mayor. A false report of his death was flashed around the world in 1928.

One day he was traveling by train with Bobby Burns in a remote section of Northern Ontario. The train was flagged down for a passenger and Bobby Burns jumped down from the train and ran into the woods. While a thorough search was made, no trace could be found. Bobby Burns, full of days, and sensing the end had chosen to die alone in the stillness of his beloved North Woods. Later, there were rumors. Some say they saw a stray dog in the moonlight racing down the track in the direction the train had taken. Could this have been the ghost of a remorseful Bobby Burns ever faithful to his master? Skeptics may scoff but who are we to question such a possibility?

Yearning for the amenities of a larger city Jack Munroe and his wife returned to Toronto and lived out their lives at 12 Laws St. He frequented the brokerage houses and hotel lobbies promoting his mining interests.

At that time I was a traveling auditor in Canada living at the King Edward Hotel when in Toronto. I often encountered him in the lobby of the hotel surrounded by an admiring group of sport enthusiasts. One day I returned to the hotel and found my room in disarray with a note from Jack Munroe to tell me he was sorry for the condition of the room but that he had used it for an interview by a sports writer.

Now in the twilight of his years, he was invited to accompany the Toronto Baseball Club to spring training in Florida. Here, resting in the warm Miami sun, he was found by Joe Williams, famous sports writer of the New York Telegram who wrote in his column that day, “Today I found Jack Munroe, famous boxer, sportsman, soldier of fortune still strong in mind and body with the gentle face and mien of a priest, sitting in the warm Florida sun” and then went on to recount his life.

Gone is the adulation of the crowd, gone is the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, gone is the sound and fury of the battlefield, gone is the pomp and circumstance. He awaits in peace and tranquility for the final bell, the last bugle call.

Jack Munroe died in 1941, his wife in 1962, both are buried in the Craine family plot in the Orillia Cemetery, Orillia, Ontario, Canada.

This chronicle was written by a nephew (now in his 86th year) of Jack Munroe at the request of his grand-nephew, without reference to notes or documents of any kind, and is factual to the best of my memory.

John Munroe Walker Philadelphia, PA February 24, 1977

Buried Fairview Cemetery, Action, Ontario, Canada.

File Format: jpg. PHOTO Scrapbook: Y. Format: jpg. img152 John Alexander (Jack) Munroe. PHOTO Scrapbook: Y. Format: jpg. Jack Munroe and collie. PHOTO Scrapbook: Y.

Sources

• Source: S11 familysearch.org TID 0 Footnote familysearch.org ShortFootnote familysearch.org Bibliography familysearch.org. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKM5-66PM Page https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKM5-66PM

  "Ontario Marriages, 1869-1927," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKM5-66PM : accessed 5 January 2016), John Alexander Munroe and Colina Gordon Craine, 05Sep 1923; citing registration , Toronto, York, Ontario, Canada, Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 2,266,886.

• Source: S7 Canadian Great War Project TID 0 Footnote Canadian Great War Project ShortFootnote Canadian Great War Project Bibliography Canadian Great War Project. http://www.canadiangreatwarproject.com/searches/soldierDetail.asp?ID=70222 Page http://www.canadiangreatwarproject.com/searches/soldierDetail.asp?ID=70222