William Munroe Papers, 1861-1875

Vault A45, Munroe, Unit 1

 

EXTENT: 13 items.

ORGANIZATION AND ARRANGEMENT: Organized in a single file.

BIOGRAPHY: William Munroe was born in Concord, Massachusetts 1806 June 24 and died there 1877 April 27. He was the son of William Munroe, a pencil maker in Concord. A businessman in dry goods and importing in Boston, New York, and Europe, he was a partner in the dry goods importing house of Little, Alden & Co. and a director of Pacific Mills in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Munroe was the founder of the Concord Free Public Library. Built on the former site of Nathan Brooks’ house, the library opened in 1873.

SCOPE AND CONTENT: Papers, 1861-1875, consist of: agreement between Munroe and John Garrison of Concord, 1861 July 6, concerning parcel of land; acknowledgment by legatees of William Munroe, Sr.’s estate, (including William Munroe, Jr.) of receipt of bequests, 1861 September 7; two ALS, William Munroe to Nathan Brooks, 1861 March 15 and May 10, concerning settlement of estate of William Munroe, Sr.; two ALS, William Munroe to George M. Brooks. 1872 April 12 and 1870 October 27, regarding property purchased by Munroe of Brooks in preparation for building of Concord Free Public Library; ALS, William Munroe to Ebenezer Rockwood Hoar, 1869 May 18, regarding his desire to make a gift to the Town of Concord of a new public library; three ALS, William Munroe to Frederic Hudson, 1869 April 12 and 14, regarding land in the center of Concord for building library, and 1872 December 21, asking Hudson to reconsider his decision not to become a library trustee; ALS, William Munroe to librarian Ellen F. Whitney, 1875 March 29, congratulating her on completion of the new library catalog; two ALS, William Munroe to Albert Wood, 1869 August 28 and 1872 March 12, the former requesting that Wood make a plan of the Brooks house lot, the latter asking him to assist in the building of the library by making and testing levels.

NOTES/COMMENTS: Transfer from Letter Files; Letter File 1, M7 and M8; Letter File 3, M2-M10; Letter File 3a, M4 and M5; March 1995.

PROCESSED BY: L.P.W., 1995 March; finding aid prepared for the web, C. Manoli-Skocay, 2007 March.

 

CONTAINER LIST

Folder 1
Agreement between Munroe and John Garrison of Concord, 1861 July 6, concerning parcel of land; acknowledgement by legatees of William Munroe, Sr.’s estate, (including William Munroe, Jr.) of receipt of bequests, 1861 September 7.

Folder 2
Two ALS, William Munroe to Nathan Brooks, 1861 March 15 and May 10, concerning settlement of estate of William Munroe, Sr.; two ALS, William Munroe to George M. Brooks, 1872 April 12 and 1870 October 27, regarding property purchased by Munroe of Brooks in preparation for building of Concord Free Public Library; ALS, William Munroe to Ebenezer Rockwood Hoar, 1869 May 18, regarding his desire to make a gift to the Town of Concord of a new public library.

Folder 3
Three ALS, William Munroe to Frederic Hudson, 1869 April 12 and 14, regarding land in the center of Concord for building library, and 1872 December 21, asking Hudson to reconsider his decision not to become a library trustee; ALS, William Munroe to librarian Ellen F. Whitney, 1875 March 29, congratulating her on completion of the new library catalog; two ALS, William Munroe to Albert Wood, 1869 August 28 and 1872 March 12, the former requesting that Wood make a plan of the Brooks house lot, the latter asking him to assist in the building of the library by making and testing levels.

c2007 Concord Free Public Library, Concord, Mass.
Not to be reproduced in any form without permission of the Curator of Special Collections, Concord Free Public Library.

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Mounted 14 March 2007.    rcwh.