James Monroe - Grave of a Famous Person on Waymarking.com

President James Monroe was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, on April 28, 1758. He attended the College of William and Mary, fought with distinction in the Continental Army, and practiced law in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He served as President of the United States from 1817 – 1825. While in office he helped author The Missouri Compromise, which was a bill that barred slavery north and west of Missouri forever. In foreign affairs Monroe developed a policy that essentially prohibited future colonization in the western hemisphere by European Nations. The policy became known as “The Monroe Doctrine.” President James Monroe died on July 4, 1831 in New York City. He was the third President to die on July 4th, Presidents Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died on July 4, 1826. President Monroe was originally buried in Marble Cemetery in New York City, but On July 5, 1858, his body was moved from New York to Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia.

President James Monroe was close friends with President Thomas Jefferson, so close in fact, that his home, "Ashlawn" was located just a short distance from Jefferson's Monticello. Many visitors to Charlottesville, Virginia make it a point to visit Monticello, but forget that "Ashlawn" is located just three miles away at the bottom of the mountain. In fact on a clear day, visitors can stand in the back lawn at Ashlawn and gaze upon the white dome of Monticello. For more information visit the Ashlawn website: (visit link)

Description: James Monroe was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, in 1758, He attended the College of William and Mary, fought with distinction in the Continental Army, and practiced law in Fredericksburg, Virginia. As a youthful politician, he joined the anti-Federalists in the Virginia Convention which ratified the Constitution, and in 1790, an advocate of Jeffersonian policies, was elected United States Senator. As Minister to France in 1794-1796, he displayed strong sympathies for the French cause; later, with Robert R. Livingston, he helped negotiate the Louisiana Purchase. His ambition and energy, together with the backing of President Madison, made him the Republican choice for the Presidency in 1816. With little Federalist opposition, he easily won re-election in 1820. Monroe made unusually strong Cabinet choices, naming a Southerner, John C. Calhoun, as Secretary of War, and a northerner, John Quincy Adams, as Secretary of State. Only Henry Clay's refusal kept Monroe from adding an outstanding Westerner. Early in his administration, Monroe undertook a goodwill tour. At Boston, his visit was hailed as the beginning of an "Era of Good Feelings." Unfortunately these "good feelings" did not endure, although Monroe, his popularity undiminished, followed nationalist policies. Across the facade of nationalism, ugly sectional cracks appeared. A painful economic depression undoubtedly increased the dismay of the people of the Missouri Territory in 1819 when their application for admission to the Union as a slave state failed. An amended bill for gradually eliminating slavery in Missouri precipitated two years of bitter debate in Congress. The Missouri Compromise bill resolved the struggle, pairing Missouri as a slave state with Maine, a free state, and barring slavery north and west of Missouri forever. In foreign affairs Monroe proclaimed the fundamental policy that bears his name, responding to the threat that the more conservative governments in Europe might try to aid Spain in winning back her former Latin American colonies. Monroe did not begin formally to recognize the young sister republics until 1822, after ascertaining that Congress would vote appropriations for diplomatic missions. He and Secretary of State John Quincy Adams wished to avoid trouble with Spain until it had ceded the Floridas, as was done in 1821. Great Britain, with its powerful navy, also opposed reconquest of Latin America and suggested that the United States join in proclaiming "hands off." Ex-Presidents Jefferson and Madison counseled Monroe to accept the offer, but Secretary Adams advised, "It would be more candid ... to avow our principles explicitly to Russia and France, than to come in as a cock-boat in the wake of the British man-of-war." Monroe accepted Adams's advice. Not only must Latin America be left alone, he warned, but also Russia must not encroach southward on the Pacific coast. ". . . the American continents," he stated, "by the free and independent condition which they have assumed and maintain, are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European Power." Some 20 years after Monroe died in 1831, this became known as the Monroe Doctrine. President Monroe died on July 4, 1831 in New York City. He was the third President to die on July 4th. Both Presidents Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on the same day, July 4, 1826. President Monroe was originally buried in New York’s Marble Cemetery, but on July 5, 1858 his remains were moved from New York and reburied in Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia. Source/Credit: The White House Website. http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/jm5.html Date of birth: 04/28/1758 Date of death: 07/04/1831 Area of notoriety: Historical Figure Marker Type: Monument Setting: Outdoor Visiting Hours/Restrictions: Daily - 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Fee required?: No Web site: [Web Link]

Visit Instructions:
To post a visit log for waymarks in this category, you must have personally visited the waymark location. When logging your visit, please provide a note describing your visit experience, along with any additional information about the waymark or the surrounding area that you think others may find interesting.

We especially encourage you to include any pictures that you took during your visit to the waymark. However, only respectful photographs are allowed. Logs which include photographs representing any form of disrespectful behavior (including those showing personal items placed on or near the grave location) will be subject to deletion.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log   08/04/2012 bluesnote visited it 11/25/2011 79scouts visited it 09/29/2011 wardnkathy visited it 12/15/2006 skree visited it 08/16/2006 climbstuff visited it

View all visits/logs