Presidents in Retirement: James Monroe
In the early days of the nation's history, presidents usually left office much poorer than when they entered it. (This is also true in some more recent cases as well.) James Monroe is a good example of this, although he had never really been a wealthy man. His father Spence Monroe, had been a moderately prosperous planter who also practiced carpentry. His mother was the former Elizabeth Jones. She married Spence Monroe in 1752 and they had five children together: Elizabeth, James, Spence, Andrew, and Joseph. Monroe's mother died in 1772, and his father died two years later. Though he inherited property from both of his parents, the sixteen-year-old Monroe was forced to leave school to support his younger brothers. His childless maternal uncle, Joseph Jones, became a surrogate father to Monroe and his siblings and a mentor to the future president. Jones was a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses. He enrolled James in the College of William and Mary and also introduced Monroe to important Virginians such as Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and George Washington.
Monroe married Elizabeth Kortright in New York City on February 16, 1786. She was the daughter of Hannah Aspinwall Kortright and Laurence Kortright. Her father was a wealthy trader and former British officer, who was not too pleased about the economic prospects of his daughter's new husband. After a brief honeymoon on Long Island, New York, the Monroes returned to New York City to live with her father until Congress adjourned. They then moved to Virginia, settling in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1789. They bought an estate in Charlottesville known as Ash Lawn–Highland, settling on the property in 1799. Monroe had sold his small inherited Virginia plantation in 1783 to enter law and politics. His plantation was never profitable. Although he owned much more land and many more slaves, and speculated in property, he was rarely on-site to oversee the operations. Monroe incurred debts by his expensive lifestyle that was part of being a diplomat in France. He often sold property to pay them off.
Monroe served as president from March 4, 1817 until March 4, 1825. he decided to follow the precedent set by Washington, Jefferson, and Madison and serve only two terms as President. Following the inauguration of John Quincy Adams, Monroe remained in the White House for three weeks because his wife was too ill to travel. When she was well enough to travel, he moved to Monroe Hill, what is now included in the grounds of the University of Virginia. He had operated the family farm there from 1788 to 1817, but sold it in the first year of his presidency to the new university. He served on the Board of Visitors under Jefferson and under the second rector James Madison, both former presidents, almost until his death.
Monroe incurred a lot of debts during his years of public life. He had served in positions that paid mediocre salaries and demanded expenditures for entertaining and protocol. He sold off his Highland Plantation (now called Ash Lawn-Highland). Today it is owned by his alma mater, the College of William and Mary, which has opened it to the public as a historic site. Throughout his life, he was financially insolvent, and this was made worse by his wife's poor health. After leaving office, he spent much of his time pressing the federal government for tens of thousands of dollars due him from past services. Eventually the federal government repaid Monroe a portion of the funds he desired, allowing him to pay off his debts and leave his children a respectable inheritance.
Monroe was elected as a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1829-1830. He was one of four delegates elected from the senatorial district made up of his home district of Loudoun and Fairfax County. In October 1829, he was elected by the Convention to serve as the presiding officer, until his failing health required him to withdraw on December 8.
Monroe struggled to complete a book comparing the U.S. government to the governments of ancient and modern nations, but he abandoned the project. Instead he started work on his autobiography. It became the major focus of his later years, but he never completed it.
He and his wife lived in Oak Hill, Virginia, until Elizabeth's death on September 23, 1830. In August 1825, the Monroes hosted special guests. An old friend of his, both from his time in George Washington's army, and when he was a diplomat in France, was the Marquis de Lafayette. As Minister (Ambassador) to France, Monroe had used his influence to secure the release of Adrienne de La Fayette, the Marquis's wife. When Lafayette visited the United States in 1825-26, he and President John Quincy Adams were guests at the Monroe's home at Oak Hill.
Upon Elizabeth's death in 1830, Monroe moved to New York City to live with his daughter Maria Hester Monroe Gouverneur. Maria Hester had married Samuel L. Gouverneur in the White House during Monroe's presidency. Monroe's health began to slowly fail by the end of the 1820s. he had a special visitor, as now former President John Quincy Adams visited him there in April 1831. Adams found him alert and eager to discuss the situation in Europe, but in ill health. Adams cut the visit short when he thought he was tiring Monroe out. Adams recorded in his diary that he was both pleased to see his old friend with such mental alertness, but saddened by Monroe's physical condition.
Monroe died in New York City at his daughter's home on July 4, 1831. The cause of death was heart failure and tuberculosis. Thousands of mourners followed his casket along Broadway in Manhattan to the Gouverneur family vault in Marble Cemetery, while church bells tolled and guns fired at Fort Columbus. Monroe became the third president to have died on Independence Day. His death came 55 years after the U.S. Declaration of Independence was proclaimed and 5 years after the death of the two other Founding Fathers who became Presidents: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Monroe was originally buried in New York at the Gouverneur family's vault in the New York City Marble Cemetery. Twenty-seven years later, in 1858, his body was re-interred to the President's Circle at the Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia. The James Monroe Tomb is a U.S. National Historic Landmark.
Monroe married Elizabeth Kortright in New York City on February 16, 1786. She was the daughter of Hannah Aspinwall Kortright and Laurence Kortright. Her father was a wealthy trader and former British officer, who was not too pleased about the economic prospects of his daughter's new husband. After a brief honeymoon on Long Island, New York, the Monroes returned to New York City to live with her father until Congress adjourned. They then moved to Virginia, settling in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1789. They bought an estate in Charlottesville known as Ash Lawn–Highland, settling on the property in 1799. Monroe had sold his small inherited Virginia plantation in 1783 to enter law and politics. His plantation was never profitable. Although he owned much more land and many more slaves, and speculated in property, he was rarely on-site to oversee the operations. Monroe incurred debts by his expensive lifestyle that was part of being a diplomat in France. He often sold property to pay them off.
Monroe served as president from March 4, 1817 until March 4, 1825. he decided to follow the precedent set by Washington, Jefferson, and Madison and serve only two terms as President. Following the inauguration of John Quincy Adams, Monroe remained in the White House for three weeks because his wife was too ill to travel. When she was well enough to travel, he moved to Monroe Hill, what is now included in the grounds of the University of Virginia. He had operated the family farm there from 1788 to 1817, but sold it in the first year of his presidency to the new university. He served on the Board of Visitors under Jefferson and under the second rector James Madison, both former presidents, almost until his death.
Monroe incurred a lot of debts during his years of public life. He had served in positions that paid mediocre salaries and demanded expenditures for entertaining and protocol. He sold off his Highland Plantation (now called Ash Lawn-Highland). Today it is owned by his alma mater, the College of William and Mary, which has opened it to the public as a historic site. Throughout his life, he was financially insolvent, and this was made worse by his wife's poor health. After leaving office, he spent much of his time pressing the federal government for tens of thousands of dollars due him from past services. Eventually the federal government repaid Monroe a portion of the funds he desired, allowing him to pay off his debts and leave his children a respectable inheritance.
Monroe was elected as a delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1829-1830. He was one of four delegates elected from the senatorial district made up of his home district of Loudoun and Fairfax County. In October 1829, he was elected by the Convention to serve as the presiding officer, until his failing health required him to withdraw on December 8.
Monroe struggled to complete a book comparing the U.S. government to the governments of ancient and modern nations, but he abandoned the project. Instead he started work on his autobiography. It became the major focus of his later years, but he never completed it.
He and his wife lived in Oak Hill, Virginia, until Elizabeth's death on September 23, 1830. In August 1825, the Monroes hosted special guests. An old friend of his, both from his time in George Washington's army, and when he was a diplomat in France, was the Marquis de Lafayette. As Minister (Ambassador) to France, Monroe had used his influence to secure the release of Adrienne de La Fayette, the Marquis's wife. When Lafayette visited the United States in 1825-26, he and President John Quincy Adams were guests at the Monroe's home at Oak Hill.
Upon Elizabeth's death in 1830, Monroe moved to New York City to live with his daughter Maria Hester Monroe Gouverneur. Maria Hester had married Samuel L. Gouverneur in the White House during Monroe's presidency. Monroe's health began to slowly fail by the end of the 1820s. he had a special visitor, as now former President John Quincy Adams visited him there in April 1831. Adams found him alert and eager to discuss the situation in Europe, but in ill health. Adams cut the visit short when he thought he was tiring Monroe out. Adams recorded in his diary that he was both pleased to see his old friend with such mental alertness, but saddened by Monroe's physical condition.
Monroe died in New York City at his daughter's home on July 4, 1831. The cause of death was heart failure and tuberculosis. Thousands of mourners followed his casket along Broadway in Manhattan to the Gouverneur family vault in Marble Cemetery, while church bells tolled and guns fired at Fort Columbus. Monroe became the third president to have died on Independence Day. His death came 55 years after the U.S. Declaration of Independence was proclaimed and 5 years after the death of the two other Founding Fathers who became Presidents: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Monroe was originally buried in New York at the Gouverneur family's vault in the New York City Marble Cemetery. Twenty-seven years later, in 1858, his body was re-interred to the President's Circle at the Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia. The James Monroe Tomb is a U.S. National Historic Landmark.