Nathaniel Munroe of Concord, Massachusetts, Baltimore, Maryland and Norfolk, Virginia.

Nathaniel Munroe of Concord, Massachusetts. Clockmaker and brass founder.

Nathaniel Munroe was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, on June 21, 1777. Nataniel trained as a clockmaker under the guidance of Abel Hutchins in Concord, New Hampshire. It is thought that his apprenticeship was fully served by 1798, and he soon joined his brothers Daniel and William in business. Their first firm was called Daniel Munroe & Company. A fair number of tall case clocks are known to be signed in this manner. Nathaniel married Sally Lee in Concord in 1803. In 1804, William Munroe, a cabinetmaker, started his own business in Concord. Nathaniel and Daniel continued as a partnership. During this period, Nathaniel also opened a shop in Norfolk, Virginia, where he took part of a shop from Mr. Chapman at the head of Bank Street. Nataniel advertised in 1805 that his business was located there. His wife Sally died in Norfolk on November 12, 1806. Nathaniel returned to Concord in 1807 to wed Mary Cotton Ballard in the month of September. This new family moved south to Baltimore, Maryland, where Nathaniel Jr. was born in 1811. By 1808, Nathaniel joined Samuel Whiting in business as Munroe & Whiting. Munroe did business in both locations. A New England-style tall case clock is known that is signed by this Baltimore firm. The Munroe & Whiting partnership employed as many as eight apprentices at one time in Concord. The collaboration with Whiting lasted until 1817. During this time, Daniel lived for a time in Virginia and Maryland while the firm continued to be run from Concord. In 1817, Nathaniel and Benjamin K. Haggar advertised as partners in business in Norfolk, Virginia. Their shop was located at 57 South Street. Shortly after this, the shop was moved to a new address located at 25 North Howard Street. Here they did a healthy business in 8-day clock movements and in clock supplies on a wholesale level to other American dealers. In May of 1818, Munroe advertised having Willard Timepieces for sale. In 1819, he announced moving from Howard Street to 222 Market Street. His second wife died on May 29, 1825. He married for a third time to Mary Ann Haggar on May 16, 1826. She was related to his former partner Benjamin Haggar. In 1826 - 1828, Nathaniel formed a partnership with David Holman as Munroe & Holman. This firm is listed as spectacle makers, jewelers, and silversmiths in the directories. In 1829, Munroe was listed as working alone through 1831 at his old stand on Baltimore Street as a clockmaker and as an optician. Nathaniel's son Nathaniel Jr. was most likely trained by his father. He moved to Mobile, Alabama, and to Selma in 1850. Nathaniel Sr died on May 8, 1861, and is buried in the Green Mountain Cemetery in Baltimore.