Delaware County NY Genealogy and History Site

There are quite a few Munro-Shoemaker post cards out and about including at the Stamford Village Library, but there is not much information to be found about John Munro and his shoe store at 3 South Delaware Ave. Stamford.

John was born in Scotland January 1861; came to the USA in 1891 or 1892 and was naturalized in 1897. He is in the 1898 and 1902 Stamford Village enumeration living on Main Street and in the 1917 Assessment tax roll he is on South Delaware. He is single and lists his occupation as shoemaker in the Stamford census reports for 1900, 1905, 1910 and 1920. In 1905 and 1910 he is boarding at the Delaware House/Inn with numerous others. I could not find him in the 1915 and 1925 census; perhaps he wasn't home the day the enumerator came by.

The only social entry I could find, even after using several spellings of Munro, was in a March 1903 Hobart Independent South Kortright column where he visits A. Watson.

When I looked closely at the photos I noticed he had a 4-5” extension on his right leg apparently to even out the length with the left leg. He also has a rather extensive flower garden.

October 29, 1919 Stamford Mirror-Recorder (SMR)- Advertisement- Monroe Doctrine The United States will not do without the Monroe Doctrine. So Munroe at Stamford is trying to keep up the Doctrine by carrying the best of everything in Gold Seal Rubber Boots; Snag Proof Boots; Ball Band Boots; Hipress Boots; United States Boots. Men’s Best Blue Overalls at $1.49; Boy’s Best Blue Overalls at 75

cents; Men’s Oil Coats; Men’s Best Fleece Lined Shirts and Drawers; Men’s Shirts, Stockings, Gloves, Mittens, Etc,—and much more to be found at the LITTLE SHOE STORE AROUND THE CORNER JOHN MUNROE Stamford, N. Y.

He probably died the end of February 1929 because legal notices in the newspaper started the beginning of March.

March 7, 1929 (SMR)- NOTICE TO CREDITORS—Pursuant to an Order of Andrew J. McNaught, Surrogate of the County of Delaware, notice is hereby given to all persons having claims against John Munroe, late of the town of Stamford.

From April 4 - 6 his entire stock was to be sold including 80 pairs of Rubber Boots at $3.25 per pair and a large quantity of men's work shoes, fell boot rubbers, arctics, rubber overshoes, for men and women, at less than cost. John D. Winter was the Administrator. I don't know how he fit so much stock in such a small building.

The Stamford Cemetery book lists John Monroe as being buried in the Stamford Cemetery, in section B-12, without any dates listed but I could not find a gravestone for him.

Following John's death his shoe shop, that sits on one sixteenth of an acre, was sold to Frances Ford and $16 was paid for the annual land tax. In later years the building to the right was a shoe repair shop owned by Peter and Gretchen Shafer.