Major James Edward Monroe
Toronto Daily Star, October 18 1926
Needless to say, there was no definitive documentary proof that Major Monroe was who he said he was or that he was as old as he claimed to be. President Monroe had three documented children, born between 1786 and 1802; if Major Monroe had been born in 1815, he would have been born when the president's wife was 47 years old. (There's no record of whether the major claimed to be a legitimate or illegitimate son.)
A search turned up the following:
- His Find a Grave entry, which states that he passed away in 1949 at what he claimed to be 133 years old, and that he was buried in Gravely Hill cemetery in Jacksonville, Florida.
- An article that states that Major Monroe is not, in fact, buried in Gravely Hill.
- A photo of Major Monroe going for his morning swim in 1924, when he was claiming to be 109.
Created September 7, 2025.