Published in The Garland Daily News in 1980 as part of a series by Betty Roberts

HISTORY OF MONROES TRACED FROM 1888

The W.W. Monroe family came from Kentucky to Texas in 1888.  The family then consisted of Mr. And Mrs. Monroe and three children.  Monroe’s father was born and raised in Kentucky.  His grandfather had come to the United States from Scotland in the early 1800s.

The Monroe family first settled on a farm in Pleasant Valley.  In the early 1890s, they moved to a farm between Garland and Sachse, about one and a half miles from downtown Garland.  The approximately 250-acre farm was on both sides of what is now Crist Road.  The Ingersoll-Rand complex is now located on part of the Monroe farm.

In 1897, Monroe built a large house for the family.  It was a two-story white house with gingerbread trim and a picket fence.  The house was lived in continuously for 80 years.  Three years ago the house was bulldozed for new development in the area.

The community closest to the Monroe farm was Naaman.  The family did some of their trading at Conner’s store.

The Monroe children went to Naaman School through the sixth grade, walking elss than half a mile to school.  They went to Garland to finish school.

(Naaman School was located in three different places.  The last Naaman School property was sold April 27, 1936 for $700.  The school is gone but the name of the street where it stood is Naaman School Road.)

Monroe died in April 1936.  He was a member of the Garland Presbyterian Church.  He was described as a “faithful working member of the church, always taking a stand on any question for the good of his church and community.”  Mrs. Monroe died in 1940.

All eight children of W.W. Monroe made their homes in Garland.  One daughter Ola was a music teacher for many years.  Four of the sons were farmers.

Rayburn opened the first Western Auto Store in Garland.  It was located on the west side of the square where Accent Lighting and Mirror is now.  He later operated a service station on the corner of Garland Avenue and Fifth Street, the southeast corner of the square, for many years.

Rayburn is the only remaining Monroe son.  One daughter, Mrs. J.T. McCallum still lives in Garland.

While Rayburn was in high school, he met Rachel Anderson from Rowlett.  They were married in 1925.  They lived in Greenville for a short time while he worked for Lone Star Gas installing a pipeline.

Rayburn and Rachel returned to Garland after the tornado of 1928.  They bought a lot and the remaining two rooms of a house on Eights Street, between Austin and State Street, now the 200 block of North Glenbrook.  They picked up boards from houses that had been completely destroyed and rebuilt the house.

Tey lived on Eights Street until 1937.  There is no indication a house ever stood on the property now a parking lot behind Texas Power and Light.

In 1937, the Monroes built a house on Thirteenth Street.  The house is now directly behind the Catholic Church.  Monroe pulled up cotton stalks to clear the land.

In 1962, the Monroes moved again to the edge of town.