George Monroe
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George Frazier Monroe (c.1844-1886) was a stagecoach driver for the Pony Express. His passengers included presidents and a socialite.
Monroe was born in
Yosemite at a resort hotel owned by Henry D. Washburn
called the Big Tree Station, and eventually became a stagecoach driver once the hotel could be reached by road.
Monroe drove a route on the Pony Express between Merced, California, and Mariposa, California, from 1870 to 1886. His employer Henry D. Washburn reserved Monroe as one of his most distinguished drivers and drove several U.S. Presidents including Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, and James A. Garfield, as well as socialite Lillie Langtry.
After incurring an injury as a passenger helping to stop a runaway coach, Monroe died on November 22, 1886, at the age of 42.
Legacy
Fort Monroe at Yosemite National Park was named in his honor.
References
- UCLA Library
- Wells Fargo Stories
- Your Black World: Black West Archived 2022-02-16 at the Wayback Machine
- Black Past