George Munro

George Munro may refer to:

See also

George Munro, 1st of Auchinbowie

George Munro of Auchinbowie, originally of Bearcrofts was a Scottish born military officer of the late 17th century. He was the first Munro of Auchinbowie.

Lineage

George Munro was the eldest son of Sir Alexander Munro of Bearcrofts. George married Margarat Bruce, the daughter of Robert Bruce of Auchinbowie, a property about four miles south of Stirling. Tradition tells us that the Munros of Bearcrofts descend from John Munro, 1st of Milntown who was a younger son of Hugh Munro, 9th Baron of Foulis (d.1425). From the 16th century onwards this line of the Munro family history is continuous and vouched by documentary evidence: Three generations after John Munro of Miltown is George Munro of Milntown who became one of the most prominent ministers in the Reformed Church in the north of Scotland. A younger son of his was also called George and followed in his footsteps. This George's third son was Sir Alexander Munro of Bearcrofts, father of the George Munro who would become the first Laird of Auchinbowie.

George Munro (philanthropist)

George Munro (12 November 1825 – 23 April 1896) was a Canadian educator and philanthropist from Nova Scotia. He was born in West River, Pictou County, Nova Scotia. After basic schooling he became an apprentice at the age of 12 with a local newspaper known as The Observer. After two years he continued his education attending the New Glasgow School (1839 - 1842). After this he taught for a year to raise enough money to attend Pictou Academy.

Around 1850, Munro moved to Halifax and taught natural philosophy and mathematics at the Free Church Academy. He eventually became the school's principal before leaving for New York City in 1856. Five years later in 1861, he joined the publishing firm Irwin P. Beadle and Company. In 1863 the firm broke up and Munro entered in a partnership with Beadle and ended up owning the company a year later.

Munro became rich from his publishing company and in 1879 began donating to Dalhousie University under the influence of his brother-in-law, a member of the university's Board of Governors. At the time Dalhousie's total income was only $6,600, and the university was in danger of shutting down. In all Munro gave approximately $333,000 to the university (about $8 million in today's funds) which included endowed professorships and bursaries.