Mini Bios of People of Scots Descent
John A. Munro Biography

JOHN A. MUNRO, president of the Wilmot Land and Loan Company, of Wilmot, was born in Nova Scotia, October 18, 1853, the son of Donald and Nancy Munro, the father a native of Scotland and by occupation a stone-mason and contractor. John. A. attended the country schools, and later pursued the higher branches in the Picton Academy and took up the study of pharmacy under the direction of a druggist of his native place. After becoming familiar with the business, he went to Minnesota, where he followed his chosen calling from 1878 to 1879, and in the latter year came to South Dakota, and established a drug house at Big Stone City, which he conducted very profitably during the six years following.

In 1883 Mr. Munro was appointed clerk of court for Roberts county, which office he held for four years. In 1885 he removed to Wilmot, where he has resided ever since. During his term as clerk of court he devoted his leisure time to the study of law and was admitted to practice in 1888, but did not engage very actively in the practice, turning his attention rather to real estate and banking, which he found more to his taste and much more profitable. He is a director of the First State Bank of Wilmot, and to him is due the credit of organizing the Wilmot Land and Loan Company of Wilmot, of which he is president at present, and which, as much as any other agency, has tended to the settlement and material development of Roberts county and other parts of eastern Dakota.

Mr. Munro ever since coming west has been actively identified with the affairs of Wilmot and Roberts county. He was sergeant-at-arms in the house of representatives during the legislative session of 1885, was largely instrumental in carrying his county and district that year for the Republican party, and as a politician his influence has been strong and far-reaching. As a citizen he is progressive and thoroughly up to date, lends his encouragement and material support to everything making for the public good and having faith in the future of his adopted state, is manfully doing his part to make it come up to his high ideal of what a commonwealth should be.

Mr. Munro belongs to the Masonic fraternity, in which he now holds office of junior warden, and is also an active member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, being at this time district deputy of the last named organization. In the month of December, 1892, was 
solemnized the marriage of Mr. Munro and Miss Carrie E. Phanso of Pennsylvania, a union blessed with five offspring, namely: Kenneth Donald, Gladys Irene, Carroll Jean, Doris Ella and Myrtle Lucile.