James Monroe Deems Band (4th NH Vol Infantry) Books, Set 1. His most important legacy was his 1850 book, "Vocal Music Simplified", which was one of the earliest public-school music texts in the U.S. James Monroe Deems James Monroe Deems (1818–1901) was an American composer and music educator from Baltimore, Maryland, as well as a distinguished Union Army officer during the American Civil War. He served as lieutenant colonel of the 1st Maryland Cavalry. On July 26, 1866 President Andrew Johnson nominated Deems for appointment to the grade of brevet brigadier general of volunteers, to rank from March 13, 1865, and the United
James Monroe Gregory for six years. In 1887 he was a candidate to replace James Campbell Matthews as Washington, DC Recorder of Deeds, although the position went to William Monroe Trotter. Gregory was again a candidate for the position to succeed Trotter in late 1889, but the position went to Blanche Bruce. Gregory was president of the American Association of Educators of Colored Youth which was he founded in 1890 and led throughout its existence. He was a delegate to the 1892 Republican National Convention, and expressed interest in the Recorder of Deeds job again, which in 1893 went to C. H. J.