David Monro, 7th of Allan, WS

Biographical Summary

"VII. David Monro, born in 1696, and a minor, only seventeen years old. The estate was still loaded with wadsets and almost irretrievably involved in debt. David was educated in Edinburgh, where he studied for the legal profession, passed in 1735 as a Writer to the Signet, and was subsequently appointed Clerk to the Signet, an office which he held until his death. He devoted his whole life and energies to the redemption of the lands of his ancestors from the debts and other burdens in which he found them so deeply involved on his succession, and in this laudable endeavour — riding twice a year from Edinburgh to Allan, accompanied by his man servant, to collect the rents in person — he so far succeeded as to find himself in a position to entail the estate on his nephew, Charles Mackenzie, the son of his sister Margaret. He was Edinburgh Law-Agent for the family of Fowlis, and it is said of him, when Sir Robert Munro, the fifth Baronet, and his brother Dr Duncan, were slain at the battle of Falkirk, on the 17th of January, 1746, that he went to the field of battle, claimed the bodies, had them interred in Falkirk Cemetery, and had the beautiful monument still seen there, and already described, erected to their memory. But Sir Walter Scott confirms the version given in the account of Sir Robert, under the family of Fowlis, by quoting a letter from Sir Harry Munro, Sir Robert's son, in which that gentleman gives the credit of this generous action to the Earl of Cromarty and a party of the Macdonalds. It is not, however, at all improbable that all the parties mentioned may have had their share in it. It has indeed been averred that it was the Earl of Cromarty's part in this creditable transaction that prompted President Forbes, Sir Robert Munro's cousin-german, to plead so earnestly and successfully for the life and the restoration of the estates of that forfeited nobleman. Upon Sir Robert's body David Monro of Allan found a small silver-mounted snuff-mull, cracked by one of the shots which killed its owner, and it is still preserved in Allan House. It bears an inscription, evidently placed upon it at a later date, for it will be observed that the wrong year is given, 1745 for 1746. It is as follows : — " Found after the battle of Falkirk, on the field, by David Monro of Allan, in the pocket of Sir Robert Munro of Fowlis (A.D. 1745), in which battle he was killed."

David died in Edinburgh on the 6th of December, 1767, and was buried in the Old Grey Friars Churchyard there, all the Lords of Session attending the funeral, several of them in the capacity of chief mourners, when he was succeeded in terms of his own entail by his nephew, his sister Margaret's son, who as already stated, assumed the name of Monro."

SOURCE: History of the Munros of Fowlis: with genealogies of the principal families of the name to which are added those of Lexington and New England; Alexander Mackenzie; 1898; page 294

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Elizabeth, daughter of David Ross, 2nd of Balblair, married David Munro, sixth of Allan, and had a son David.

• Rossiana; papers and documents relating to the history and genealogy of the ancient and noble house of Ross, of Ross-shire, Scotland, and its descent form the ancient earls of Ross, together with the descent of the ancient and historic family of Read, from Rede of Trough-end, Reade of Barton Court, Berks, and Read of Delaware. Also some account of the related families  by Read, Harmon Pumpelly, 1860- [from old catalog]; Reid, Francis Nevile, 1826-1892 Publication date 1908 page 45