David of Torrs was born in 1675 and died at Melrose on 21 April 1732 aged 57. He was buried with his father in our burial enclosure in Galtway Kirkyard.

Admitted a Freeman and Burgess on 9th November 1701, he became, in 1708, Provost of Kirkcudbright.

He married Eleanora, eldest daughter of Sir James Dunbar, first baronet of Mochrum by his wife Isabel, daughter and co-heiress of Sir James Nicholson, Baronet of Carnock. Eleanora was 10th in descent from James II of Scotland and 14th from Edward III, through her grandmother, Lady Margaret Livingstone, daughter of Alexander, second Earl of Linlithgow. Sir James was 12th in descent from Robert II of Scotland, being descended from the Dunbars, former Earls of Dunbar, March and Moray. Sir James, whose title was a creation of 29th March 1694, was a man of immense size, with a great sense of humour. When he died he had to be taken from his bedroom through a hole made in its wall.

Robert Halliday Lidderdale reports David and Eleanora had three sons and two daughters: Thomas, John, James, Margaret, and Eleanora.

M'Kerlie records a third daughter, Christian, who married twice, firstly Major Thomas Young of Lennie, secondly Alexander McKie of Palgowan. She had issue to both. In what order in the family she comes in is not recorded.

On the walls of the family burial enclosure in Galtway Kirkyard are tablets to the memory of the following members of the family mostly buried there.

HIC JACIT TO
MAS LIDDER
DAILLE SANCTO
INSULO MAR
DOMINUS QUI
OB
DECIMO DIE FEB
AETATIS 7

and underneath has been added

Here lies David Lidde
rdale of Torrs son to
the above Thomas who
died 21st Apl 1732 Aetat 57

Only the "7" is decipherable of Thomas's age. The Coat of Arms is carved on the tomb, with the motto, without difference, as Thomas was the undoubted head of the family.

The tomb is mentioned in the report of the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments of Scotland, paragraph 260, p. 142. It points out that the lower part of the tomb has been pared away for David's inscription and the photo confirms it. There is no border or bordure on the shield.

The tablets on the walls record:

- JOHN LIDDERDALE of Castle Milk, son of David of Torrs, died 10th August 1777, aged 64.

Source: Robert Halliday Lidderdale, An Account of the Lowland Scots Family of Lidderdale, 1950.

Scotland Parish records also report the following christenings of three children of David Lidderdale and Eleanor (or Helen) Dunbar (or Dumbar):

A Scottish parish record for the birth or christening of James has not yet been found.

The other parish joined to Kirkcudbright, about 1683, was Galtway. It is in the centre of the present parish. The site of the ancient church is two miles from Kirkcudbright. Several years ago the walls could be traced, and the building was only thirty feet by fifteen. It is believed that a priory also stood in this old parish (Galtway), but we cannot find any trace of the site, which, however, is not to be wondered at, when the ancient buildings were so long used in lieu of quarries. The burial ground of the Lidderdales is here, within the walls. On an altar tomb, surmounted by the arms, there is a Latin inscription in quaint old lettering, to the following effect : - "Here lies Thomas Lidderdale, of St Mary's Isle, who died 1st February 1687, aged fifty-seven." Also another - "Here lies David Lidderdale of Torrs, son to the above Thomas, who died 21st September 1732, aged fifty-seven."

[Thomas Lidderdale] is stated to have had issue:

James

David, born 1675, of Torrs, who married Eleanora, eldest daughter of Sir James Dunbar of Muchrum, and had issue. He died 21st September 1732.

On the 23rd June 1708, David Lidderdaill of Torr, had sasine of the ten merk land of Torrs. Then on the 1st June 1739, James Lidderdale, son and heir to the deceased David Lidderdale, had sasine of Torrs.

After the death of Thomas Lidderdale in the West Indies, the representation of the family passed to David Lidderdale of Torrs, and his descendants. By his marriage already mentioned, he had issue-

    John, born in 1713, died in 1777.
    Thomas, married and had issue, Maria, who died unmarried.
    James, predeceased his brother John, married, and had issue,
        Thomas, who died unmarried.
        ----, who married --- Hutton, and had issue,
            Thomas.
            Charles.
        ---, who married --- Roebuck.
        ---, who married --- Brown.
    Margaret.
    Eleanor, married Walter Pringle, St. Kitts, West Indies, grandson of Sir Robert Pringle of Stitchel, Roxburghshire, and had issue,
        Thomas Pringle.
        Anne, married John Dalrymple, whose son James became fourth baronet of Hailes.

John succeeded his father David in the representation, and became the owner of Castlemilk, Dumfries-shire. He married in 1738 Elizabeth (who died in 1777), daughter of Robertson of Struan, Perthshire, and had issue, of whom survived,

    William Robertson, died in 1814.
    Thomas, born in 1760, married, of whom hereafter.
    Several other sons who died in infancy.

On the 23rd June 1708, David Lidderdaill of Torr, had sasine of the ten merk land of Torrs. Then on the 1st June 1739, James Lidderdale, son and heir to the deceased David Lidderdale, had sasine of Torrs. Next, on 8th May 1740, John M'Kie of Palgown, parish of Minnigaff, had sasine; followed on the 21st July 1740, by Henry Home of Kaimes (Berwickshire), advocate, who had sasine of the ten merk land of Torrs.

Source: P.H. McKerlie, History of the Lands and Their Owners in Galloway, 1878.

David Lidderdale, Esq. of Tor, is reported to have subscribed in 1725 to The Life of Mary, Queen of Scotland and France (http://www.Ancestry.com).

At the fairs and markets quarrelling and fighting were of frequent occurrence, notwithstanding the bye-laws. On the 3rd day of August, 1694, a dreadful row occurred at the Mercat Cross between James Lidderdale of The Isle, James Gordon, Town Clerk, several others their accomplices, and Thomas Corbie (Crosbie), mason. This, of course, could not be hushed up, and the matter came before the Magistrates and Council. The minute reads as follows:- "The qulk day the saids Magistrates and Councill having taken to their consideration the gross and intolerable abusses committed by James Lidderdale if Isle, James Gordounne, Town Clerk of Kirkcudbright, with subordinates or accomplices, did upon the third day of August last bypast, being ane fair day, set upon the person of Thomas Corbie, mason, at the mercat croce of the said Burgh, and there most insollent and inhumanlie battoned, bled, and abused the said Thomas to great effusion of his blood, leavin' him in ane rough and helpless condition, whereupon he with his wife and whole family, advised, came to the said George Meek, Bailzie, crying and exclaiming bitterly, declaring that the said Thomas was murdered by the saide persons, and required and desired that they might be governed in order to justice. The said bailzie having heard, given, and considered the said matter, went to the ground where the fact was committed, and required the said persons to give obedience, and to underly the law for the said horrid fact, which both refused to do, but is a most contumacious and rebellious manner, notwithstanding that they were both burgess of the said town. I went to the house of the said James Gordounne, and yr did associate to you David and Robert Lidderdale [???], brother to the said James Archibald Coulter of Orraland, Robert Maxwell of Croishfield, and William Johnstoun in Park of Netherlaw, whereupon the said Bailzie went to the said house with officer and several other assistants, requiring them to make patent doors in your Mattios names, and give obedience in manner foresaid, all of which they refused, and barricaded the doors, and when the bailzie was gone a little from the house they all came down in ane furious manor and did assault and fall upon the said bailzie by cutting and wounding his head with drawn swords, some whereof broken upon his head, as also cutt the Jaylours head an gorgoned the assistants with drawn swords. The saids Magratts and Councill do ordaine and Commission to the said Bailzie Meek to repair to Edinburgh and there give full information of the haill points of facts consult and advicat, and raise letters before yr Mattios Privy Council against the foresaids persons withall expedition. As also lettres of Lawburrows if need be." There were many rows of smaller importance, but they are unworthy of record.

Source: J. Affleck, "Old Galloway Fairs and Trysts - Kirkcudbright", 1919, Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser.

Obituary Prior to 1800 (as far as Relates to England, Scotland, and Ireland), Compiled by Sir William Musgrave, 6th Bart., of Hayton Castle, Co. Cumberland, and Entitled by Him "A General Nomenclator and Obituary, with Referrence to the Books Where the Persons are Mentioned, and Where Some Account of Their Character is to be Found." (www.ancestry.co.uk)

Lidderdale, Eleanora (Mrs.), dau. of Sir Jas. Dunbar of Mochrum, relict of David L. of Tors. 10 Nov 1757. (S.M. 614.)