John Munro (1728 – October 27, 1800), was generally referred to as 'Captain The Hon. John Munro of Fowlis' to distinguish him from others with the same name and rank. He was a Highland soldier who after the Seven Years' War received extensive land grants at Albany, New York, becoming a prominent Tory and merchant associated with Simon McTavish and the fur trade. Having gained a reputation for no-nonsense, he was made a magistrate and given further land at Vermont to bring Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys to order. Ever the ardent Loyalist, Munro fought for the British during the American Revolutionary War which led to the loss of his land following the American victory. He re-settled in Upper Canada, where he became a Judge and was appointed to the first Legislative Council of Upper Canada.
Highland Origins
John Munro was born in 1728, "the son of Hugh Munro of Fyrish, Fowlis, in the parish of Alness, in the Shire of Ross, Scotland". His precise ancestry, previously the subject of much speculation, was successfully accepted by the Court of the Lord Lyon in 1995. Both of his parents were lineally descended from the Munros of Foulis, the Chiefs of Clan Munro: His father, Hugh Munro, from George Munro, 10th Baron of Foulis and the Munros of Katewell; his mother, Christiana Munro, from the Munros of Fyrish and Robert Munro, 14th Baron of Foulis. Captain Munro named his 11,000 acre estate in Albany, New York, 'Fowlis' for Foulis Castle, the seat of his ancestors on both sides.
Albany, New York
John Munro's father was of modest means and unable to purchase a commission for his son. As a sergeant-major of the 48th (Northamptonshire) Regiment of Foot, John came to North America in 1756, seeing active service in the Seven Years' War at the Battles of Louisburg and Quebec. Following the war, he was disbanded and received extensive land grants for his military service east of the Hudson River at Schenectady, Albany County, New York. This estate, which he named "Fowlis", soon came to encompass over 11,000 acres of land. He became a merchant and rapidly prospered in business, particularly in the fur trade, becoming a close lifelong friend of Simon McTavish, who sponsored one of his sons. Munro was an elder of the English Presbyterian Church in Albany, and a Magistrate for the County of Albany and the County of New York.
Shaftesbury, Vermont
In about 1765, the no-nonsense attitude of Munro led him to be favoured by James Duane and John Tabor Kempe in New York. They gained for him his commission of the peace for Albany and Munro received land at Shaftsbury, Vermont, moving his family there. As one of a handful of Tories in the region he continued to farm, operating mills, a pottery, an ashery and a nail factory, but was ostensibly placed there to bring Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys to order over the disputed the New Hampshire Grants.
In 1771, Munro led a group of twelve men to capture Remember Baker, raiding his mill and taking him away as a prisoner but before they could get him across the Hudson River, the Green Mountain Boys ambushed their party and rescued the prisoner. Munro reported to the governor of New York that the conflict at Baker's house was very desperate and that he had "some reason to be thankful to Divine Providence for the preservation of his life and that of his party" but that he should have succeeded in carrying Baker to Albany, if he could have had ten men in arms, but they all ran into the woods. During the capture of Baker, his gun had been taken by Munro which led to a fierce argument between him and Seth Warner, who drew his sword and struck Munro on the head. According to Ira Allen, the Scotsman's thick hair and skull saved his brains and broke Warner's sword. Munro was a prominent Tory and as such his family and property were continuously harassed in the pre-revolutionary period and he was twice imprisoned by the rebel forces.
American Revolutionary War
Munro had openly declared his loyalty to the Crown even before the outset of the American Revolutionary War. He was the first Loyalist to offer his services to Colonel Allan Maclean of Torloisk and his newly formed 84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants). Munro accompanied Maclean (in disguise) for two hundred miles through the hostile Province of New York "at great risk to his own life", and was instrumental in secretly enlisting many of his tenants and neighbours (many of whom were disbanded soldiers of the British and Highland Regiments) into the Royal Highland Emigrants before he was arrested and thrown into gaol at Albany.