Biographical notes

Married in Stranraer in 1780. All the children up to John Allan (1785), were born in Stranraer. Their next child David was born in Dailly in 1787 indicating that the family had moved. Frances and Margaret were also born in Dailly (1791), but the exact birth date of their last child (Robert c. 1798) is untraced although in the 1861 Census his birthplace is given as Dailly, Ayrshire.

Apart from the entry in the Stranraer Parish Registers for the marriage of David and Margaret, most other evidence comes from the family reminiscences of Wallace Allan (1848-1931), written in 1931

quote : David Allan [born circa 1760] Great grandfather - born in Barr, wife's name Margt Boyd, farmer's daughter [born] near Irvine [c. 1850] previously a servant in the Dunlops of Dunlop [Cunninhame, Ayrshire] family. [He] Died comparatively young [last child born 1798] - went from Barr to Stranraer to live [first child, Jean Allan, birth registered in Stranraer in 17.5.1781] - family Wallace - (my Grandfather) [b.1783 - d. 1861], John [b.1785], (Shoemaker), Jean [b.1781], [in] Service until she married James Buchanan (father of Maggie Buchanan of Eglinton C[astle?]). Fanny [Frances b. 1791- d. 1883], maid to Mrs Dunlop (Burns Dunlop) [Mrs Frances Anna Dunlop (nee Wallace) b.1730 - d. 1815], and was her life long friend. [She] married late in life [10 February 1834], Sergt Patrick [William Patrick, b. 1790 - d. 1855], (Waterloo Veteran). [She] died at Mag[gie] Buchanan's [Her Niece] orchard Eglinton over 90. Robert [ Allan b. 1798 - d. 1863], became page then butler to Sir Wm. Gibson Craig [2nd Baronet (2 August 1797 ~ 12 March 1878), Scottish Advocate and politician].

quote : Margt Boyd (Gt. Grandmother), went back to service of the Dunlops when husband died, taking two younger children with her [Frances and Robert] & ended her days as gatehouse keeper at Mountgreenan [near Kilwinning]. A sister of Margt Boyds was grandmother of the Jamiesons blanket manufacturers and uncles of David Hyslops. Another sister was the Gt. Grandmother of Joseph Gray, now 84 living (1930) in Bellvue Road.