Henry Alexander Butler Johnstone

Notes:

Henry was educated at Eton and Christchurch, Oxford. In 1864, he succeeded to the disentailed portions of the Novar estates, on the death of his uncle, Hugh Andrew Johnstone Munro of Novar. He also inherited from his uncle, his famous collection of art which sold at fabulous prices.

In 1874, he assumed the name of Munro in addition to his own and that of Johnstone, which he had previously assumed on his succession to the estates of his uncle, General Johnstone of Corehead and Auchen Castle.

He served as a Member of Parialment for Canterbury for several years, having been elected twice from that city. In 1878, he resigned his seat and became the manager of the Great Mammoth Gold Mine in Utah. He worked with much force and energy at this position, but was ultimately obliged to give it up for want of the necessary funds to carry it on.

He had a very strong sympathy with the Turks in their war with Russia and made large donations to the Porte for the purchase of arms and ammunition, but the splendid resistance of the Turks aat Plevna and elsewhere proved of no avail. Henry thought he would never be repaid, but when Mr. Bourke, the Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs, consented to go to Constantinople to plead the case of the British bondholders, he took advantage of that opportunity to urge the special nature of Mr. Johnstone's claim, and the Porte directed that it should be discharged in full, a total of about 200,000 pounds plus 30,000 pounds in interest.

In 1882, Henry sold his portion of the Novar estates to Mr. Ronald Crawford Munro Ferguson for 112,000 pounds.

References:

(1) "History of the Munros of Fowlis" by A. Mackenzie - Inverness (1898) - p. 536-538

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Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Genealogist, Clan Munro Association, USA

Henry married Maria Irma, Comtesse De Sovers on 17 Nov 1877. Maria was born about 1839; died in 1880. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]