David Mackinlay Orr was born in 1857 in Glasgow, and came to New Zealand with his parents when he was six years old. The family lived in Wellington for some years, and Orr worked with his father in the Waterloo Dining Rooms and the Buffet Hotel. He was well-known in the Wellington volunteer circles, and was on of the first members enlisted in the Wellington Guards. After some time, Orr moved to Ashurst and purchased a farm there, known as Te Kupenga.
Orr was married twice, first to Mary Jane Black, and then to Annie Barber Arcus in Wellington. He and Annie had one son together. Orr passed away in 1929.