4. Alexander, from whom the author of this History, and of whose descendants under "SLIOCHD ALASTAIR CHAIM."
5. Isobel, who married John Mackenzie of Applecross (afterwards of Lochslinn), brother-german to Colin, first Earl of Seaforth. By him she had issue, a daughter, who married Sir Norman Macleod, I. of Bernera, with issue - John Macleod of Muiravenside and Bernera, Advocate. Isobel, on the death of her husband, who was poisoned at Tam, married secondly, Colin Mackenzie of Tarvie, third son of Sir Roderick Mackenzie, I. of Coigach, Tutor of Kintail, with issue. She married, thirdly, Murdoch Mackenzie, V. of Achilty, without issue.
6. Margaret, who, as his third wife, married Alexander Ross of Cuilich, from whom the family of Achnacloich.
7. A daughter, who married Robert Gray of Skibo, with issue. Alexander married, secondly, Isabel, eldest daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, progenitor of Coul and Applecross, with issue -
8. William of Multafy and I. of Belmaduthy, of whom in their order.
9. Roderick, who married Agnes, second daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, I. of Suddie, without issue.
10. Angus, who married the eldest daughter of Hector Mackenzie, IV. of Fairburn, without issue. Angus "was a brave soldier, and commanded a considerable body of Highlanders under King Charles the second at the Torwood. He, with Scrymgeour of Dudhope and other Loyalists, marched at a great rate to assist the Macleans, who were cut to pieces by Cromwell's dragoons at Inverkeithing, but to their great grief were recalled by the Earl of Argyll, General of the army." [Gairloch Manuscript.]
11. Annabella, who, as his second wife, married Donald Mackenzie, III. of Loggie, with issue - his heir and successor, and others.
12. Janet, who married Alexander Mackenzie, I. of Ardross and Pitglassie, progenitor of the present Mackenzies of Dundonnel, with issue - his heir and successor.
Alexander had also a natural daughter, who, as his first wife, married George, fourth son of John Mackenzie, I. of Ord, without issue.
He died, as appears from his successor's retour of service, on the 4th of January, 1638, [In this service we have "Kirktoun with the manor and gardens of the same," and after a long list of the townships, the fishings of half the water of Ewe and the rivers Kerry and Badachro follows, "the loch of Loch Maroy, with the islands of the same, and the manor place and gardens in the Island of Illiurory, the loch of Garloch, with the fishings of the same," from which it appears that the residence on, Island Rory Beg, the walls of which and of the large garden are yet distinctly traceable, was quite as early as that on Island Suthain in which Alexander died.] in the 61st year of his age, at Island Suthain, in Loch Maree, where traces of his house still remain. He was buried with his wife "in a chapel he caused built near the Church of Gairloch," during his father's lifetime, and was succeeded by his eldest son,
VI. KENNETH MACKENZIE, a strong Loyalist during the wars of Montrose and the Covenanters. He was fined by the Committee of Estates for his adherence to the King, under the Act of 3rd February, 1646, entitled Commission for the moneys of Excise and Process against delinquents," in a forced loan of 500 merks, for which the receipt, dated 15th March, 1647, signed by Kennedy, Earl of Cassilis, and Sir William Cochrane, two of the Commissioners named in the Act, and by two or three others, is still extant. Seaforth was, at the time, one of the Committee of Estates, and his influence was probably exercised in favour of leniency to the Baron of Gairloch; especially as he was himself privately imbued with strong predilections in favour of the Royalists. Kenneth commanded a body of Highlanders at Balvenny under Thomas Mackenzie of Pluscardine, and his own brother-in-law, the Earl of Huntly; but when the Royalist army was surprised and disarmed, he was on a visit to Castle Grant and managed to effect his escape.
In 1640 he completed the purchase of Loggie-Wester, commenced by his predecessor, but in order to do so he had to have recourse to the money market. He granted a bond, dated 20th of October, 1644, for 1000 merks, to Hector Mackenzie, alias MacIan MacAlastair Mhic Alastair, indweller in Eadill-fuill or South Erradale. On the 14th of January, 1649, at Kirkton, he granted to the same person a bond for 500 merks; but at this date Hector was described as "indweller in Androry," and again, another dated at Stankhouse of Gairloch (Tigh Dige), 24th of November, 1662; but the lender of the money is on this occasion described as living in Diobaig. For the two first of these sums Murdo Mackenzie of Sand, Kenneth's brother-german, became security.
In 1657 Kenneth is collateral security to a bond granted by the same Murdoch Mackenzie of Sand to Colin Mackenzie, I. of Sanachan, brother-german to John Mackenzie, II. of Applecross, for 2000 merks, borrowed on the 20th of March in that year the one-half of which was to be paid by the delivery at the feast of Beltane or Whitsunday, 1658, of 50 cows in milk by calves of that year, and the other half, with legal interest, at Whitsunday, 1659. Colin Mackenzie, I. of Sanachan, married Murdoch's daughter; the contract of marriage is dated the same day as the bond, and is subscribed at Dingwall by the same witnesses.
By letters of Tutorie Dative from Oliver Cromwell, he was, in 1658, appointed Tutor to Hector Mackenzie, lawful son of Alexander Mackenzie, lawful son of Duncan Mackenzie of Sand, Gairloch. There is nothing further to show what became of the pupil, Hector, but it is highly probable that on the death of Alexander, son of Duncan of Sand, the farm was given by Kenneth to his own brother, Murdoch, and that the 2000 merks, borrowed from Colin Mackenzie of Sanachan, who married Murdoch's only daughter, Margaret, may have been borrowed for the purpose of stocking the farm. The dates of the marriage, of the bond, and of the Tutorie Dative, so near each other, strongly support this view.
Kenneth married, first, Katharine, daughter of Sir Donald Macdonald, IX. of Sleat, without issue. The contract of marriage is dated 5th September, 1635, the marriage portion being the handsome sum of "6ooo merks, and her endowment 1000 libs Scots yearly." He married, secondly, Ann, daughter of Sir John Grant of Grant, by Ann Ogilvy, daughter of the Earl of Findlater (marriage contract dated 17th October, 1640). There is a charter by Kenneth in her favour of the lands of Loggie-Wester, the miln and pertinents thereof, with the grazings of Tolly, in implement of the marriage contract, dated 4th of December, 1640, with a sasine of the same date, and another charter of the lands and manor-place of Kinkell and Ardnagrask, dated the 15th of August, 1655, with sasine thereon, dated 5th September following. By her Kenneth had issue -
1. Alexander, his heir and successor.
2. Hector, of Bishop-Kinkell, who married Margaret, eldest daughter of Donald Mackenzie, III. of Loggie, and widow of Roderick Mackenzie, V. of Fairburn, and with her obtained the lands of Bishop-Kinkell, to which his son John succeeded.
3. John, who died unmarried.
4. Mary, who, in 1656, married Alexander Mackenzie, at the time Younger and afterwards III. of Kilcoy, with issue.
5. Barbara, who married, first, Fraser of Kinneries, and secondly, Alexander Mackenzie, I. of Ardloch, with issue by both.
6. Lilias, who married, as his first wife, Alexander Mackenzie, II. of Ballone, with issue.
He married, thirdly, Janet, daughter of John Cuthbert of Castlehill (marriage contract dated 17th December, 1658, the marriage portion being 3000 merks, and her endowment 5 chalders victual yearly), with issue -
7. Charles, I. of Letterewe, who, by his father's marriage contract, got Loggie-Wester, which had been purchased by Kenneth in 1640. In 1696 Charles exchanged it with his eldest half-brother, Alexander, VII. of Gairloch, for Letterewe. Charles married Ann, daughter of John Mackenzie, II. of Applecross, with issue - See MACKENZIES OF LETTEREWE.
8. Kenneth, who died unmarried.
9. Colin, I. of Mountgerald, who married Margaret, second daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, I. of Ballone, and widow of Sir Roderick Mackenzie of Findon, without issue; and secondly, Katharine, daughter of James Fraser of Achnagairn, with issue - See MACKENZIES OF MOUNTGERALD.
10. Isabella, who married Roderick Mackenzie, second son of John Mackenzie, II. of Applecross, with issue, whose descendants now represent the original Mackenzies of Applecross.
11. Annabella, who married George, third son of Roderick Mackenzie, V. of Davochmaluag, with issue.
According to the retour of service of his successor, Kenneth died in 1669, was buried in Beauly Priory, and was succeeded by his eldest son,
VII. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, who, by a charter of resignation, got Loggie-Wester included in the barony of Gairloch. It had, however, been settled on his stepmother, Janet Cuthbert, in life-rent, and after her on her eldest son, Charles of Mellan and subsequently of Letterewe, to whom, after her death, Alexander formally disponed it. They afterwards entered into an excambion by which Alexander reacquired Loggie-Wester in exchange for Letterewe, which then became the patrimony of the successors of Charles.
A tradition is current in the Gairloch family that when Alexander sought the hand of his future lady, Barbara, daughter of Sir John Mackenzie of Tarbat, and sister-german to the first Earl of Cromarty and to Isobel Countess of Seaforth, he endeavoured to make himself appear much wealthier than he really was, by returning a higher rental than he actually received at the time of making up the Scots valued rent in 1670, in which year he married. This tradition is corroborated by a comparison of the valuation of the shire of Inverness for 1644, published by Charles Fraser-Mackintosh in "Antiquarian Notes," and the rental of 1670, on which the ecclesiastical assessments are still based. In the former year the rental of the parish of Gairloch was L3134 13s 4d, of which L1081 6s 8d was from the lands of the Barony, equal to 34 1/2 per cent., while in the latter year the valued rental of the parish is put down at L3400, of which L1549 is from the barony lands, or 45 1/2 per cent. It is impossible that such a rise in the rental could have taken place in the short space of twenty-six years; and the presumption is in favour of the accuracy of the tradition which imports that the rental was over-valued for the special purpose of making the Baron of Gairloch appear more important in the eyes of his future relatives-in-law than he really was. In 1681 he had his rights and titles ratified by Act of Parliament, printed at length in the Folio edition.
He married, first, in 1670, Barbara, daughter of Sir John Mackenzie,
Baronet of Tarbat, with issue -
1. Kenneth, his heir and successor.
2. Isobel, who married John Macdonald of Balcony, son of Sir James Macdonald, IX. of Sleat.
He married, secondly, Janet, daughter of William Mackenzie, I. of Belmaduthy (marriage contract 30th of January 1679), on which occasion Davochcairn and Ardnagrask were settled upon her in life-rent, and on her eldest son at her death, as appears from a precept of date clare constat, by Colin Mackenzie of Davochpollo, in favour of William, his eldest surviving son. By her he had issue -
3. Alexander, who died unmarried.
4. William, who acquired the lands of Davochcairn, and married, in 1712, Jean, daughter of Roderick Mackenzie, V. of Redcastle, with issue - a son, Alexander, of the Stamp Office, London, and several daughters. Alexander has a "clare constat" as only son in 1732. He died in 1772, leaving a son, Alexander Kenneth, who emigrated to New South Wales, where several of his descendants now reside; the representative of the family, in 1878, being Alexander Kenneth Mac-kenzie, Boonara, Bondi, Sydney.
5. John, who purchased the lands of Lochend (now Inverewe), with issue - Alexander Mackenzie, afterwards of Lochend and George, an officer in Colonel Murray Keith's Highland Regiment also two daughters, Lilias, who married William Mackenzie, IV. of Gruinard, and Christy, who married William Maciver of Tournaig, both with issue - See MACKENZIES OF LOCHEND.
6. Ann, who, in 1703, married Kenneth Mackenzie, II. of Torridon, with issue. She married, secondly, Kenneth Mackenzie, a solicitor in London.
He died in December 1694, at the age of 42, which appears from his general retour of sasine, dated 25th February, 1673, in which he is said to be then of lawful age. He was buried in Gairloch, and was succeeded by his only son by his first marriage,
VIII. SIR KENNETH MACKENZIE, created a Baronet of Nova Scotia, by Queen Anne, on the 2nd of February, 1703. He was educated at Oxford, and afterwards represented his native county of Ross in the Scottish Parliament. He strongly opposed the Union, considering that if it should take place, it would be "the funeral of his country." After the succession of Queen Anne he received from her, in December 1702, a gift of the taxed ward, feu-duties, non-entry, and marriage dues, and other casualties payable to the Crown, from the date of his father's death, which, up to 1702, do not appear to have been paid. Early in the same year he seems to have been taken seriously ill, whereupon he executed a holograph will and testament at Stankhouse, dated the 23rd of May, 1702, which was witnessed by his uncle, Colin Mackenzie of Findon, and by his brother-in-law, Simon Mackenzie, I. of Allangrange. He appoints as trustees his "dear friends "John, Master of Tarbat, Kenneth Mackenzie of Cromarty, Kenneth Mackenzie of Scatwell, Hector Mackenzie, and Colin Mackenzie, his uncles, and George Mackenzie, II. of Allangrange. He appointed Colin Mackenzie, then of Findon, and afterwards of Davochpollo and Mountgerald, as his tutor and factor at a salary of 200 merks Scots. In May, 1703, having apparently to some extent recovered his health, he appears in his place in Parliament. In September of the same year he returned to Stankhouse, Gairloch, where he executed two bonds of provision, one for his second son George, and the other for his younger daughters.
He married, in 1696, Margaret, youngest daughter, and, as is commonly said, co-heiress of Sir Roderick Mackenzie of Findon, but the Barony of Findon went wholly to Lilias, the eldest daughter, who married Sir Kenneth Mackenzie, 1st Baronet and IV. of Scatwell another of the daughters, Isobel, married Simon Mackenzie, I. of Allangrange. There was a fourth daughter, unmarried at the date of Margaret's contract of marriage and the four took a fourth part each of Sir Roderick's moveables and of certain lands not included in the Barony. At the date of his marriage Kenneth had not made up titles to his estates; but by his marriage contract he is taken bound to do so as soon as he can. His retour of service was taken out in the following year.
By Margaret Mackenzie of Findon Kenneth had issue -
1. Alexander, his heir and successor.
2. George, who became a merchant in Glasgow, and died unmarried in 1739.
3. Barbara, who, in 1729, married George Beattie, a merchant in Montrose, without issue.
4. Margaret, who died young in 1704.
5. Anne, who, in 1728, married, during his father's life-time, Murdo Mackenzie, VII. of Achilty, without issue.
6. Katharine, who died young.
Sir Kenneth had also a natural daughter, Margaret, who married, in 1723, Donald Macdonald, younger of Cuidreach. Sir Kenneth's widow, about a year after his decease, married Bayne of Tulloch. Notwithstanding the money that Sir Kenneth received with her, he died deeply in debt, and left his children insufficiently provided for. George and Barbara were at first maintained by their mother, and afterwards by Colin of Findon who had married their grandmother, widow of Sir Roderick Mackenzie of Findon, while Alexander and Anne were in even a worse plight.
He died in December 1703, at the early age of 32; was buried in
Gairloch, and succeeded by his eldest son,
IX. SIR ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, the second Baronet, a child only three and a half years old. His prospects were certainly not enviable, he and his sister Anne having had for a time, for actual want of means, to be "settled in tenants' houses." The rental of Gairloch and Glasletter at his father's death only amounted to 5954 merks, and his other estates in the Low Country were settled on his mother, Sir Kenneth's widow, for life while he was left with debts due amounting to 66,674 merks, equal to eleven years rental of the whole estates. During his minority, however, the large sum of 51,200 merks was paid off, in addition to 27,635 in name of interest on the original debt; and consequently very little was left for his education. In 1708 he, along with his brother and sisters, were taken to the factor's house - Colin Mackenzie of Findon - where they remained for four years, and received the rudiments of their education from a young man, Simon Urquhart. In 1712 they were all sent to school at Chanonry, under Urquhart's charge, where Sir Alexander remained for six years, after which, having arrived at 18 years of age, he went to complete his education in Edinburgh. He afterwards made a tour of travel, and returning home in 1730 married his cousin, Janet Mackenzie of Scatwell, on which occasion a fine Gaelic poem was composed in her praise by John Mackay, the famous blind piper and poet of Gairloch, whose daughter became the mother of William Ross, a Gaelic bard even more celebrated than the blind piper himself. If we believe her eulogist the lady possessed all the virtues of mind and body but in spite of all these graces the marriage did not turn out a happy one; for, in 1758, she separated from her husband on the grounds of incompatibility of temper, after which she lived alone at Kinkell.
When, in 1721, Sir Alexander came of age, he was obliged to find means to pay the provision payable to his brother George and to his sisters, amounting altogether to 16,000 merks, while about the same amount of his father's debts was still unpaid. In 1729 he purchased Cruive House and the Ferry of Skudale. In 1735 he bought Bishop-Kinkell; in 1742 Loggie-Riach and, in 1743, Kenlochewe, which latter property was considered equal in value to Glasletter of Kintail, sold about the same time. About 1730 he redeemed Davochcairn and Ardnagrask from the widow of his uncle William, and Davochpollo from the widow and son James of his grand-uncle, Colin, I. of Mountgerald. In 1752 he executed an entail of all his estates; but leaving debts at his death, amounting to L2679 13s 10d more than his personal estate could meet, Davochcairn, Davochpollo, and Ardnagrask, had eventually to be sold to make up the deficiency.
In 1738 he pulled down the old family residence of Stankhouse, or "Tigh Dige," at Gairloch, which stood in a low, marshy, damp situation, surrounded by the moat from which it derived its name, and built the present house on an elevated plateau, surrounded by magnificent woods and towering hills, with a southern front elevation - altogether one of the most beautiful and best sheltered situations in the Highlands; and he very appropriately called it Flowerdale. He greatly improved his property, and was in all respects a careful and good man of business. He kept out of the Rising of 1745, and afterwards when John Mackenzie of Meddat applied to him for aid in favour of Lord Macleod, son of the Earl of Cromarty, who took so prominent a part in it, and was afterwards in very tightened circumstances, Sir Alexander replied in a letter dated at Gairloch, 17th May, 1749, in the following somewhat unsympathetic terms:
Sir,—I am favoured with your letter, and am extreamly sory Lord Cromartie's circumstances should obliege him to sollicit the aide of small gentlemen. I much raither he hade dyed sword in hand even where he was ingag'd then be necessitate to act such a pairt I have the honour to be nearly related to him, and to have been his companion, but will not supply him at this time, for which I believe I can give you the best reason in the world, and the only one possible for me to give, and that is that I cannot. [Fraser's "Earls of Cromartie," vol. ii., p. 230.]
The reason stated in this letter may possibly be the true one; but it is more likely that Sir Alexander had no sympathy whatever with the cause which brought his kinsman into such an unfortunate position, and that he would not, on that account, lend him any assistance.
Some of his leases, preserved in the Gairloch charter chest, contain some very curious clauses, many of which would now be described as tyrannical and cruel, but the Laird and his tenants understood each other, and they got on remarkably well. The tenants were bound to sell him all their marketable cattle "at reasonable rates," and to deliver to him at current prices all the cod and ling caught by them; and, in some cases, were bound to keep one or more boats, with a sufficient number of men as sub-tenants, for the prosecution of the cod and ling fishings. He kept his own curer, cured the fish, and sold it at 12s 6d per cwt. delivered in June at Gairloch, with credit until the following Martinmas, to Mr Dunbar, merchant, with whom he made a contract binding himself, for several years, to deliver, at the price named, all the cod caught in Gairloch. [See copy of lease granted by him, in 1760, of the half of North Erradale, to one of the author's ancestors, printed at length under the family of "Alastair Cam."]
Sir Alexander married, in 1730, Janet, daughter of Sir Roderick
Mackenzie, second Baronet and V. of Scatwell, with issue -
1. Alexander, his heir and successor.
2. Kenneth, who died in infancy.
3. Roderick, a captain in the army, who was killed at Quebec before he attained majority.
4. William, a writer, who died unmarried.
5. James, who died in infancy.
6. Kenneth of Millbank, factor and Tutor to Sir Hector, the fourth Baronet of Gairloch, during the last few years of his minority. He married Anne, daughter of Alexander Mackenzie of Tolly, with issue - (1) Alexander, County Clerk of Ross-shire, who married, and had issue - Alexander, in New Zealand; Kenneth, who married twice, in India, and died in 1877; and Catherine, who married Murdo Cameron, Leanaig, with surviving issue - one son, Alexander; (2) Janet, who married the Rev. Dr John Macdonald, of Ferintosh, the famous "Apostle of the North," with issue; (3) Catherine, who married Alexander Mackenzie, a merchant in London, and grandson of Alexander Mackenzie of Tolly, with issue - an only daughter, Catherine, who married Major Roderick Mackenzie, VII. of Kincraig, with issue; (4) Jane, who, in 1808, married the Rev. Hector Bethune, minister of Dingwall, with issue - Colonel Bethune, who died without issue; the Rev. Angus Bethune, Rector of Seaham; Alexander Mackenzie Bethune, Secretary of the Peninsular and Oriental Navigation Company, married, without issue; and a daughter, Jane, who married the late Francis Harper, Torgorm. Mrs Bethune died in 1878, aged 91 years.
7 and 8. Margaret and Janet, both of whom died young.
9. Janet, who married Colin, eldest son of David, brother of Murdo Mackenzie, VII. of Achilty. Murdo leaving no issue, Colin ultimately succeeded to Achilty, but he seems afterwards to have parted with it, for in 1784, he has a tack of Kinkell, and dies there, in 1813, with his affairs seriously involved, leaving a son John, who died without issue.
Sir Alexander had also a natural son, Charles Mackenzie, ancestor of the later Mackenzies of Sand, and two natural daughters, one of whom, Annabella, by a daughter of Maolmuire, or Miles Macrae, of the family of Inverinate, married John Ban Mackenzie, by whom she had a daughter, Marsali or Marjory, who married John Mor Og Mackenzie (Ian Mor Aireach), son of John Mor Mackenzie, grandson of Alexander Cam Mac-kenzie, fourth son of Alexander, V. of Gairloch, in whose favour Sir Alexander granted the lease of North Erradale, already referred to. The other daughter, known as "Kate Gairloch," who lived to a very old age, unmarried, was provided for in comfortable lodgings and with a suitable allowance by the heads of the family.
He died in 1766, in the 66th year of his age, was buried with his ancestors in Gairloch, [The old chapel and the burying place of the Lairds of Gairloch appear to have been roofed almost up to this date; for in the Tutorial accounts of 1704 there is an item of 30 merks for "harling, pinning, and thatching Gairloch's burial place."] and succeeded by his eldest son,
X. SIR ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, third Baronet, designated "An Tighearna Ruadh," or the Red-haired Laird. He built Conon House between 1758 and 1760, during his father's lifetime. Lady Mackenzie, who continued to reside at Kinkell, where she lived separated from her husband, on Sir Alexander's decease claimed the new mansion at Conon built by her son eight years before on the ground that it was situated on her jointure lands; but Sir Alexander resisted her pretensions, and ultimately the matter was arranged by the award of John Forbes of New, Government factor on the forfeited estates of Lovat, who then resided at Beaufort, and to whom the question in dispute was submitted as arbitrator. Forbes compromised it by requiring Sir Alexander to expend L300 in making Kinkell Castle more comfortable, by taking off the top storey, re-rooting it, rebuilding an addition at the side, and re-flooring, plastering, and papering all the rooms.
Sir Alexander, in addition to the debts of the entailed estates, contracted other liabilities on his own account, and finding himself much hampered in consequence, he tried, but failed, to break the entail, although a flaw has been discovered in it since, and Sir Kenneth, the present Baronet, having called the attention of the Court to it, the entail was judicially declared invalid. Sir Alexander had entered into an agreement to sell the Strathpeffer and Ardnagrask lands, in anticipation of which Henry Davidson of Tulloch bought the greater part of the debts of the entailed estates, with the view of securing the consent of the Court to the sale of Davochcairn and Davochpollo afterwards to himself. But on the 15th of April, 1770, before the transaction could be completed, Sir Alexander died suddenly from the effects of a fall from his horse. His financial affairs were seriously involved, but having been placed in the hands of an Edinburgh accountant, his creditors ultimately received nineteen shillings in the pound.
He married, first, on the 29th of November, 1755, Margaret, eldest daughter of Roderick Mackenzie, VII. of Redcastle, with issue -
1. Hector, his heir and successor.
She died on the 1st of December, 1759.
He married, secondly, in 1760, Jean, daughter of John Gorry of
Balblair, and Commissary of Ross, with issue -
2. John, who raised a company, almost wholly in Gairloch, for the 78th Regiment of Ross-shire Highlanders when first embodied, of which he himself obtained the Captaincy. He rose rapidly in rank. On the 3rd of May, 1794, he attained to his majority; in the following year he is Lieutenant-Colonel of the Regiment Major-General in the army in 1813; and full General in 1837. He served with distinction and without cessation from 1779 to 1814. So marked was his daring and personal valour that he was popularly known among his companions in arms as "Fighting Jack." He was at the Walcheren expedition; at the Cape; in India; in Sicily; Malta; and the Peninsula and though constantly exhibiting numberless instances of personal daring, he was only once wounded, when on a certain occasion he was struck with a spent ball on the knee, which made any walking somewhat troublesome to him in after life. At Tarragona he was so mortified with Sir John Murray's conduct, that he almost forgot that he himself was only second in command, and charged Sir John with incapacity and cowardice, for which the latter was tried by Court Martial - General Mackenzie being one of the principal witnesses against him. Full of vigour of mind and body, he took a lively interest in everything in which he engaged, from fishing and shooting to farming, gardening, politics, and fighting. He never forgot his Gaelic, which he spoke with fluency and read with ease. Though a severe disciplinarian, his men adored him. He was in the habit of saying that it gave him more pleasure to meet a dog from Gairloch than a gentleman from any other place. When the 78th returned from the Indian Mutiny the officers and men were feted to a grand banquet by the town of Inverness, and as the regiment marched through Academy Street, where the General resided, they halted opposite his residence, next door above the Station Hotel; and though so frail that he had to be carried, he was taken out and his chair placed on the steps at the door, where the regiment saluted and warmly cheered their old and distinguished veteran commander, who had so often led their predecessors to victory; and at the time the oldest officer in and "father" of the British army. He was much affected, and wept with joy at again meeting his beloved 78th - the only tears he was known to have shed since the days of his childhood. He married Lilias, youngest daughter of Alexander Chisholm, XXII. of Chisholm, with issue - (1) Alastair, an officer in the 90th Light Infantry, who afterwards settled down and became a magistrate in the Bahamas, where, in 1839, he married an American lady, Wade Ellen, daughter of George Huyler, Consul General of the United States, and French Consul in the Bahama Islands, with issue - a son, the Rev. George William Russel Mackenzie, an Episcopalian minister, who on the 2nd of August, 1876, married Annie Constance, second daughter of Richard, son of William Congreve of Congreve and Burton, with issue - Dorothy Lilias; (2) a daughter, Lilias Mary Chisholm, unmarried. Alastair subsequently left the Bahamas, went to Melbourne, and became Treasurer for the Government of Victoria, where he died in 1852. General Mackenzie died on the 14th of June, 1860, aged 96 years, and was buried in the Gairloch aisle in Beauly Priory.
3. Kenneth, who was born on the 14th of February, 1765, was a Captain in the army, and served in India, where he was at the siege of Seringapatam. He soon after retired from the service, and settled down as a gentleman farmer at Kerrisdale, Gairloch. He married Flora, daughter of Farquhar Macrae of Inverinate, with issue, three sons and four daughters - (1) Alexander, a Captain in the 58th Regiment, who married a daughter of William Beibly, M.D., Edinburgh, with issue; (2) Hector, a merchant in Java, where he died, unmarried; (3) Farquhar, a settler in Victoria, where he married and left issue - Hector, John, Violet, Mary, and Flora; (4) Jean, who married William H. Garrett, of the Indian Civil Service, with issue - two sons, Edward and William, and four daughters, Eleanor (now Mrs Gourlay, The Gows, Dundee); Flora, Emily, and Elizabeth; (5) Mary, who married, first, Dr Macleod, Dingwall, without issue and, secondly, Murdo Mackenzie, a Calcutta merchant, also without issue; (6) Christian Henderson, who married John Mackenzie, solicitor, Tam, a son of George Mackenzie, III. of Pitlundie, with issue—two sons, both dead, one of whom left a son, Charles; (7) Jessie, who married Dr Kenneth Mackinnon, of the Corry family, H.E.I.C.S., Calcutta.
4. Jean, who died young.
5. Margaret, who married Roderick Mackenzie, II. of Glack, with issue.
6. Janet, who married Captain John Mackenzie Woodlands, son of George Mackenzie, II. of Gruinard, without issue.
Sir Alexander had also a natural daughter, Janet, who married John
Macpherson, Gairloch, with issue.
The second Lady Mackenzie of Gairloch, Jean Gorry, died in 1766, probably at the birth of her last daughter, Janet, who was born on the 14th of October in that year, and Sir Alexander himself died on the 15th of April, 1770. He was buried in Gairloch, and was succeeded by his eldest son,
XI. SIR HECTOR MACKENZIE, the fourth Baronet, generally spoken of among Highlanders as "An Tighearna Storach," or the Buck-toothed Laird. Being a minor, only twelve years of age when he succeeded, his affairs were managed by the following trustees appointed by his father - John Gorry; Provost Mackenzie of Dingwall, and Alexander Mackenzie, W.S., son and grandson respectively of Charles Mackenzie, I. of Letterewe; and Alexander Mackenzie, of the Stamp Office, London, son of William Mackenzie of Davochcairn. These gentlemen did not get on so harmoniously as could be wished in the management of the estate. The first three opposed the last-named, who was supported by Sir Hector and by his grandfather and his uncle of Redcastle. In the month of March, 1772, in a petition in which Sir Hector craves the Court for authority to appoint his own factor, he is described as "being now arrived at the age of fourteen years." The differences which existed between the trustees finally landed them in Court, the question specially in dispute being whether the agreement of the late Sir Alexander to sell the Ardnagrask and Strathpeffer lands should be carried out? In opposition to the majority, the Court decided in favour of Sir Hector that they should not be sold until he arrived at an age to judge for himself. Having secured this decision, Sir Hector, thinking that Mr Gorry had been acting too much in the interest of his own grandchildren - Sir Alexander's children by the second marriage - now appointed a factor of his own, Kenneth Mackenzie, his half uncle, the first "Millbank."
In 1789 he obtained authority from the Court to sell the lands which his father had previously arranged to dispose of to enable him to pay the debts of the entailed estates. He sold the lands of Davochcairn and Davochpollo to Henry Davidson of Tulloch, and Ardnagrask to Captain Rose, Beauly, who afterwards sold it to Mackenzie of Ord.
In 1815 he was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of his native county. He lived generally at home among a devoted tenantry; and only visited London once during his life. He regularly dispensed justice among his Gairloch retainers without any expense to the county, and to their entire satisfaction. He was adored by the people, to whom he acted as a father and friend, and his memory is still green among the older inhabitants, who never speak of him but in the warmest terms for his generosity, urbanity, and frankness, and for the kind and free manner in which he always mixed with and addressed his tenants. He was considered by all who knew him the most sagacious and intelligent man in the county. He employed no factor after he came of age, but dealt directly and entirely with his people, ultimately knowing every man on his estates, so that he knew from personal knowledge how to treat each case of hardship and inability to pay that came before him, and to distinguish feigned from real poverty. When he grew frail from old age he employed a clerk to assist him in the management, but he wisely continued landlord and factor himself to his dying day. When Sir Francis, his eldest son, reached a suitable age, instead of adopting the usual folly of sending elder sons to the army that they might afterwards succeed to the property entirely ignorant of everything connected with it, he gave him, instead of a yearly allowance, several of the farms, with a rental of about L500 a year, over which he acted as landlord or tenant, until his father's death, telling him "if you can make more of them, all the better for you." Sir Francis thus grew up interested in and thoroughly acquainted with all property and county business, and with his future tenants, very much to his own ultimate advantage and those who afterwards depended upon him.
Sir Hector also patronised the Gaelic poets, and appointed one of them, Alexander Campbell, better known as "Alastair Buidhe Mac Iomhair," to be his ground-officer and family bard, and allowed him to hold his land in Strath all his life rent free. [The late Dr John Mackenzie of Eileanach, Sir Hector's youngest son, makes the following reference, under date of August 30, 1878, to the old bard: "I see honest Alastair Buidhe, with his brbonnet and blue great coat (summer and winter) clearly before me now, sitting in the dining room at Flowerdale quite 'raised' - like while reciting Ossian's poems, such as 'The Brown Boar of Diarmad,' and others (though he had never heard of Macpherson's collection) to very interested visitors, though as unacquainted with Gaelic as Alastair was with English. This must have been as early as 1812 or so, when I used to come into the room after dinner about nine years old." Alastair Buidhe, the bard, was the author's great-grandfather on the maternal side, and he was himself, on his mother's side, descended from the Mackenzies of Shieldaig.] He gave a great impetus to the Gairloch cod fishing, which he continued to encourage as long as he lived.
Sir Hector married, in August, 1778, Cochrane, daughter of James Chalmers of Fingland, without issue; and the marriage was dissolved by arrangement between the parties on the 22nd of April, 1796. In the same year, the marriage contract being dated the "9th May, 1796," within a month of his separation from his first wife, Sir Hector married, secondly, Christian, daughter and only child of William Henderson, Inverness, a lady who became very popular with the Gairloch people, and is still affectionately remembered amongst them as "A Bhantighearna Ruadh," [Dr John, late of Eileanach, writes of her and her father as follows: His second wife was only child of William Henderson, from Aberdeenshire (cousin of Mr Coutts, the London banker, with whom, in consequence of the relationship, my elder brothers, Francis and William, were on intimate terms in Stratton Street, Piccadilly, where Lady Burdett Coutts now lives), who set up a Bleachfield at the Bught, Inverness, by a daughter of Fraser of Bught. Henderson followed his daughter to Conon, as tenant of Riverford, where, till very old, he lived, and then moved to Conon House, till he died about 1816, loved by all, aged 97. I think he is buried in the Chapel-Yard, Inverness."] with issue -
1. Francis Alexander, his heir and successor.
2. William, a merchant in lava, and afterwards in Australia. He died, unmarried, in 1860, at St. Omer France.
3. Hector, who married Lydia, eldest daughter of General Sir Hugh Fraser of Braelangwell; was Captain in H.E.I.C.S., and died in India, without surviving issue.
4. Dr John, of Eileanach. He studied for the medical profession, and took his degree of M.D. He was factor for the trustees of Sir Kenneth, the present Baronet, during his minority, and afterwards for several years, Provost of Inverness. He married, on the 28th of September, 1826, Mary Jane, only daughter of the Rev. Dr Inglis of Logan Bank and old Greyfriars, Edinburgh, Dean of the Chapel Royal, and sister of the late distinguished Lord Justice-General Inglis, President of the Court of Session, with issue - (1) Colonel Hector, who was born on the 24th of August, 1828, and went to India in his twentieth year, fought at Chilianwallah and Goojerat, and was afterwards, until he retired in 1877, in the Civil Service, chiefly as Judicial Commissioner for Central India at Nagpore. He married on the 9th of May, 1855, Eliza Ann Theophila, eldest daughter of General Jamieson, of the H.E.I.C.S., without issue; (2) John Inglis, who died in 1843, in the 6th year of his age; (3) Harry Maxwell, who was born on the 16th of May, 1839, a Colonel in the Royal Artillery. He married on the 7th of September, 1872, Caroline Georgina, eldest daughter of Captain Ponsonby, Indian Staff Corps, Deputy Quarter-Master-General in Scinde, with issue, six sons and four daughters - Hector Ian Maxwell, born on the 14th of June, 1875; Harry Ponsonby, born on the 30th of March, 1877; Kenneth Gordon, born on the 6th of July, 1878; Allan Stewart, born on the 27th of October, 1881, and died in infancy; Colin Ray, born on the 7th of May, 1887 Alastair Ponsonby, born on the 25th of June, 1889 Margaret; Mary; Lillian Kythe; Kythe; and Gladys Georgina. Colonel Mackenzie, after retiring from the Service, resided at Auld Castlehill, Inverness, was Inspector for the Science and Art Department in the North, and died suddenly, at Wick, on the 13th of July, 1891; (4) Mary, who as his fourth wife, married Duncan Davidson of Tulloch, with issue - Eoin Duncan Reginald, a settler in Queensland; Hector Francis, in New Zealand Alastair Norman, in Queensland; Lucy Eleonora, who, in 1873, married Sir Allan R. Mackenzie, Baronet of Glenmuick, with issue, four sons and a daughter - Allan James Reginald, born in 1880; Victor Audley Falconer, born in 1882; Allan Keith, born in 1887; Eric Dighton, born in 1891; and Mary Lucy Victoria. Tulloch's other daughters were Mary Macpherson and Victoria Geraldine. His wife died on the 27th of October, 1867. (5) Christina Isabella, who, on the 23rd of November, 1853, married Charles Addington Hanbury of Strathgarve, Ross-shire, and Belmont, Herts, with issue, four sons and four daughters - Harold Charles, of the Carabineers; John Mackenzie; Basil; David Theophilus; Florence Mary; Kithe Agatha, who on the 10th of April, 1877, married Horace William Kemble, Hon. Major 2nd Cameron Highlanders, of Oakmere, Herts, at present tenant of Knock, Isle of Skye, with issue - Horace Leonard, born on the 22nd of April, 1882, Dorothea Lucinda, Hilda Olive, and Kythe Louisa Elaine; Isabel, who married Major O. F. Annesley, R.A., with issue - two daughters, Daphne and Myrtle; and Marie Frances Lisette (6) Kithe Caroline who on the 12th of April, 1865, married Francis Mackenzie, third son of Thomas Ogilvie of Corriemony, with issue, seven children; (7) Lisette, who on the 28th of June, 1878, married Frederick Louis Kindermann, son of Mr Kindermann, founder of the house of Keith Co., London and Liverpool, without issue; (8) Georgina Elizabeth, who on the 26th of January, 1860, married the late Duncan Henry Caithness Reay Davidson of Tulloch (who died on the 29th of March, 1889), with issue - Duncan, now of Tulloch, who on the 15th of November, 1887, married Mary Gwendoline, eldest daughter of William Dalziel Mackenzie of Fawley Court, Bucks, and of Farr, County of Inverness; John Francis Barnard Mary; Elizabeth Diana; Adelaide Lucy; Georgianna Veronnica; and Christina Isabella. Dr John of Eileanach died on the 18th of December, 1886. His widow still survives.
5. Roderick, a Captain in the army, who sold out and became a settler in Australia, where he died. He married an Irish lady, Meta Day, sister of the Bishop of Cashel, without issue, and died in 1849.
Sir Hector had also, by his housekeeper, Jean Urquhart, three natural children, which caused his separation from his first wife. He made provision for them all. The first, Catherine, married John Clark, leather merchant, Inverness, and left issue. Another daughter married Mr Murrison, contractor for the Bridge of Conon, who afterwards settled down, after the death of the last of the Mackenzies of Achilty, on the farm of Kinkell, with issue, from whom the Stewarts, late Windmill, Inverness. A son, Kenneth who was for some time in the British Linen Bank, Inverness, afterwards died in India, in the army, unmarried.
Sir Hector's widow survived him for about twelve years, first living with her eldest son Sir Francis, and after his marriage at Ballifeary, now Dunachton, on the banks of the Ness. Though he succeeded to the property under such unfavourable conditions though his annual rental was under L3000 per annum; and though he kept open house throughout the year both at Conon and Gairloch, he was able to leave or pay during his life to each of his younger sons the handsome sum of L5000. When pressed, as he often was, to go to Parliament he invariably asked, "Who will then look after my people?"
He died on the 26th of April, 1826; was buried in the Priory of
Beauly, and succeeded by his eldest son,
XII. SIR FRANCIS ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, fifth Baronet, who, benefitting by his father's example, and his kindly treatment of his tenants, grew up interested in all county affairs. He was passionately fond of all manly sports, shooting, fishing, and hunting. He resided during the summer in Gairloch, and for the rest of the year kept open house at Conon. During the famine of 1836-37 he sent cargoes of meal and seed potatoes to the Gairloch tenantry, which, with some heavy bill transactions he had entered into to aid an old friend, William Grant of Redcastle, at the time carrying on the Haugh Brewery, Inverness, involved him in financial difficulties. This induced him, in 1841, to get his brother, Dr John Mackenzie of Eileanach, to take charge of his affairs, going himself along with his second wife for a few years to Brittany, where his youngest son, Osgood Hanbury Mackenzie, now of Inverewe, was born. To get clear of the liability incurred with Grant, Dr John had ultimately to pay down L7000.
In 1836 Sir Francis published a work on agriculture, entitled "Hints for the use of Highland Tenants and Cottagers," extending to 273 pages, with English and Gaelic on opposite pages, which shows his intimate knowledge of the subject, as well as the great interest which he took in the welfare of his tenantry - for whose special benefit the was written. It deals first, with the proper kind of food and how to cook it; with diseases and medicine, clothing, houses, furniture, boats, fishing and agricultural implements; cattle, horses, pigs, and their diseases; gardens, seeds, fruits, vegetables, education, morals, etc., etc., with illustrations and plans of suitable cottages, barns, outhouses, and farm implements.
He married, first, in the 31st year of his age, on the 10th of
August, 1829, Kythe Caroline, eldest daughter of Smith-Wright of
Rempstone Hall, Nottinghamshire, with issue -
1. Kenneth Smith, the present Baronet.
2. Francis Harford, born in 1833, unmarried.
He married, secondly, on the 25th of October, 1836, Mary, daughter of Osgood Hanbury of Holfield Grange, Essex, the present Dowager Lady Mackenzie, residing at Letterewe, with issue -
3. Osgood Hanbury, born on the 13th of May, 1842. In 1862 he bought Kernsary from his brother Sir Kenneth, and in 1863 Inverewe and Tournaig from Sir William Mackenzie, IX. of Coul. On the 26th of June, 1877, he married Mina Amy, daughter of Sir Thomas Edwards-Moss, Baronet of Otterspool, Lancashire, with issue, a daughter, Mary Thyra.
Sir Francis died on the 2nd of June, 1843, from inflammation of the arm, produced by bleeding—then a common practice for all manner of complaints - by his intimate personal friend, Robert Liston, the celebrated surgeon. He was succeeded by his eldest son,
XIII. SIR KENNETH SMITH MACKENZIE, sixth and present Baronet, who was born on the 25th of May, 1832, and has long been considered one of the best and most enlightened landlords in the Highlands. Following the example of his father and grandfather he for many years dealt directly with his people, without any factor, or other intermediary, except an estate manager at Gairloch, and, like his ancestors, took a personal interest in every man on his property. He takes an active and intelligent part in all county matters; is Convener of the Commissioners of Supply and of the County Council, and is Lord-Lieutenant for Ross and Cromarty. In 1854 he was appointed Attache to Her Majesty's Legation at Washington, which, however, he never joined. In 1855 he received a commission as Captain in the Highland Rifle (Ross-shire) Militia, afterwards attained the rank of Major, and ultimately retired. In 1880 he contested the county of Inverness as a Liberal against Donald Cameron of Lochiel, the Tory candidate, but was defeated by a majority of 28. In 1883-84 he was a member of the Royal (Napier) Commission to enquire into the condition and grievances of the Highland crofters. In 1885 he again contested the county of Inverness as the official Liberal candidate against Reginald Macleod in the Tory interest and Charles Fraser-Mackintosh as the Independent Land Law Reform candidate, when he was again defeated. On the 11th of December, 1860, he married Eila Frederica, daughter of Walter Frederic Campbell of Islay, with issue -
1. Kenneth John, Younger of Gairloch, who was born on the 6th of October, 1861, late Captain in the Rifle Brigade. On the 8th of April, 1891, he married the Hon. Marjory Lousia Murray, eldest daughter of the late William David Viscount Stormont (who died in 1893), eldest son of the present and fourth Earl of Mansfield, K.T., by Emily Louisa, daughter of the late Sir John Atholl Macgregor of Macgregor, Baronet, with issue - Hector David, who was born on the 6th of June, 1893; and Marjory Kythe.
2. Francis Granville, who was born on the 31st of August, 1865; and
3. Muriel Katharine.
"Arms" - Quarterly: 1st and 4th, azure, a buck's head cabossed or; 2nd and 3rd, asure, three frasers argent. "Crest" - A Highlander wielding a sword, proper. "Mottoes" - Over crest, "Virtute et valore;" under, "Non sine periculo."
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