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 broad bonnet
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 book 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."
THE MACKENZIES OF LOCHEND.
I. JOHN MACKENZIE, first of Lochend, was the third son of Alexander
Mackenzie, VII. of Gairloch, by his second wife, Janet, daughter
of William Mackenzie, I. of Belmaduthy. He purchased the lands
of Lochend and married Annabella, second daughter and nineteenth
child of George Mackenzie, II. of Gruinard, by his first wife,
Margaret, daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, II. of Ballone with
issue -
1. Alexander, his heir and successor.
2. George, an officer in Murray Keith's Highland Regiment, afterwards
successively Major and Lieutenant-Colonel of the 78th or Seaforth
Highlanders, and of whose family and descendants presently.
3. Lilias, who married William Mackenzie, IV. of Gruinard (sasine
1742), with issue - four sons and three daughters.
4. Christina, who married William Mac Iver of Tournaig, with
issue.
John Mackenzie of Lochend was Guardian or Tutor to his nephew, Sir
Alexander Mackenzie, IX. and second Baronet of Gairloch, in 1728.
He was succeeded by his eldest son,
II. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, who married, first, Anne, second daughter
of Colin Mackenzie, I. of Mountgerald, with issue -
1. Lewis, who died before his father, unmarried.
2. John, who succeeded to the estate of Lochend.
3. Alexander, who was married, but of whom nothing further is
known.
4. James, of whom there is no trace.
5. Annabella, who married John Mac Iver, Stornoway, with issue.
6. Lilias, who married Iver Mac Iver, Gress, Lewis, with issue.
He married secondly, Annabella, daughter of Sutherland of Little
Torboll, with issue -
7. Lewis, of whom nothing is known.
8. Elizabeth, who married a Mr Mackenzie, with issue.
Alexander was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,
III. CAPTAIN JOHN MACKENZIE, third of Lochend, who married
first, a daughter of Mr Morrison, in the Lewis, with issue -
1. Anne, who married Kenneth Gardiner, Leith.
He married, secondly, a daughter of Roderick Morrison, Island of
Tanera, with issue -
2. Annabella, who married Neil Morrison, Sailing Master, Royal
Navy, with issue.
3. Sybella, who married Lieutenant William Ryrie, of the Royal
Marines, with issue.
4. Ellen, who married John Mackenzie, Ullapool, of the Sand family,
who resided in Tanera, without issue.
Captain John married, thirdly, a daughter of Collector John Reid,
Stornoway, with issue--
5. Anne, who married Alexander Stewart, Chamberlain of the Lewis,
and afterwards factor for the Duke of Sutherland at Scourie.
6. Alexander, who died before his father, unmarried.
7. John Reid, who succeeded to Lochend.
8. Daniel Lewis, who married Helen Mackay, widow of his cousin,
Donald Macdonald, master mariner, with issue - Aeneas, unmarried,
and Agnes Ann, who married Murdoch Mac Iver, a London merchant,
with issue - a son, Kenneth, and three daughters, one of whom, Helen
Isabella, married Donald MacIver, merchant, Currachee, India.
9. James Reid, M.D., who married his cousin, a daughter of Captain
Donald Reid, of Eilean Riach, without issue.
10. Margaret, alive as late as August, 1881, unmarried.
He was succeeded as representative of the family by his eldest son,
IV. JOHN REID MACKENZIE, fourth of Lochend, who married Miss
Mackenzie Morrison, daughter of Captain John Morrison, RN., and
sister of Mrs Stewart, wife of the Rev. Alexander Stewart, LL.D.,
"Nether-Lochaber." He died in New Zealand in 1879, and his wife
died in the following year, leaving issue -
1. John Alexander, his heir.
2. Daniel Lewis.
3. Agnes.
4. Kennethina.
5. Christina Mary.
He was succeeded as representative of the family by his eldest son,
V. JOHN ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, fifth of Lochend, now at the head
of a large Insurance Company, in the City of New York.