Before the appearance of the former edition of this work there had been several claimants to this highly honourable position; and this is not to be wondered at, for whoever proves his right to the Chiefship of the Mackenzies establishes at the same time his right to the ancient honours of the house and Barons of Kintail. In an earlier part of the work, at p. 316, it is shown that the original title of Lord Mackenzie of Kintail did not come under the attainder of William, the fifth Earl, for the part which he took in the Rising of 1715, and therefore the Chief of the Mackenzies, as heir male of the first Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, is, in virtue of that position, we believe, entitled to assume that ancient title.

The first formal claim to the Chiefship is one by a Captain Murdoch Mackenzie, "of London," who claimed "the titles, honours, and dignities of Earl of Seaforth and Baron Mackenzie of Kintail," in virtue of a pretended descent and pedigree from the Hon. John Mackenzie of Assynt, second son of Kenneth Mor, third Earl of Seaforth. This pedigree and claim is before us. According to that document the Hon. John Mackenzie of Assynt had a son "Murdoch Mackenzie of Lochbroom, who, having shown a disposition of enterprise like his kinsman Earl William, left his native parish in 1729 or 1730, first for Aberdeen and afterwards for Northumberland, where, in consequence of the unsettled state of Scotland, he resided with his family." This Murdoch had a son, John Mackenzie, "born in Beadnall, parish of Bamborough, county of Northumberland, in 1738, who married Miss Isabella Davidson in 1762, and died in 1780, in his forty-second year." John had a son, "Captain Murdoch Mackenzie, the claimant, who was born at Beadnall, county of Northumberland, in 1763, and married in 1781, Miss Eleanor Brown of the same place, and has issue. He commanded the ship Essex, transport 81, of London, during the late war. Being desirous to see his clan in the North, in 1790 he visited the late Francis Lord Seaforth, who in the true spirit of Scotch sincerity, hospitality, and nobility received him with demonstrations of pleasure. After talking over family matters his Lordship candidly said that Captain Murdoch ought to have been the peer in point of primogeniture." A short account of the family accompanies the pedigree and claim, which concludes in these terms - "In consequence of the death of the last peer it has been discovered in Scotland that the titles and family estates have devolved upon Captain Murdoch Mackenzie of London. This gentleman is naturally anxious to establish his rights, but being unable to prosecute so important a claim without the aid of sufficient funds he has been advised to solicit the aid of some individuals whose public spirit and liberal feelings may prompt them to assist him on the principle that such timely assistance and support will be gratefully and liberally rewarded. Captain Mackenzie hereby offers to give his bond for L300 (or more if required) for every L100 that may be lent him to prosecute his claim - the same to become due and payable within three months after he shall have recovered his titles and estates." The result of this appeal has not been ascertained, but it is certain that Captain Murdoch Mackenzie did not succeed in establishing any claim either to the titles or estates of the House of Kintail and Seaforth.

It was, on the contrary, placed absolutely beyond dispute by the evidence produced at the Allangrange Service in 1829 that the eldest and only surviving son of the Hon. John Mackenzie of Assynt was not Murdoch but Kenneth, and there is no trace whatever of his having had any son but Kenneth. In an original Precept issued by the Provost and Magistrates of Fortrose on the 30th of October, 1716, the son of the then late John Mackenzie of Assynt is designated "Kenneth Mackenzie, now of Assynt, grandchild and apparent heir to the deceased Isobel, Countess Dowager of Seaforth, his grandmother on the father's side." In the same document Kenneth is described as her Ladyship's "nearest and lawful heir," conclusively showing that he was her son John's eldest son. It is thus fully established that Captain Murdoch Mackenzie's genealogical chain fails at the very outset - is broken in its initial link. The Hon. John Mackenzie of Assynt had only one son. His name was Kenneth, not Murdoch, and he died without issue. If any additional proof be required to show that the male line of the Hon. John Mackenzie of Assynt has long been extinct, it will be found in the fact that on the death of Earl Kenneth, known as "the Little Lord," in 1781, the succession to the representation and ancient honours of the family of Kintail and Seaforth, devolved upon the heir male of Colonel Alexander Mackenzie of Assynt, who was the fourth son of Kenneth Mor, third earl, and a younger brother of the Hon. John Mackenzie of Assynt, apart altogether from the conclusive parole evidence given by very old people at the Allangrange Service in 1829. This effectually disposes of Captain Murdo Mackenzie.

Now as to the more plausible but equally baseless claim of Captain William Mackenzie of Gruinard, and his cousin, the late Major-General Alexander Mackay Mackenzie of the Indian Army. Captain Murdoch Mackenzie's claim having failed, we must go back another step in the chain to pick up the legitimate succession to the honours of Kintail and Seaforth. Here we are met on the way by another claim, put forward by the late Captain William Mackenzie of Gruinard, in the following letter addressed to George F. Mackenzie, then of Allangrange:

11 Margaret Street, Cavendish Square, London, 24th October 1829.

My Dear Allangrange, - Having observed in the "Courier" of the 21st inst., at a meeting at Tain, that you were proceeding with the Seaforth Claims, I take the earliest opportunity of communicating to you a circumstance which I am sure my agent, Mr Roy, would have informed you of sooner, did he know that you were proceeding in this affair; and which, I think probable, he has done ere this; but lest it might have escaped his notice, I deem it proper to acquaint you that on Mr Roy having discovered, by authenticated documents, that I was the lineal descendant of George, Earl of Seaforth, he authorised an English counsellor to make application to the Secretary of State to that effect, who made a reference to the Court of Exchequer in Scotland to examine the evidence - Mr Roy having satisfied them with having all which he required to establish my claim. I therefore am inclined to address you in order that you may be saved the trouble and expense attending this affair. Indeed, had I known you were taking any steps in this business, be assured I would have written to you sooner.

I had not the pleasure of communicating with you since your marriage, upon which event I beg leave to congratulate you, and hope I shall soon have the pleasure of learning of your adding a member to the Clan Kenneth. Believe me, my dear Mac, yours most sincerely,

WM. MACKENZIE.

This claim is founded on a Genealogical Tree in possession of the present representatives of the Gruinard family, by which John Mackenzie, their progenitor is incorrectly described as the son of George Mackenzie of Kildun, second son of George, second Earl of Seaforth. It is believed that the descendants of this George, who was the second George designated of Kildun, are long ago extinct; but whether they are or not, it will be conclusively shown, by reference to dates, that John, I. of Gruinard, could not possibly have been a son of his. And to the indisputable evidence of dates may be added the testimony of all the Mackenzie MSS. in existence which make any reference to John of Gruinard. In every instance where his name appears in these he is described as a natural son of George, second Earl of Seaforth.

Before this Earl succeeded he also was known as George Mackenzie of Kildun, hence the error in the Gruinard Genealogical Tree. The author of the Ancient MS., so often quoted in the course of this work, was a contemporary of John, I. of Gruinard, and he states that Earl George "had also "ane naturall" son, called John Mackenzy, who married Loggie's daughter." The author of the Ardintoul MS., who was the grandson, as mentioned by himself, of the Rev. Farquhar Macrae, Constable of Ellandonnan Castle in Earl Colin's time, and who died advanced in years as far back as 1704 - consequently a contemporary of John of Gruinard - describing the effects of the disastrous battle of Worcester, says that Earl George, who was then in Holland, was informed of the result of the battle "by John of Gruinard, "his natural son," and Captain Hector Mackenzie, who made their escape from the battle," that the tidings "unraised his melancholy, and so died in the latter end of September, 1651." The Letterfearn MS. is also contemporary, for the author of it speaks of Earl Kenneth as ""now" Earl of Seaforth," and of George of Kildun in the present tense, while he speaks of his father in the past tense, and he say's that "He (Earl George) left "ane natural son," who "is" called John, who "is" married with Logie's daughter." That John of Gruinard was married to Christina, daughter of Donald Mackenzie, III. of Loggie, is proved by a sasine dated 1655, in which that lady is described as his wife.

It may be objected to these MSS. that, however probable it may be that they are correct, they are not necessarily authentic. But there is ample evidence of an official and incontestible character on the point. A sasine, dated 6th of February, 1658, is recorded in the Particular Register of Sasines of Inverness, vol. 7, fol. 316, from which the following is an extract - "Compearit personally John Mackenzie, "naturall" broyr to ane noble Erle Kenneth Erle of Seaforth Lord of Kintail, etc., as bailzie in that part," on behalf of "the noble Lady, Dame Isobell Mackenzie, Countess of Seaforth, sister german to Sir George Mackenzie of Tarbat, Knight, future ladie to the said noble Erle." Another authentic document having a most important bearing on this question was recently discovered in the office of the Sheriff-Clerk of Tain. It is a discharge by Patrick Smith of Braco, dated and registered in the Commissary Books at Fortrose, on the 4th of December, 1668, in which the parties are described as "Kenneth Erle of Seafort, Lord Kintail, as principal, and John Mackenzie of Gruinyard, designit in the obligatione vnder-wrytten his "naturall" brother, as cautioner." Further, George of Kildun married, first, Mary Skene, daughter of Skene of Skene, in 1661. This is proved by a charter to her of her jointure lands of Kincardine, etc. (see Particular Register of Sasines Invss., vol. ix. fol. 9). He married, secondly, Margaret, daughter of Urquhart of Craighouse. The absolute impossibility is at once obvious of George of Kildun - who only married his first wife in 1661 - having had a son, John Mackenzie of Gruinard, in a position to have obtained a charter in his favour of the lands of Little Gruinard, etc., in 1669 - within eight years of his reputed father's marriage to his first wife - and who was himself designated in that charter as of "Meikle Gruinard," while it is proved by undoubted official documents that John of Gruinard's "wife" had lands disponed to her as his wife in 1655; that is, six years before the marriage of George of Kildun, John's alleged father. And further, how could John of Gruinard's second son, Kenneth, have married, as be is known to have done, the widow of Kenneth Og, fourth Earl of Seaforth, who died in 1701, if John, his father, had been the son by a second marriage of George of Kildun, who married his first wife in 1661? The thing is absolutely impossible.

Kenneth Mor, third Earl of Seaforth, who, according to the Gruinard Genealogy, was John of Gruinard's uncle, was born at Brahan Castle in 1635. In 1651 he is described as "a child" by a contemporary writer, who says that the Kintail people declined to rise with him in that year during his father's absence on the Continent, because "he was but a "child," and his father, their master, was in life." Colin, first Earl of Seaforth, died in 1633, and the author of the Ancient MS. says that "Earl George, being then the Laird of Kildun, married before his brother's death, the Lord Forbes's daughter." Thus, George of Kildun could not have been born before 1636 or 1637 at the very earliest; and the date of his first marriage, twenty-four years later, strongly corroborates this. How then could he have had a married son, John Mackenzie of Gruinard, whose wife undoubtedly obtained lands in 1655; that is, when Kildun himself was only 18 years of age, and when John, already designated of Gruinard, was, in 1656, old enough to be cautioner for Kenneth, Earl of Seaforth? Proof of the same conclusive character could be adduced to any extent, but in face of the documents already quoted, it is obviously superfluous to do so.

John Mackenzie, I. of Gruinard, could not in the nature of things have been a son of the second George Mackenzie of Kildun. He was, on the other hand, undoubtedly, the "natural" son of the first George, who succeeded his brother Colin as second Earl of Seaforth, and it necessarily follows that his representatives can have no claim whatever to the Chiefship of the Clan, or to the ancient honours of the family of Kintail and Seaforth. We shall now proceed to show that these distinctions belong to and are at present possessed by the male representative of

THE MACKENZIES OF ALLANGRANGE.

HAVING disposed of the only two serious claims made to the Chiefship of the Clan in later times our next step is to show who the present Chief is. To do this we must go back to Kenneth, created Lord Mackenzie of Kintail in 1609; for there is no male representative of any later head of the House in existence, so far as can be ascertained, between that date and this. Lord Kenneth had seven sons -

1. Colin Ruadh or "the Red Earl," his heir and successor, who died, in 1633, without surviving male issue.

2. John Mackenzie of Lochslinn, who married Isabel, daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, V. of Gairloch, and died in 1631, having been poisoned at Tam, without issue male. His only daughter, Margaret, married Sir Norman Macleod, I. of Bernera, with issue.

3. Kenneth, who died unmarried.

Lord Kenneth, XII. of Kintail, married secondly, Isabel, daughter of Sir Gilbert Ogilvie of Powrie, with issue -

4. Alexander, who died unmarried.

5. George, who succeeded his brother Colin, as second Earl of Seaforth, and whose line terminated in Lady Caroline Mackenzie, who died without issue in 1847, her father Kenneth, Baron Ardelve and Earl of Seaforth in the peerage of Ireland, the last male of his line, having died at the Cape of Good Hope in 1781.

6. Thomas Mackenzie of Pluscardine, whose male issue was proved extinct at the Allangrange Service in 1829.

7. SIMON MACKENZIE, who, after the death of his brother John, was designated of Lochslinn, and whose representative will be shown to be the present head and heir male of the ancient family of Kintail and Seaforth, and Chief of the Clan. This SIMON married, first, Elizabeth, daughter of the Rev. Peter Bruce of Ferrar, D.D., Principal of St. Leonard's College, St. Andrews, and son of Bruce of Fingask, by Elizabeth, daughter of Alexander Wedderburn of Blackness, with issue - five sons and one daughter, Jane, who married Robert Douglas of Katewell, in the parish of Kiltearn, Ross-shire, and secondly, Sir James Grant of Moyness.

The eldest of Simon's five sons was the famous SIR GEORGE MACKENZIE of Rosehaugh, Lord Advocate for Scotland, whose history is so well known that it would serve no good purpose to give only such a brief account of it as could be given in the space here available. He wrote several works of admitted literary merit, his "Institutes" being to this day considered a standard legal authority. He left an autobiography in MS. which was published by his widow in 1716. The estate of Rosehaugh, where he always took up his residence while in the Highlands, was, in his time, profusely covered with the Dog Rose, a fact which first suggested to the famous lawyer the idea of designating that property by the name of "Vallis Rosarum," or Rosehaugh. Sir George married first, Elizabeth, daughter of John Dickson of Hartree, with issue - (1) John; (2) Simon; (3) George, all of whom died young and unmarried; (4) Agnes, who in 1705 married Sir James Stuart Mackenzie, first Earl of Bute, with issue, whose descendants, now represented by the Earl of Wharncliffe, succeeded to his Ross-shire estates, but since sold by them, though still retaining the name and arms of the family. (For the succession see Retour of James Marquis of Bute, January, 1721); (5) Elizabeth, who married, first, Sir Archibald Cockburn of Langton, with issue, and, secondly, the Hon. Sir James Mackenzie of Royston, Baronet, with issue - George (who married but died before his father, without male issue), and two daughters - Anne, who married Sir William Dick of Prestonfield; and Elizabeth, who married Sir John Stuart of Grandtully, with issue.

Sir George Mackenzie of Rosehaugh married, secondly, Margaret, daughter of Haliburton of Pitcur, with issue, (6) James, who died young; (7) George, who succeeded his father as II. of Rosehaugh, and married - with issue, an only daughter, who died without issue; (8) Jean, and (9) Margaret, both of whom died without issue. From this it will be seen that the male representation of Sir George Mackenzie of Rosehaugh, eldest son of the Hon. Simon Mackenzie of Lochslinn, terminated at the death of his only son. We must therefore revert to SIMON MACKENZIE, the immediate younger brother of Sir George Mackenzie, and second son of the Hon. Simon Mackenzie of Lochslinn, from whom JAMES FOWLER MACKENZIE OF ALLANGRANGE, present Chief of the Clan, is descended as follows:

SIMON, who died at Lochbroom in 1664, married Jane, daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, I. of Ballone, brother of Sir John Mackenzie of Tarbat and uncle to George, first Earl of Cromarty (marriage contract 1663) with issue - an only and posthumous son,

I. SIMON MACKENZIE, first of Allangrange, an Advocate at the Scottish Bar. This property he acquired through his wife in the following manner. Alexander Mackenzie, I. of Kilcoy, third son of Colin, XI. of Kintail, had four sons, of whom the youngest, Roderick, obtained the lands of Kilmuir, in the Black Isle. He became a successful lawyer, Sheriff-Depute, and Member of Parliament, and was knighted by Charles II. Sir Roderick, at the same time proprietor of Findon, acquired several other properties by purchase. He died in 1692, and on the death of his only son in the following year, without issue, his unentailed estates, which were not included in the Barony, and which had become very considerable, and all his moveable property, were divided equally among his four daughters, as heirs portioners. Isobel, the third of these ladies, on the 22nd of August, 1693, married, as his first wife, Simon Mackenzie, the Advocate, and carried to him in 1699 as her portion, the estate of Allan - formerly the property and residence of the Earl of Seaforth - which has ever since been known as Allangrange. By Isobel Mackenzie, daughter of Sir Roderick Mackenzie of Findon, Simon had issue -

1. Roderick, who died unmarried.

2. George, who succeeded his father as II. of Allangrange.

3. Kenneth, of whom there is no trace.

4. William, a Captain in the Dutch army. He married a Miss Innes, with issue, since proved extinct.

5. Simon, who died, without issue, in the West Indies.

6. Lilias, who died unmarried.

7. Elizabeth, who in 1745 married, as his third wife John Matheson, V. of Fernaig, ancestor of Sir Kenneth James Matheson, Baronet of Lochalsh, with issue - one son, Captain Alexander Matheson, of the 78th Highlanders, who died in India in 1809, without issue.

8. Eliza, who married Ludovic, son of Roderick Mackenzie, V. of Redcastle.

9. Isobel, who married Murdoch Cameron, with issue, at Allangrange.

Simon married, secondly, on the 28th of August, 1718, Susanna, daughter of Colonel Alexander Fraser of Kinneries, generally known as "the Coroner," with issue -

10. Colin, who married a Miss Macdonald in Lochaber, with issue - William, who died unmarried in the West Indies; Susanna, who married a Mr Cameron, with issue; and a daughter, who died unmarried.

11. Alexander, a Doctor of Medicine, who died without issue, in Jamaica, in 1780.

12. Margaret, married Dr John Mackenzie of Newton, who died in 1759, with issue - Dr Simon of Mullet Hall, Jamaica, who there married Catherine, daughter of Samuel Gregory from Nairn; George; Roderick; Kenneth; and Isobel.

13. Frances, who married Lieutenant James Cumming of the Marines (marriage contract 1752), without issue.

14. Susanna, and

15. Janet, both of whom died unmarried.

Simon was drowned in the River Orrin, in February, 1730, while returning home from a visit to a friend in Fairburn, when he was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

II. GEORGE MACKENZIE, second of Allangrange, who in May, 1731, married Margaret, daughter of John and grand-daughter of Sir Donald Bayne of Tulloch. They have a retour in 1732. The male heirs of the Baynes of Tulloch—originally a sept of Mackays from Sutherlandshire, who settled down in the vicinity of Dingwall early in the sixteenth century - having terminated in John, this lady's father, she carried the lineal representation of that old and respectable house to the family of Allangrange. By Margaret Bayne, George Mackenzie had issue -

1. Simon, who died young in 1731.

2. William, a Captain in the 25th Regiment. He died before his father, unmarried, in 1764.

3. George, who died young.

4. Alexander, who died unmarried before his father, in 1765.

5. John, who succeeded his father in Allangrange.

6. Margaret, who, as his second wife, married Alexander Chisholm, XXII. of Chisholm, with issue, and carried on the succession of that family.

7. Isobell, who married Simon Mackenzie of Langwell, a Captain in the 4th Regiment (marriage contract 1767), with issue.

8. Mary, who married Kenneth Chisholm, Fasnakyle, a cadet of Knockfin, with issue - Margaret, who married John Chisholm, Comar.

George had six other daughters - Anne, Janet, Susanna, Lilias, Ann, Barbara, and Elizabeth, all of whom died young or unmarried.

He died in 1773, when he was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

III. JOHN MACKENZIE, third of Allangrange, who at an early age was appointed Examiner of Customs in Edinburgh. He married, first, Catherine, eldest daughter and co-heiress of James Falconer of Monkton (marriage contract 1781), and grand-daughter of the Right Hon. Lord Halkerton and the Hon. Jane Falconer. By the acquisition of his wife's fortune John was able to devote himself to his favourite agricultural pursuits, in which he was eminently successful in his day. By his wife, who died in 1790, he left issue -

1. George Falconer, his heir and successor.

2. Jane Falconer, who married John Gillanders of Highfield, with issue - (1) Captain George Gillanders, who died without issue; (2) Captain John Mackenzie Bowman Gillanders, H.E.I.C.S., of Highfield, who died, without issue, in 1852; (3) Alexander Gillanders; (4) James Falconer Gillanders, of Highfield, who in 1852 married Amy, daughter of the late Major Charles Robertson of Kindeace, with issue - George Francis Gillanders, late of Highfield, who, on the 21st of December, 1876, married Geraldine Anne Isabella Mary Jane, daughter of Major James Wardlaw, Belmaduthy, with issue - an only daughter, Frances Geraldine; (5) Frances Williamina Gillanders, who died without issue; (6) Margaret Mackenzie Gillanders; (7) Catherine, who married William Inglis, of the H.E.I.C.S.

3. Margaret Bayne, who died young.

4. Margaret Bayne, who also died young.

John married, secondly, Barbara, daughter of George Gillanders, first of Highfield, widow of John Bowman, an East India merchant in London, without issue. She died in 1823. He died in 1812, when he was succeeded by his eldest son,

IV. GEORGE FALCONER MACKENZIE, fourth of Allangrange, who was in 1829 served heir male to his ancestor, the Hon. Simon Mackenzie of Lochslinn, and heir male in general to Simon's father, Kenneth, created first Lord Mackenzie of Kintail in 1609, and to Lord Kenneth's brother, Colin, created first Earl of Seaforth in 1623.

He matriculated arms accordingly in the Lyon Office of Scotland. On the 9th of January, 1828, he married Isabella Reid, daughter of James Fowler of Raddery and Fairburn, in the county of Ross, and The Grange, Jamaica, with issue -

1. John Falconer, who succeeded his father, and died unmarried in 1849.

2. James Fowler, who succeeded his brother John.

3. George Thomas, who married Ethel Newman, London, without issue male.

4. Catherine Sophia, who died young.

5. Anna Watson.

George Falconer Mackenzie died in 1841, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

V. JOHN FALCONER MACKENZIE, fifth of Allangrange, who died unmarried in 1849, when he was succeeded by his next brother,

VI. JAMES FOWLER MACKENZIE, now of Allangrange, Chief of the Mackenzies, and heir male to the dormant honours and ancient titles of the historic family of Kintail and Seaforth. He is still unmarried, and it is much to be feared that after his death and that of his brother, George, who is without issue male, the Chiefship of this great Clan may go a-begging. The only member of the family whose male representation has not been proved extinct is Kenneth, third son of Simon, I. of Allangrange, born about two hundred years ago, and of whom or of his descendants, if any, nothing is known for two centuries. And trace of them is now scarcely within the region of possibility, even if in existence, which is extremely improbable.

The Hon. Simon Mackenzie of Lochslinn, seventh son of Kenneth, first Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, had by his first wife, three other sons - Thomas Mackenzie, I. of Loggie; John Mackenzie, I. of Inchcoulter or Balcony and Colin Mackenzie, Clerk to the Privy Council, but the male issue of all three has been proved extinct. He, however, married again; and it is among the descendants of the second marriage that the Chiefship of the Clan must be sought for should the heirs male of Allangrange at any time fail.

THE OLD MACKENZIES OF DUNDONNEL.

THE HON. SIMON MACKENZIE of Lochslinn married, secondly, in 1630 (marriage contract dated at Kingillie on the 12th of January), Agnes, daughter of William Fraser, V. of Culbokie, and widow of Alexander Mackenzie, I. of Ballone, brother of Sir John Mackenzie of Tarbat, with issue -

1. Kenneth Mor Mackenzie, first of Glenmarkassie and Dundonnel.

2. Isobel, who, in 1673, married Murdoch Mackenzie, VI. of Fairburn, with issue.

3. Elizabeth, who married the Rev. Roderick Mackenzie, minister and laird of Avoch - the land of which he had purchased - son of John, Archdean of Ross, natural son of Sir Roderick Mackenzie, Tutor of Kintail, with issue. This

I. KENNETH MOR MACKENZIE, first of Glenmarkassie, acquired the lands of Dundonnel, or "Achadh-Tigh-Domhnuill," from Roderick Mackenzie, III. of Redcastle, in 1690, by excambion for Meikle Scatwell. In 1681 he is described as Chamberlain of Assynt, and in 1690 he receives a discharge from the Hon. John Mackenzie, then designed "of Assynt," for 2448 merks, being the full rent for the estate crop of 1689. He married Annabella, daughter of John Mackenzie, I. of Gruinard, natural son of George, second Earl of Seaforth, with issue -

1. Kenneth, his heir and successor.

2. Alexander, of whom nothing is known.

3. Colin Riabhach of Ardinglash, who married Annabella, daughter of Simon Mackenzie of Loggie, without surviving issue.

4. Simon, of whom there is no trace.

5. Barbara, who married Alexander Mackenzie III. of Ballone (sasine 1727), with issue.

6. Sibella, who married John Mackenzie, II. of Ardloch, with issue.

7. Annabella, who married James Mackenzie of Keppoch, Lochbroom, brother of John Mackenzie, II. of Ardloch, with issue.

Kenneth Mor was succeeded by his eldest son,

II. KENNETH MACKENZIE, second of Dundonnel, who married Jean, daughter of John Chisholm, XX. of Chisholm, with issue -

1. Kenneth, his heir and successor.

2. Captain Alexander, of the 73rd Regiment, who died in 1783, and whose issue, if any, is unknown.

3. John, who married Barbara, daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, I. of Ardloch, with issue, several sons, all of whom died young, and two daughters - Annabella, who married Alexander Mackenzie, Rivochan, Kishorn, with issue, twenty-five children; and Isabella. John's widow married, as her second husband, Roderick, sixth son of George Mackenzie, II. of Gruinard, with issue.

Kenneth was succeeded by his eldest son,

III. KENNETH MACKENZIE, third of Dundonnel, who in 1737, married Jean, daughter of Sir Kenneth Mackenzie, IV. and first Baronet of Scatwell, with issue -

1. George, his heir and successor.

2. Kenneth, a W.S. who died in 1790, and whose issue, if any, is unknown.

3. William, an Episcopalian minister, who married, with issue. If any male descendants of his exist and can be traced one of them may, at no distant date, become Chief of the Clan.

4. Roderick, who was also married, with issue, but of whose descendants, if any, nothing is known.

5. Captain Alexander, who died in India, without issue.

6. Captain Simon, who was married, and died in Nairn in 1812, whether with or without issue, at present unknown.

7. Captain Lewis, who died in India, without issue.

8. Janet, who married Colin Mackenzie, Jamaica brother of George Mackenzie, Kildonan of Lochbroom without issue. She died in 1783.

9. Isabella, who died unmarried.

Kenneth, whose wife predeceased him in 1786, died in 1789, when he was succeeded by his eldest son,

IV. GEORGE MACKENZIE, fourth of Dundonnel, who married Abigail, daughter of Thomas Mackenzie, V. of Ord, with issue -

1. Alexander, who died young.

2. Kenneth, who succeeded his father in the estates.

3. Thomas, who succeeded his brother Kenneth.

4. Jane, who married the Rev. Dr Ross, minister of Lochbroom, with issue.

George was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

V. KENNETH MACKENZIE, fifth of Dundonnel, who, in 1817, married Isabella, daughter of Donald Roy of Treeton, without issue. He left the estate by will to his brother-in-law, Robert Roy, W.S., who, however, lost it after a long and costly litigation with Kenneth's brother,

VI. THOMAS MACKENZIE, sixth of Dundonnel, who was financially ruined by the litigation in the case, and the property had to be sold in 1835, to meet the costs of the trial. It was bought by Murdo Munro-Mackenzie of Ardross, grandfather of the present owner, Hugh Mackenzie of Dundonnel, and of Bundanon, Shoulhaven, New South Wales. Thomas married his cousin, Anne, eldest daughter of Alexander, VI. of Ord, with issue -

1. George Alexander, who became the representative of the family on the death of his father.

2. Thomas, who emigrated to California, and of whose issue, if any, nothing is known.

3. John Hope, who for some time resided at Tarradale House, Ross-shire.

4. Helen, who married the Hon. Justice Charles Henry Stewart of Ceylon, without issue.

5. Isabella, who resided in Elgin, unmarried.

Thomas was succeeded as representative of the family by his eldest son

VII. GEORGE ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, who, on the death of his father, became head of the original Mackenzies of Dundonnel, although the estates had been sold to another family. He married Louisa, daughter of Captain Stewart of the Celyon Rifles, without issue. If his next brother, who went to California, survived George Alexander, then, on his death, he -

VIII. THOMAS MACKENZIE, would have succeeded as head of his house, and failing him and his descendants, if any, the representation of the old Mackenzies of Dundonnel would have fallen to JOHN HOPE MACKENZIE, third son of Thomas, VI. of Dundonnel and last proprietor of the family estates. He married Louisa, daughter of Captain Stewart of the Ceylon Rifles, widow of his deceased brother, George Alexander, without issue, and died in London in 1892.

The only members of this family whose descendants can ever now by any possibility succeed to the Chiefship should it pass from the Mackenzies of Allangrange are (1) Alexander, second son of Kenneth Mor, first of Dundonnel, but of him there is no trace for more than two hundred years, and never likely to be. (2) Simon, Alexander's youngest brother, of whom nothing has been heard during the same period. (3) Captain Alexander, of the 73rd Regiment, second son of Kenneth Mackenzie, II. of Dundonnel, who died, probably unmarried, in 1783. In any case there is nothing known of any descendants. (4) Kenneth, W.S., second son of Kenneth Mackenzie, III. of Dundonnel, who died in 1790, and is not known to have been married. (5) William, third son of the same Kenneth, an Episcopalian minister, who was married, and left issue, of whom, however, we know nothing. (6) Roderick, William's immediate younger brother, and third son of the same Kenneth Mackenzie, III. of Dundonnel, who was also married, with issue, but whether extinct or not we cannot say. (7) Captain Simon, who was married and died in Nairn in 1812, but of his descendants, if any, we at present know nothing. (8) Captain Lewis, who died in India, probably, unmarried, but this has not been conclusively established; and (9) Thomas, second son of Thomas, VI. of Dundonnel, who in early life emigrated to California, and regarding whom nothing has since been heard. If he is still alive or has left any surviving male issue the late John Hope Mackenzie could not have succeeded as head of the family, and Thomas, or his male heir, if now in life, occupies that position; and on the failure of the Mackenzies of Allangrange, he or his representative will become Chief of the Mackenzies. Failing Thomas, or his male heirs, that honour would fall to the heirs male, if any, of each of the eight others mentioned, in the inverse order in which their names are here set forth.

THE MACKENZIES OF HILTON.

THE MACKENZIES OF HILTON are descended from Alexander Mackenzie, VI. of Kintail, known among the Highlanders as "Alastair Ionraic," by his first wife, Anna, daughter of John Macdougall of Dunolly.

The first of the family was

I. DUNCAN MACKENZIE, designated of Hilton, a barony situated in Strathbraan, bounded on the north by Loch Fannich, on the south by the ridge of the hills on the north side of Strathconan, on the east by Achnault, and on the west by Ledgowan. Duncan married a daughter of Ewen Cameron, XIII. of Lochiel, with issue - an only son, his heir and successor -

II. ALLAN MACKENZIE, second of Hilton, Loggie or Brea, from whom the family is known in Gaelic as "Clann Alain." He married a daughter of Alexander Dunbar of Conzie and Kilbuyack, third son of the Sheriff of Moray, with issue -

1. Murdoch, his heir and successor.

2. John, progenitor of the Mackenzies of Loggie.

3. Roderick, who married, with issue, an only daughter, Agnes, who married Alexander Mackenzie, II. of Killichrist, with issue.

4. Alastair, who married, with issue - a daughter, who married Roderick, son of Murdoch Mackenzie, III. of Achilty, with issue - the Rev. Murdo Mackenzie, Bishop of Ranfoe, in Ireland.

Allan's wife survived him, and married, as her second husband, Kenneth Mackenzie of Meikle Allan, now Allangrange, second son of Hector Roy Mackenzie, I. of Gairloch.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

III. MURDOCH MACKENZIE, third of Hilton, who married a daughter of Innes of Innerbreakie, now Invergordon, with issue - an only son,

IV. JOHN MACKENZIE, fourth of Hilton, who married Margaret, daughter of Dunbar of Inchbrook, with issue -

1. Murdoch, his heir.

2. Alexander, who, in 1640, married Margaret, natural daughter of John Roy Mackenzie, IV. of Gairloch, apparently without issue. The marriage contract is in the Gairloch charter chest.

3. Colin, M.A. of Aberdeen University, and minister of Kilearnan, where he died. He married Miss Dundas, with issue - Kenneth, well known in his day as Deacon of the Edinburgh Goldsmiths, who left no issue.

4. A daughter who married John Sinclair, Caithness.

5. A daughter, who married John Matheson, "Ian Og," in Lochalsh, whose eldest son, Alexander, became the progenitor of the Mathesons of Lochalsh, Attadale, and Ardross, represented in this country by Sir Kenneth James Matheson, Baronet, and others.

John was succeeded by his eldest son,

V. MURDOC MACKENZIE, fifth of Hilton, who married Mary, eldest daughter of the Rev. Murdoch Murchison, Auchtertyre, minister of Kintail, with issue -

1. Alexander, his heir.

2. Roderick, who married the eldest daughter of Alexander, third son of Murdoch Mackenzie, II. of Redcastle, with issue - a son, Colin, who died without issue, in 1682.

3. Colin, who married Isobel, daughter of Donald Simpson, Chamberlain of Ferintosh, with issue - (1) Alexander, locally called "Sanders," who succeeded his grandfather, Donald Simpson, as Chamberlain of Ferintosh. He married Helen, daughter of William Munro, Ardullie, with issue - two sons and two daughters - (a) Colin, who died unmarried, but left a natural son, of whom are descended several respectable families in Ferintosh; (b) Donald, who married Jean, legitimate male succession of his paternal grandfather, Alexander, eldest son of Colin, third son of Murdoch Mackenzie, V. of Hilton. Donald had several daughters; first Mary, who was along with her father and brother when they were drowned, but she was saved, and married, as his second wife, the Rev. Colin Mackenzie, minister of Fodderty, first of the family of Glack, of whom presently second, Jean, who married Colin Murchison third, Isabel, who married David Ross; fourth, a daughter, who married Mackenzie of Ussie, with issue - two sons, Donald and Frank; fifth, Anne, who married Lewis Grant; and sixth, Helen, who married Alexander Mackenzie of Ardnagrask, afterwards at Loggie-side, from whom was descended Bailie John Mackenzie, of Inverness. Alexander's ("Sanders") eldest daughter, Mary, in 1723, married Donald, son of John Murchison, Achtertyre; the second, Elizabeth, married William Martin of Inchfure, with issue - a daughter, Ann, celebrated for her beauty, who, as his second wife, married Norman Macleod, XIX. of Macleod, with issue - three daughters, Elizabeth, Anne, and Rich Mary, for whose marriage and descendants see Mackenzie's "History of the Macleods," pp. 154-155. (2) Roderick, Colin's second son, whose male heir carried on the representation of the family on the death, without legitimate male issue, of Alexander Mackenzie, X. of Hilton, when he was succeeded by Roderick's grandson, Alexander, as XI. of Hilton, whose descent will be shown presently. John, a third son of Colin, is on record in 1730, but nothing more is known of him.

4. Murdoch, fourth son of Murdoch, V. of Hilton, married Agnes Helen, daughter of Donald Taylor, a Bailie of Inverness (1665), with issue - an only son, Alexander, who in early life entered the service of Kenneth, Earl of Seaforth, and who, in 1709, became Chamberlain of the Lewis for Earl William. In the same year Alexander married Katherine, daughter of Andrew Duncan, factor for Viscount Stormont, with issue, whose descendants are unknown. Murdoch had also a daughter, Jean, who daughter of Thomas Forbes of Raddery and of the lands of Fortrose as far as Ethie, with issue - an only son, Alexander, who was drowned along with his father, while fording the Conon, Opposite Dingwall, in 1759, when, the son being unmarried, perished the married Hector Mackenzie, by whom she had a son, Kenneth, a Jesuit Priest in Spain, and several daughters.

5. Isobel, who married the Rev. Donald Macrae, minister of Kintail, with issue.

Murdoch was succeeded by his eldest son,

VI. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, sixth of Hilton, who, in 1630, married, first, Annabella, second daughter of John Mackenzie, I. of Ord, without issue, and secondly, Sibella, eldest daughter of Roderick Mackenzie, I. of Applecross, widow in succession of Alexander Macleod, V. of Raasay, and Thomas Graham of Drynie, with issue - an only son,

VII. EWEN MACKENZIE, who succeeded as seventh of Hilton. He married, in 1685, Elizabeth, third daughter of Colin Mackenzie, IV. of Redcastle, with issue -

1. John, his heir and successor.

2. Colin, who succeeded his brother John as IX. of Hilton.

3. Florence, who married her cousin, Alexander Macrae, son of the Rev. Donald Macrae, minister of Kintail.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

VIII. JOHN MACKENZIE, eighth of Hilton, who married Margaret, daughter of Kenneth Mackenzie of Alduinny (marriage contract 1710), without issue. He joined the Earl of Mar, and was one of "The four Johns of Scotland," - Ceithear Ianan na h-Alba - killed at the battle of Sheriff-Muir in November, 1715, where he commanded a Company of the Mackenzies. He was succeeded by his brother,

IX. COLIN MACKENZIE, ninth of Hilton, who married Catherine, daughter of Christopher Mackenzie, Arinhugair, with issue -

1. John, who married Helen, daughter of Roderick Mackenzie, VII. of Fairburn, and died without issue, before his father, in 1751.

2. Alexander, who succeeded to the estate.

3. A daughter, who, as his first wife, married John Macdonell, XII. of Glengarry, with issue - Alastair, who carried on the representation of that family, and another son.

He died in 1756, aged 65, and was succeeded by his only surviving son,

X. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, tenth of Hilton, who married Mary, daughter of George Mackenzie, II. of Gruinard, without issue, when the direct male line of Murdoch, V. of Hilton, came to an end. He, however, had a natural son - Alexander, well known in his day and yet affectionately spoken of by very old people as "Alastair Mor mac Fhir Bhaile Chnuic," Seaforth's principal and most successful recruiting serjeant when originally raising the 78th Highland Regiment. And many a curious story is still told of Alastair's successful efforts to procure willing and sometimes hesitating recruits for the Regiment of his Chief. He married Annabella Mackenzie, of the Gruinard family, by whom he had a numerous offspring; and many of his descendants, one of whom is Major Alexander Colin Mackenzie, of the 1st V.B. Seaforth Highlanders, Maryburgh, occupy responsible positions in several parts of the country.

We must now revert, in order to pick up the legitimate male line of succession, to

RODERICK MACKENZIE, I. of Brea, Chamberlain of Ferintosh, second son of Colin, by his wife Mary Simpson, third son of Murdoch, V. of Hilton, all the intermediate male heirs having, as has been shown, become extinct. He acquired Brea in Ferintosh, in wadset and it remained in his family for two generations. By marriage he became possessed of the ruined Castle of Dingwall, and the lands adjoining, the ancient residence of the Earls of Ross; also the lands of Longcroft. Roderick married Una, or Winifred, daughter of John Cameron, Town Clerk of Dingwall, with issue -

1. John of Brea, commonly known as "John the Laird." He resided at Tarradale and married, in 1759, Beatrice, second daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, VIII. of Davochmaluag, by Magdalen, daughter of Hugh Rose, XIII. of Kilravock, with issue - (1) Roderick, who died unmarried; (2) Alexander, who succeeded as XI. of Hilton, and of whom presently; (3) Kenneth of Inverinate, who married Anne, daughter of Thomas Mackenzie, IV. of Highfield and VI. of Applecross, with issue - (a) Thomas, who succeeded as X. of Applecross, in right of his mother, and whose male heirs have died out (see Applecross genealogy); (b) Alexander, who married Harriet, daughter of Newton of Curriehill, with issue - Kenneth, who died unmarried; Alexander, a Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers, who died unmarried; Marion, who married Charles Holmes, barrister, without issue; and Harriet, unmarried; (c) Jean, who died unmarried; (d) Elizabeth, who married her cousin, Major John Mackenzie, XII. of Hilton, with issue, whose descendants, in Australia, now represent the male line of the family; (e) Flora, who married the Rev. Charles Downie, minister of Contin who died in 1852, leaving issue - Kenneth Mackenzie Downie, a surgeon in Australia, and five daughters, all dead; (f) Catherine, (g) Mary, and (h) Johanna, all three of whom died unmarried. The other sons and daughters of John Mackenzie of Brea, "the Laird," were (4) Colin, called "the Baron," born at Tarradale, on the 3rd of December, 1759, and died unmarried; (5) Peter, who also died unmarried; (6) Duncan, who married Jessie, daughter of Mackenzie of Strathgarve, without issue; (7) Arthur, who died unmarried; (8) Magdalen, who died unmarried; (9) Marcella or Medley, who married the Rev. Dr Downie, in the Lewis; (10) Mary, who in 1790, married her cousin, the Rev. Donald Mackenzie minister of Fodderty, with issue - Major Colin, Royal Engineers, who married Anne, daughter of John Pendrill, of Bath, without issue; and (11) Elizabeth, who died unmarried.

2. Colin Mackenzie, minister of Fodderty, who purchased an estate in Aberdeenshire, and was the first of the Mackenzies of Glack, in that county, of whom later on.

3. Sir Peter, M.D., a knight of Nova Scotia, Surgeon-General in the army, who died unmarried.

Roderick Mackenzie was succeeded in Brea by his eldest son,

JOHN MACKENZIE, II. of Brea, with surviving issue, among several others already mentioned, Alexander, who as nearest male heir collateral, succeeded to the lands and barony of the family as

XI. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, eleventh of Hilton and Brea, who was, as has just been shown, the great-grandson of Colin, third son of Murdoch, V. of Hilton, and his heir of line. Alexander was born at Tigh-a-phris of Ferintosh, on the 3rd of July, 1756. He was educated at the University of Aberdeen, but was afterwards bred a millwright to qualify him for the supervision of family estates and business connections in Jamaica, where he subsequently became a Colonel of Militia. On the death of his maternal uncle, Alexander Mackenzie, VIII. of Davochmaluag, in 1776, and of that gentleman's grandson, Lieutenant Kenneth Mackenzie, who was killed at Saratoga in 1777, Alexander of Hilton succeeded also to the Davochmaluag estate. The adjoining properties of Davochpollo and Davochcairn having been previously acquired by his father, John Mackenzie, second of Brea, Alexander combined the three properties into one, and gave it the name of Brea, after the former possession of the family in Ferintosh. He greatly improved this estate and laid it out in its present beautiful form. His land improvements, however, turned out unremunerative. His Hilton property was heavily encumbered in consequence of the part taken by members of the family in the Risings of 1696, 1715, and 1745, and great losses having been incurred in connection with his West Indian estates, Alexander got into pecuniary difficulties, and all his possessions, at home and abroad, had to be sold either by himself or by his trustees to meet the demands of his creditors. He was a distinguished agriculturist for his time, and was the first, along with Sir George Mackenzie, VII. of Coul, and his own cousin, Major Forbes Mackenzie, to introduce Cheviot sheep to the Highlands for hill grazings.

He married Mary James, in Jamaica, with issue -

1. John, his heir.

2. Alexander, who married his cousin Charlotte, daughter of the Rev. Dr Downie, with issue - (1) Alexander, who died unmarried; (2) Downie, who died unmarried; (3) John; (4) Kenneth, who married Flora, daughter of the Rev. John Macdonald, a native of Inverness, who emigrated to and was a minister in Australia, by his wife Mary (who died in 1878), third daughter of Neil Macleod, XI. of Gesto, Isle of Skye; (5) Charles, who died unmarried; (6) William, who died unmarried; (7) Mary James, who married her cousin, Kenneth Mackenzie, XIV. of Hilton, in Australia; and (8) Jessie, who died unmarried. Alexander emigrated to Australia, where he died.

3. Kenneth, W.S., who married Anne Urquhart, Aberdeen, with issue - an only daughter, who died unmarried. He married, secondly, Elizabeth Jones, with issue, and died in Canada, where his widow and children continued to reside, in the city of Toronto.

4. Mary, who died unmarried in Australia a few years ago.

Alexander died at Lasswade in 1840, and was succeeded as representative of the family by his eldest son,

XII. JOHN MACKENZIE, Colonel of the 7th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry, and for many years Superintendent of the Government breeding stud at Buxar, India. He married, in 1813, his cousin, Elizabeth, daughter of Kenneth Mackenzie of Inverinate, W.S., with issue -

1. Alexander, who succeeded him as representative of the family.

2. Kenneth, who succeeded his brother Alexander.

3. Mary, who married Dr James of the 30th Regiment, without issue.

4. Anne, who married General Arthur Hall of the 5th Bengal Cavalry, with issue.

5. Elizabeth Jane, who died unmarried.

Colonel John died at Simla in 1856, when he was succeeded as representative of the family by his eldest son,

XIII. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, who emigrated to Australia, and died unmarried in New South Wales in 1862, when he was succeeded as representative of the family by his younger brother,

XIV. KENNETH MACKENZIE, who recently resided at Tyrl-Tyrl, Taralga, near Sydney, New South Wales. He married his cousin, Mary James, daughter of Captain Alexander Mackenzie of Brea, second son of Alexander, XI. of Hilton, with issue -

1. John, his heir; (2) Kenneth; (3) Downie; (4) Flora; (5) Jessie, all in Australia.

THE MACKENZIES OF GLACK.

THIS family is descended from Roderick, second son of Colin, third son of Murdoch Mackenzie, V. of Hilton. The issue of Roderick, Hilton's second son, by the daughter of Alexander Mackenzie of Redcastle, and Roderick's eldest brother, has already been proved extinct. Colin, Murdoch of Hilton's third son, had - (1) a son, Alexander, whose male issue died out in 1759; and (2) Roderick, Chamberlain of the Lewis. This Roderick had three sons - (1) John Mackenzie, I. of Brea, who carried on the male line of Hilton, and whose representative, now in Australia, is head of that family; (2) Colin; and (3) Sir Peter, a Surgeon-General in the army, who died unmarried. Roderick's second son,

I. THE REV. COLIN MACKENZIE, minister of Fodderty, purchased the estate of Glack - in Aberdeenshire, and became the first of this family. He was born in 1707, educated at the University of Aberdeen, and in 1734 appointed parish minister of Fodderty. Subsequently, for services rendered to the family of the forfeited Earl of Cromarty, he was appointed by the Earl's eldest son, Lord Macleod, Chaplain to Macleod's Highlanders, afterwards the 71st Highland Light Infantry, an office which proved more honorary than lucrative, for he had to find a substitute, at his own expense, to perform the duties of the office. Colin inherited a considerable fortune in gold from his father, while in right of his mother he succeeded to the ruined Castle of Dingwall, one of the ancients seats of the old Earls of Ross, and its lands, as also the lands of Longcroft. He gave the site of the Castle, at the time valued at L300, to Henry Davidson of Tulloch as a contribution towards the erection of a manufactory which that gentleman proposed to erect for the employment of the surplus male and female labour in Dingwall and its vicinity, but which was never begun. He sold the remaining portion of the Castle lands and those of Longcroft to his nephew, Alexander Mackenzie, XI. of Hilton, and afterwards bought Glack in Aberdeenshire, of which he and his descendants have since been designated. Colin was on intimate terms with the Lord President Forbes of Culloden, and maintained a constant correspondence with his lordship, the result of which was, along with the demands and influence of his clerical calling, to keep him out of the Rising of 1745, although all his sympathies were with the Jacobites. He is said to have been the first who, in his own district, received intelligence of the landing of Prince Charles in Scotland. It reached him during the night, whereupon he at once crossed Knockfarrel to Brahan Castle, where, finding his Chief in bed, he without awakening her ladyship, communicated to his lordship what had occurred. Seaforth, having had his estate recently restored to him, was easily prevailed upon by his clansmen to keep out of the way in the meantime, and both of them started for the West Coast of Ross-shire at the same time that the army of the Prince began its march eastwards. The two were in retirement at Poolewe, when two ships laden with his lordship's retainers from the Lewis sailed into Lochewe. They were at once signalled to return to Stornoway, Seaforth waving them back with the jawbone of a sheep, which he was in the act of picking for his dinner, and in this way, it is said, was fulfilled one of the prophecies of the Brahan Seer, by which it was predicted "That next time the men of Lewis should go forth to battle, they would be turned back by a weapon smaller than the jawbone of an ass." Meanwhile Seaforth's lady (we shall for greater convenience continue to call him by his former title, although it was at this time under attainder), not knowing what had become of her lord or what his real intentions were, is said to have entertained the Prince at Brahan Castle, and to have urged upon the Earl of Cromarty and his eldest son, Lord Macleod, to call out the clan in her husband's absence. Subsequently, when that Earl and his son were confined in the Tower of London for the part which they took on her advice, and when the Countess with ten children, and bearing another, were suffering the severest hardships and penury, the Rev. Colin, at great risk to himself and the interests of his family, collected the rents from the Cromarty tenants, giving his own receipt against their being required to pay again to the Forfeited Estates Commissioners, and personally carried the money to her ladyship in London. It was in acknowledgment of this service that Lord Macleod afterwards appointed him Chaplain to his newly raised regiment, Macleod's Highlanders.

It was this Colin who first fully recognised the health-giving properties of the Strathpeffer mineral springs, and who, by erecting a covered shed over one of them, placed it, for the first time, in a condition to benefit the suffering thousands who have since derived so much advantage from it. Shortly before his death, in 1801, at the very old age of ninety-five years, he conducted the opening services of the parish church of Ferintosh, and contributed largely to the funds for its erection, to commemorate the saving of his wife's life, when she was washed ashore on her horse's back, near the site of the church, when her father and brother perished by drowning while crossing the River Conon, opposite Dingwall, in 1759.

The Rev. Colin married first, Margaret, daughter of Hugh Rose, IV. of Clava, with issue, an only daughter, Margaret, who died young on the 22nd of September. 1746. He married, secondly, in 1754, his cousin, Mary, eldest daughter of Donald Mackenzie, Balnabeen, who, as has been already shown, carried on, in the female line, the succession of Alexander (Sanders), eldest son of Colin, third son of Murdoch, V. of Hilton. By her, who died in 1828, the Rev. Colin of Fodderty, and Glack had issue -

1. Roderick, his heir and successor.

2. Donald, who was educated at the University of Edinburgh, and afterwards appointed parish minister of Fodderty and Chaplain to the 71st Highlanders, his father having resigned both offices in his favour. He was a noted humorist and said by those who knew him best to be much more at heart a soldier than a minister. He married first, his cousin, Mary, daughter of John Mackenzie of Brea, "the Laird," and sister of Alexander, XI. of Hilton, with issue - (1) Colin, a Colonel of Royal Engineers, who, born in 1793, married in 1838 Ann Petgrave, daughter of John Pendrill, M.D., Bath, and died without issue, in 1869; (2) John, who ultimately succeeded as IV. of Glack, and of whom presently; (3) Elizabeth, who married Lieutenant Stewart, R.N., with issue; and (4) Mary, who died unmarried. Colin married, secondly, Mary, daughter of the Rev. Mr Fyers, Fort-George, without issue.

3. Forbes Mackenzie, a Captain in the North British (Ross-shire) Militia, afterwards Major in the East of Ross Militia, and for thirty-seven years a Deputy Lieutenant for the county. He reclaimed and laid out the greater part of the valley of the Peffery, where, on the estate of Fodderty, be was the first to apply lime to the land and to grow wheat north of the Moray Firth. He was also the first to introduce Clydesdale horses and shorthorn cattle to the Highlands, and was, as has been already said, along with Sir George Mackenzie of Coul and his own cousin, Alexander Mackenzie, XI. of Hilton, the first to import Cheviot sheep to the northern counties. He married Catherine, daughter of Angus Nicolson, Stornoway, and grand-daughter of the gentleman of the same name who commanded and brought to Poolewe, with the intention of joining the standard of Prince Charles, the three hundred men ordered back to the Lewis, as already mentioned, by Seaforth, in 1745. By her Major Forbes Mackenzie had issue - (1) Nicolson, a surgeon in the army, who was wrecked near Pictou, Nova Scotia, and there drowned in his noble attempts to save the lives of others, in 1853, unmarried; (2) Roderick, heir of entail to the estate of Foveran, and a Colonel in the Royal Artillery, who, in 1878, married Caroline Sophia, daughter of J. A. Beamont of Wimbledon Park; (3) Thomas, a Major in the 78th Highlanders, Ross-shire now retired, and still unmarried; (4) Mary, who married the late Rev. John Kennedy, D.D., Free Church minister of Dingwall, with issue - Jessie, unmarried, and Mary, who married John Matheson, banker, Madras, only surviving son of the late Rev. Duncan Matheson, late Free Church minister of Gairloch with issue. Mrs Kennedy died at Strathpeffer in 1892. (5) Dorothy Blair, who died unmarried; and (6) Catherine Eunice, who married the late Adam Alexander Duncan of Naughton, county of Fife, with issue - Catherine Henrietta Adamina.

4. Anne, who married Hector Mackenzie, a Bailie of Dingwall ("Baillidh Eachainn"), to whom Alexander Campbell, the Gaelic bard, composed the beautiful elegy published in 1893 in the "Scottish Highlander." He was the second son of Alexander Mackenzie of Tollie, Provost of Dingwall (third son of Charles Mackenzie, I. of Letterewe), by his second wife, Catherine, daughter of Bayne of Delny, and younger half brother of Alexander Mackenzie, I. of Portmore. By his wife, Bailie Hector had issue, Alexander, whose daughter, Katherine, in 1836, married Major Roderick Mackenzie, H.E.I.C.S., and VII. of Kincraig, with issue.

5. Mary, who married Captain John Mackenzie, VI. of Kincraig, whose descendants, from her, now represent the Mackenzies of Redcastle.

6. Johanna, who married Dr Millar, Stornoway.

7. Una, who died unmarried.

8. Beatrice, who married Peter Hay, a Bailie of Dingwall.

9. Isabella, who died unmarried, and

10. Jean, who married the Rev. Colin Mackenzie, Stornoway.

Rev. Colin Mackenzie was succeeded by his eldest son,

II. RODERICK MACKENZIE, second of Glack. He married first, Margaret, daughter of Sir Alexander Mackenzie, X. of Gairloch, Baronet, without issue, and secondly, Christina, daughter of John Niven, Peebles, with issue -

1. Harry, who died unmarried, in 1828.

2. John, who succeeded as III. of Glack.

3. Roderick of Thornton, Aberdeenshire, who died unmarried, in 1858.

4. James, a Major in the 72nd Highlanders, who died unmarried in India, in 1857.

5. Mary, who married the late General Sir Alexander Leith, K.C.B., of Freefield and Glenkindie, without issue.

6. Rachael, who died unmarried.

7. Christina of Foveran, who died unmarried.

8. Jane Forbes Unice, who also died unmarried.

Roderick was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

III. JOHN MACKENZIE, third of Glack. He was born in 1810, succeeded his father in 1842, inherited his brother Roderick's estate in 1857, and Foveran, on her death, from his sister Christina. He acquired Inveramsay by purchase. He died. unmarried, in 1877, when he was succeeded by his cousin, the second son of his uncle, the Rev. Donald, minister of Fodderty,

IV. JOHN MACKENZIE, fourth of Glack. He was born on the 21st of March, 1795, and married first, in 1817, at Malta, Anne, daughter of Thomas MacGill, without issue; and secondly, on the 21st of October, 1822, Margaret Campbell, daughter of John Pendrill, M.D., Bath, with issue -

1. The Rev. Duncan Campbell, rector of Shephall, Hertfordshire, his heir.

2. John Pendrill, M.A. of Oxford, who was born on the 7th of February, 1825, and married first, on the 20th of October, 1859, Lucy Adelaide, daughter of Henry Thornton, with issue - Lucy Eleanor and Margaret Pendrill. She died in 1870, and he married, secondly, on the 25th of July, 1878, Caroline Maria, daughter of J. H. Wottur of Hamburg.

3. The Rev. Roderick Bain, M.A. of Exeter College, Oxford, Rector of Ludbrooke, county of Lincoln. He was born on the 14th of September, 1834, and married on the 10th of November, 1868, Josepha Peyton, eldest daughter of Colonel Richard Ignatius Robertson of Portland Place, London, without issue.

4. Margaret Campbell Pendrill, and

5. Mary, both unmarried.

His second wife died at Sorrento, Naples, on the 7th of June, 1855.

He is succeeded as representative of the family by his eldest son,

V. THE REV. DUNCAN CAMPBELL MACKENZIE, Vicar of Shephall, Herts, who was born on the 6th of January, 1824, and married on the 31st of January, 1854, Louisa, daughter of the late Lieutenant-Colonel Nicolls, of Chichester, with issue -

1. Donald, an officer in the Marines.

2. Allan, an officer in the Ross-shire Militia.

3. Malcolm; 4, Helen; 5, Edith; 6, Lilian; and 7, Amy.

THE MACKENZIES OF LOGGIE.

THE representative of this family, if alive, would succeed to the Chiefship after the male representative of the family of Glack, but there is no trace of any heir male of Loggie for two centuries. Before the Chiefship could come into this family, the descendants of Kenneth of Inverinate, third son of John Mackenzie of Brea, and immediate younger brother of Alexander, XI. of Hilton would have to be disposed of. Thomas, the eldest son of Inverinate, succeeded in terms of a disposition by John Mackenzie, VII. of Applecross, and in right of his mother, to the Applecross estates, but not to the male representation of that family. But the last male representative of this family failed, a few years ago, in the person of his third and last surviving son, Thomas Mackenzie, W.S., Edinburgh, who died unmarried. It will be remembered that Allan Mackenzie, II. of Hilton and Loggie, married a daughter of Alexander Dunbar of Conzie and Kilbuyack, third son of the Sheriff of Moray, with issue - (1) Murdoch, who succeeded as III. of Hilton, and (2) John, who was served heir to and afterwards designated,

I. JOHN MACKENZIE, first of Loggie, a barony situated in the old parish of that name, but now forming the western portion of the modern parish of Urquhart. John married a daughter of John Glassich Mackenzie, II. of Gairloch, with issue, one son, who succeeded him as

II. ALLAN MACKENZIE, second of Loggie. He married a daughter of Hector, sixth son of Murdoch Mackenzie, III. of Achilty, with issue -

1. Donald, his heir and successor.

2. Murdoch, who was married and left one daughter, Margaret, who in 1634 married Murdoch Mackenzie, I. of Little Findon, third son of Alexander Mackenzie, II. of Killichrist, with issue - a son, John, who succeeded his father. Allan was succeeded by his eldest son,

III. DONALD MACKENZIE, third of Loggie, who married first, in 1636, Catherine, daughter of Murdoch Mackenzie, II. of Redcastle, with issue -

1. Colin, a doctor of medicine, educated at the University of Aberdeen, and afterwards under the most celebrated professors of the day at Leyden, Paris, and Rheims, at the last-named of which he took his degree of M.D. He adopted extravagant theological views, in consequence of which "and his immoral conduct in his youth" he was disinherited by his father, whereupon he re-visited the Continent and remained there for several years. He subsequently returned to Inverness, where he practised his profession with considerable success, and had a yearly pension settled upon him by his father, until his death there, unmarried, in 1708.

Donald married, secondly, Annabella, eldest daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, V. of Gairloch, with issue -

2. Alexander, who succeeded his father.

3. John, who was educated for the ministry at the University of Aberdeen, and was for several years Chaplain to Major-General Mackay's Regiment. After the Revolution he was appointed minister of Kirkliston, near Edinburgh, but soon removed to London, where he died unmarried, before his brother Alexander, and was buried in St. Martin's Church, Westminster.

4. Murdoch, who succeeded as V. of Loggie.

5. Margaret, who married first, in 1663, Roderick Mackenzie, V. of Fairburn, with issue, and secondly, the Rev. Hector Mackenzie of Bishop-Kinkell, second son of Kenneth Mackenzie, VI. of Gairloch, with issue.

6. Christian, who married John Mackenzie, I. of Gruinard, with issue, and

7. Annabella, who married Mackenzie of Loggie in Lochbroom, with issue.

He married, thirdly, Anne, daughter of the Rev. Donald Morison, minister in the Lewis (sasine to her in 1666), with issue - an only daughter, Anne, who married the Rev. Angus Morison, minister of Contin. Donald had also a natural son, Roderick, a Captain in the Confederate army under King William, who died in Holland, unmarried.

He was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

IV. ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, fourth of Loggie, who married first, in 1667, Jane, daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, J. of Ballone, widow of Simon, second son of the Hon. Simon Mackenzie of Lochslinn, without issue. He married, secondly, Catherine, second daughter of William Mackenzie, I. of Belmaduthy, also without issue.

He was succeeded by his youngest brother,

V. MURDOCH MACKENZIE, fifth of Loggie, who was educated at the University of Aberdeen. He afterwards joined the Earl of Dumbarton's Regiment, and by his merit and valour soon raised himself to the rank of Captain. It is said of him that, at the battle of Sedgmoor, fought on the 6th of February, 1685, during Monmouth's rebellion, "the valiant Colonel Murdoch Mackenzie, under the command of Lord Feversham, signally distinguished himself." He at the head of his Company attacked the enemy on that occasion with such bravery and resolution that, excepting the officers, there were only nine men who were not either killed or wounded. Personally he had the distinguished honour of taking the Duke of Monmouth's standard, twisting it out of the standard-bearer's hand, and afterwards presenting it to James II. at Whitehall. For this gallant exploit he was promoted at once to the rank of Colonel. He married an English lady, with issue -

1. Murdoch, his heir.

2. George, a young man of promising parts, who was killed in a duel, unmarried; and three daughters of whom nothing has been ascertained.

Murdoch died in London, was buried in St. Martin's Church, Westminster, and succeeded by his eldest son,

VI. MURDOCH MACKENZIE, who settled in London, and of whose representatives nothing whatever is known.

THE MACKENZIES OF GAIRLOCH.

THIS family is descended from Alexander Mackenzie, VI. of Kintail, by his second wife Margaret, daughter of Roderick Macdonald, III. of Moydart and Clanranald, the famous "Ruairidh MacAlain," by Margaret, daughter of Donald Balloch of Islay, son of John Mor Tanastair (by his wife Marjory Bisset, heiress of the Seven Lordships of the Glens in Antrim), second son of John, first Lord of the Isles, by his wife Lady Margaret Stewart, daughter of King Robert II. and brother of Donald, second Lord of the Isles and first Earl of Ross. [For Alexander, VI. of Kintail's first and second wives see pp. 81-83.] By this lady the sixth Baron of Kintail had one son -

I. HECTOR ROY MACKENZIE, better known among his countrymen as "Eachainn Ruadh." He has been already noticed at considerable length at pp. 113 to 132 in his capacity as Tutor or Guardian to his nephew, John of Killin, IX. of Kintail, but he played such a prominent part in the history of his time that it will be necessary to give his history at much greater length under this head. It has been conclusively shown that Kenneth a' Bhlair, VII. of Kintail, died in 1491, and that his only son by his first wife, Kenneth Og, killed in the Torwood by the Laird of Buchanan in 1497, outlived his father and became one of the Barons of Kintail, although there is no record of his having been served heir to the family estates. It has been said that Duncan of Hilton, Kenneth a Bhlair's eldest brother, predeceased him, and that consequently Hector Roy succeeded, as a matter of course to the legal guardianship of his nephew, Kenneth Og, VIII. of Kintail, he being the eldest surviving brother of the late Chief, who died in 1491. But this has not been sufficiently established, although it is quite true that Duncan's name does not appear after his brother's death in 1491, in any of the manuscript histories of the clan, or in any known official document. The author of the Ardintoul MS. states distinctly that Duncan was dead, and that Hector, John of Kuhn's younger uncle, "meddled with the estate." The Earl of Cromarty says that "Hector Roy, being a man of courage and prudence, was left Tutor by his brother to Sir Kenneth, his own brother-uterine, Duncan being of better hands than head. This Hector, hearing of Sir Kenneth's death, and finding himself in possession of an estate, to which those only now had title whose birthright was debateable, namely, the children begot by Kenneth the third, on the Lord Lovat's daughter, with whom he did at first so irregularly and unlawfully cohabit." The objection of illegitimacy could not apply to Duncan, or to his son Allan, and it is difficult to understand on what ground Hector attempted to obtain personal possession of the estates, unless it be true, as confirmed to some extent hereafter, that he was himself joint-heir of Kintail; for it is undoubted that Allan, Duncan's eldest son, who was entitled to succeed before Hector, was then alive. There is no official evidence that Hector Roy was at any time appointed Tutor to John of Kuhn until an arrangement was made between themselves, in terms of which Hector was to act as such, and to keep the estates in his own bands until his nephew came of age.

There is no doubt that Hector was in possession of extensive estates of his own at this period. When the Lords of the Association, a factious party of the nobility, took up arms against James III., Alexander of Kintail despatched his sons, Kenneth and Hector, with a retinue of 500, to join the Royal standard; but Kenneth, hearing of the death of his father on his arrival at Perth, returned home at the request of the Earl of Huntly; and the clan was led by Hector Roy to the battle of Sauchieburn, near Stirling but after the defeat of the Royal forces, and the death there in 1488 of the King himself, Hector, who narrowly escaped, returned to Ross-shire and took the stronghold of Redcastle, then held for the rebels by Rose of Kilravock, and placed a garrison in it. He then joined the Earl of Huntly and the clans in the north who were rising to avenge the death of His Majesty but meanwhile orders came from the youthful King James IV., who had been at the head of the conspirators, ordering the Northern chiefs to lay down their arms, and to submit to the powers that be. Thereupon Hector, yielding to necessity, submitted with the rest, and he was "not only received with favour, but to reward his previous fidelity and also to engage him for the future the young King, who at last saw his error, and wanted to reconcile to him those who had been the friends of his father, made him a present of the Barony of Gairloch in the western circuit of Ross-shire by knight-service after the manner of that age. He likewise gave him Brahan in the Low Country, now a seat of the family of Seaforth, the lands of Moy in that neighbourhood, Glassletter (of Kintail), a Royal forest which was made a part of the Barony of Gairloch. In the pleasant valley of Strathpeffer, Castle Leod, part of Hector's paternal estate, afterwards a seat of the Earl of Cromarty; Achterneed near adjacent, also Kinellan, were likewise his, and so was the Barony of Allan, now Allangrange, a few miles southwards. In the Chops of the Highlands he had Fairburn the Wester, and both the Scatwells, the great and the lesser. Westward in the height of that country he had Kenlochewe, a district adjoining Gairloch on the east, and southward on the same track he had the half of Kintail, of which he was left joint-heir with his brother Kenneth, chief of the family." [Manuscript history of the Gairloch family. Another MS. says that Hector's possessions in Kintail were "bounded by the rivers Kilillan and Cro."]

The original Gairloch charters are lost, but a "protocol" from John de Vaux, or Vass, Sheriff of Inverness, whose jurisdiction at that time extended to Ross and the other Northern counties, is conclusive as to their having existed. This document, its orthography modernised, is in the following terms:

To all and sundry to whom it effeirs to whose knowledge these present letters shall come, John de Vaux, burgess of Dingwall and Sheriff in this part, sends greeting in God everlasting, to you universally I make it known that by the commands of our Sovereign Lords Letters and "precess" under his white wax directed to me as Sheriff in that part, and grants me to have given to Hector MacKennich heritable state and possession of all and sundry the lands of Gairloch, with their pertinents, after the form and tenour of our Sovereign Lord's charter made to the foresaid Hector thereupon, the which lands with their pertinents extends yearly to twelve merks of old extent, lying between the waters called Inverewe and Torridon within the Sheriffdom of Inverness, and I grant me to have given to the foresaid Hector heritable state and possession of all and sundry the foresaid lands with their pertinents, saving other men's rights as use and custom is, and charge in our Sovereign Lord's name, and mine as Sheriff, that no man vex, unquiet, or trouble the said Hector nor his heirs in the peaceable brooking and enjoyment of the lands foresaid under all pain and charges that after may follow: In witness of the which I have appended to these my letters of sasine my seal at "Allydyll" (? Talladale) in Gairloch, the 10th day of the month of December, the year of God, 1494, before these witnesses - Sir Dougall Ruryson, Vicar of Urquhart, Murchy Beg Mac Murchy, John Thomasson, Kenneth Mac-anleyson, Donald Mac-anleyson, Dugald Ruryson, and Duncan Lachlanson servant, with others divers.

The next authentic document in Hector's favour is a precept by the King to the Chamberlain of Ross commanding that functionary to obey a former precept granted to Hector of the mails, etc., of Brahan and Moy, in the following terms:

Chamberlain of Ross we greet you well - Forasmuch as we directed our special letters of before, making mention that we have given to our lovite Hector Roy Mackenzie the mails and profits of our lands of Brahan and Moy, with arriage, carriage, and other pertinents thereof, lying within our lordship of Ross for his good and thankful service done and to be done to us, enduring our will, and that it was our will that he should brook and enjoy the said lands with all the profits thereof enduring our will, and so the tenants now inhabitants thereof brook their tacks and not remove therefrom, the which letters, as, we are surely informed, you disobeyed in great contemption and littling of our authority Royal; Herefor we charge you now as of before that ye suffer the said Hector to brook and enjoy the same lands and take up and have all mails, fermes, profits, arriage, carriage, and due service of the said lands, and that the tenants and inhahitants thereof to answer and obey to him and to none others till, we give command by our special letters in the contrary, and this on no wise you leave undone, as you will incur our indignation and displeasure. These our letters seen and understood, deliver them again to the bearer to be kept and shown by the said Hector upon account of your warrant before our Comptroller and auditors of our Exchequer at your next accounting, and after the form of our said letters past of before given under our Signet, at Edinburgh, the 5th day of March, 1508, and of our reign the twentieth year.

JAMES R.

It will be seen from these documents that Hector had at this time large possessions of his own; and the dispute between him and his nephew, John of Killin, already fully described, probably arose in respect of Hector's rights to the half of Kintail, which his father is said to have left him jointly with his eldest brother, Kenneth, VII. of Kintail. Hector kept possession of Ellandonnan Castle until compelled by an order from the Privy Council to give it up in 1511 to John of Killin, and it appears from the records of the Privy Council that from 1501 to 1508 Hector continued to collect the rents of Kintail without giving any account of them; that he again in 1509 accounted for them for twelve months, and for the two succeeding years for the second time retained them, while he seems to have had undisturbed possession of the stronghold of Ellandonnan throughout. No record can be found of his answer to the summons commanding him to appear before the Privy Council, if he ever did put in an appearance, but in all probability he merely kept his hold of that Castle in order to compel his nephew to come to terms with him regarding his joint rights to Kintail, without any intention of ultimately keeping him out of possession. This view is strengthened by the fact that John obtained a charter under the Great Seal granting him Kintail anew on the 25th of February, 1508-9 [Reg. of the Great Seal, vol. xv, fol. 89.] - the same year in which Hector received a grant of Brahan and Moy - probably following on an arrangement of their respective rights in those districts also from the fact that Hector does not appear to have fallen into any disfavour with the Crown on account of his conduct towards John of Kintail; for only two years after Kuhn raised the action against Hector before the Privy Council, the latter receives a new charter, dated the 8th April, 1513, [The original charter is in the Gairloch Charter Chest.] under the Great Seal, of Gairloch, Glasletter, and Coirre-nan-Cuilean "in feu and heritage for ever," and he and his nephew appear ever after to have lived on the most friendly terms.

Gairloch, originally the possession of the Earls of Ross, and confirmed to them by Robert Bruce in 1306 and 1329 was subsequently granted by Earl William to Paul MacTire and his heirs by Mary Graham, for a yearly payment of a penny of silver in the name of blench ferme in lieu of every other service except the foreign service of the King when required. In 1372 Robert the II. confirmed the grant. In 1430 James I. granted to Nele Nelesoun (Neil son of Neil Macleod) for his homage and service in the capture of his deceased brother, Thomas Nelesoun, a rebel, the lands of Gairloch. ["Origines Parochiales Scotiae," vol. ii, p. 406]

Although Hector was in possession of Crown charters to at least two-thirds of the lands of Gairloch he found it very difficult to secure possession of them from the Macleods and their chief, Allan MacRory, the former proprietors. This Allan had married, as his first wife, a daughter of Alexander, VI. of Kintail, and sister of Hector Roy, with issue - three sons. He married, secondly, a daughter of Roderick Macleod, VII. of Lewis, with issue - one son, Roderick, subsequently known as Ruairidh Mac Alain, author of an atrocious massacre of the Macleods of Raasay and Gairloch at Island Isay, Waternish, Isle of Skye, erroneously attributed in the first edition of this work to his grandfather, the above-named Roderick Macleod of Lewis. Allan of Gairloch was himself related to the Macleods of Lewis, but it is impossible to trace the exact connection. Two brothers of Macleod of Lewis are said, traditionally, to have resolved that no Mackenzie blood should flow in the veins of the future head of the Gairloch Macleods, and determined to put Allan's children by Hector Roy's sister to death, so that his son by their own niece should succeed to Gairloch, and they proceeded across the Minch to the mainland to put their murderous intent into execution.

Allan MacRuairidh, the then Macleod laird of Gairloch, was personally a peacefully disposed man, and lived at the "Crannag," of which traces are still to be found on Loch Tolly Island, along with his second wife, two of his sons by the first marriage, and a daughter. The brothers, having reached Gairloch, took up their abode at the old "Tigh Dige," a wattled house, surrounded by a ditch, whose site is still pointed out in one of the Flowerdale parks, a few hundred yards above the stone bridge which crosses the Ceann-an-t-Sail river at the head of Gairloch Bay. Next day the murderous barbarians crossed over to Loch Tolly. On the way they learnt that Allan was not then on the island, he having gone a-fishing on the Ewe. They at once proceeded in that direction, found him sound asleep on the banks of the river, at "Cnoc na Mi-chomhairle," and without any warning "made him short by the head." Then retracing their steps, and ferrying across to the island where Allan's wife, with two of her three step-children were enjoying themselves, they, in the most cold-blooded manner, informed her of her husband's fate, tore the two boys - the third being fortunately absent - from her knees, took them ashore, and carried them along to a small glen through which the Poolewe Road now passes, about a mile to the south of the loch, and there, at a spot still called "Creag Bhadain an Aisc," the Rock at the place of Burial, stabbed them to the heart with their daggers, and carried their bloodstained shirts along with them to the Tigh Dige. These shirts the stepmother ultimately secured through the strategy of one of her husband's retainers, who at once proceeded with them to the boys' grandfather, Alexander Mackenzie, VI. of Kintail, at Kinellan or Brahan. Hector Roy started immediately, carrying the bloodstained shirts along with him as evidence of the atrocious deed, to report the murder to the King at Edinburgh. His Majesty on hearing of the crime granted Hector a commission of fire and sword against the murderers of his nephews, and gave him a Crown charter to the lands of Gairloch in his own favour dated 1494. The assassins were soon afterwards slain at a hollow still pointed out between Porthenderson and South Erradale, nearly opposite the northern end of the Island of Raasay, where their graves are yet to be seen, quite fresh and green, among the surrounding heather. [Mackenzie's "History of the Macleods," pp. 342, 343.]

One of the family historians says that this was the first step that Hector Roy got to Gairloch. His brother-in-law, Allan Macleod, gave him the custody of their rights, but when he found his nephews were murdered, he took a new gift of it to himself, and going to Gairloch with a number of Kintail men and others, he took a heirschip with him, but such as were alive of the Siol 'ille Challum of Gairloch, followed him and fought him at a place called Glasleoid, but they being beat Hector carried away the heirschip. After this and several other skirmishes they were content to allow him the two-thirds of Gairloch, providing he would let themselves possess the other third in peace, which he did, and they kept possession till Hector's great-grandchild put them from it." [Ancient MS.]

The Earl of Cromarty, and other MS. historians of the family fully corroborate this. The Earl says that Hector, incited to revenge by the foul murder of his nephews, made some attempts to oust the Macleods from Gairloch during John of Killin's minority, but was not willing to engage in war with such a powerful chief as Macleod of Lewis, while he felt himself insecure in his other possessions, but after arranging matters amicably with his nephew of Kintail, and now being master of a fortune and possessions suitable to his mind and quality, he resolved to avenge the murder and to "make it productive of his own advantage." He summoned all those who were accessory to the assassination of his sister's children before the Chief Justice. Their well grounded fears made them absent themselves from Court. Hector produced the bloody shirts of the murdered boys, whereupon the murderers were declared fugitives and outlaws, and a commission granted in his favour for their pursuit, "which he did so resolutely manage that in a short time he killed many, preserved some to justice, and forced the remainder to a composition advantageous to himself. His successors, who were both active and prudent men, did thereafter acquire the rest from their unthrifty neighbours." The greatest defeat that Hector ever gave to the Macleods "was at Bealach Glasleoid, near Kintail, where most of them were taken or killed." At this fight Duncan Mor na Tuaighe, who so signally distinguished himself at Blar-na-Pairc, was present with Hector, and on being told that four men were together attacking his son Dugal, he indifferently replied, "Well, if he be my son there is no hazard for that," a remark which turned out quite true, for the hero killed the four Macleods, and came off himself without any serious wounds. [Duncan in his old days was very assisting to Hector, Gairloch's predecessor, against the Macleods of Gairloch, for he, with his son Dugal, who was a strong, prudent, and courageous man, with ten or twelve other Kintailmen, were alwise, upon the least advertisement, ready to go and assist Hector, whenever, wherever, and in whatever he had to do, for which cause there has been a friendly correspondence betwixt the family of Gairloch and the MacRas of Kintail, which still continues." - "Genealogy of the MacRas."]

The massacre of Island Isay followed a considerable time after this, and its object was very much the same as the murder of Loch Tolly, although carried out by a different assassin. Ruairidh "Nimhneach" Macleod, son of Allan "Mac Ruairdh" of Gairloch, and nephew of the Loch Tolly assassins, determined not only to remove the children of John Mor na Tuaighe, brother of Alexander Macleod, II. of Raasay, by Janet Mackenzie of Kintail, but also to destroy the direct line of the Macleods of Raasay, and thus open up the succession to John na Tuaighe's son by his second wife, Roderick Nimhneach's sister, and failing him, to Roderick's own son Allan. By this connection it would, he thought, be easier for him to attain repossession of the lands of Gairloch, from which his family was driven by the Mackenzies.

Roderick's name appears as "Rory Mac Allan, alias Nevymnauch," in a decree-arbitral by the Regent Earl of Murray between Donald Macdonald, V. of Sleat, and Colin Mackenzie, XI. of Kintail, dated at Perth, the 1st of August, 1569, in terms of which Macdonald becomes responsible for Roderick and undertakes that he and his kin shall "desist and cease troubling, molesting, harming or invasion of the said Laird of Gairloch's lands and rowmes, possessions, tenants, servants, and goods, while on the other hand Kintail shall see to it that Torquil Cononach shall cease to do the same in all respects to Macdonald's lands." In 1586 Roderick is described as "of Lochgair," but another person is named in the same document as "Macleud, heritor of the lands of Gairloch," which proves that Roderick Nimhneach was not the actual proprietor of even the small portion of that district which was still left to his family. He was the second son, and one of the objects of the massacre on Island Isay was to cut off his father's only surviving son and heir by his first wife - a daughter of Mackenzie of Kintail - who escaped the previous massacre on the Island of Loch Tolly.