History of the Mackenzies Part 20

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 Glenmarka.s.sie 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 Glenmarka.s.sie, 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 a.s.synt, and in 1690 he receives a discharge from the Hon. John Mackenzie, then designed "of a.s.synt," 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 pa.s.s 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.