Mackenzie of Gairloch facts for kids

Mackenzie of Gairloch family crest

The Mackenzies of Gairloch were an important Scottish family from the Scottish Highlands. They were a significant part of the larger Clan Mackenzie, a powerful group of families in Scotland.

Meet Hector Roy Mackenzie, First of Gairloch

The village of Gairloch

The beautiful scenery around Gairloch

Hector Roy Mackenzie was the third son of Alexander Mackenzie, the 6th leader of the Clan Kintail. He became the first Mackenzie of Gairloch. Even though other branches of the family were technically older, Hector Roy's family became the guardians of the young Clan Mackenzie leader, Kenneth Mackenzie.

Hector Roy led the Clan Mackenzie in a battle called the Battle of Sauchieburn in 1488, fighting for the King. The King later gave Hector permission to take the lands of Gairloch. These lands were held by the Clan MacLeod of Raasay, who had harmed Hector's nephews. Hector's right to Gairloch was confirmed by official documents in 1494. He also gained control of Brahan Castle and Moy in 1508.

Hector also had disagreements with the Clan Munro. This led to a fight known as the Battle of Drumchatt (1501), where the Mackenzies claimed victory. He also had a family dispute with his nephew, John Mackenzie, over who should lead the clan. John eventually became the clan leader. In 1513, Hector and John fought together against the English at the Battle of Flodden. They both survived, but many of their followers were lost.

Hector Roy married a daughter of the Clan Grant family. They had one son:

• Hector Cam Mackenzie, who was blind in one eye. He received lands like Achterneed and Castle Leod. Hector Cam married a daughter of Angus Roy Mackay and had two sons, Alexander Roy and Murdo.

Hector then married his cousin Anne, from the Macdonald of Moidart family. Anne had been married before to a MacLeod chief. Hector Roy and Anne had four sons and three daughters:

• John "Glassich" Mackenzie, who became the 2nd of Gairloch.
• Kenneth Mackenzie.
• John "Tuach" Mackenzie.
• Dougal Roy Mackenzie.
• Three daughters who married into other important families like Bayne of Tulloch and Mackay of Aberach.

John "Glassich" Mackenzie, Second of Gairloch

John "Glassich" Mackenzie, the 2nd of Gairloch, lost his lands in 1547. This happened because he refused to join the Scottish army when they were defeated by the English at the Battle of Pinkie. His lands were officially given to the Earl of Sutherland, but the Earl found it hard to control them.

In 1551, Mary, Queen of Scots pardoned John Mackenzie, 9th of Kintail, for taking John "Glassich" Mackenzie and his brothers by force. Historical records suggest John "Glassich" Mackenzie might have died in 1550 at Eilean Donan Castle. It's also possible he was killed in a fight with the MacLeods, who still claimed Gairloch. John "Glassich" married Agnes Fraser. They had four children:

• Hector Mackenzie, 3rd of Gairloch.
• Alexander Mackenzie.
• John Roy Mackenzie, 4th of Gairloch.
• A daughter who married John Mackenzie of Loggie.

John "Glassich" Mackenzie also had two sons before he married: Alexander Roy Mackenzie and Hector Caol Mackenzie. By the end of the 1500s, after some family disagreements, the Clan Mackenzie became very strong and united under the leadership of the Kintail branch.

Hector Mackenzie, Third of Gairloch

Hector Mackenzie, the 3rd of Gairloch, officially received his lands in May 1563. He was likely killed on September 3, 1566, and was buried at Beauly Priory. His brother Alexander was also killed shortly after, so he is not usually counted as a Baron of Gairloch. The next in line was their brother, John Roy Mackenzie.

John Roy Mackenzie, Fourth of Gairloch

John Roy Mackenzie, the 4th of Gairloch, was born in 1548. He received his estate from Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1567. In 1606, he received a special document that made Gairloch a free barony, giving him more power over the land. In 1619, another document added Kinkell to his estate. He started building the Tower of Kinkell, where his family crest can still be seen. During this time, there were many fights between the Mackenzies of Gairloch and the MacLeods.

John Roy Mackenzie first married Elizabeth MacDonald. They had many children, including:

• John Mackenzie, who died before his father in 1601.
• Alexander Mackenzie, who became the 5th of Gairloch.
• Murdoch Mackenzie, who was killed in a fight with the MacLeods in Raasay in 1611.
• Kenneth Mackenzie, who had children and died in 1643.
• Duncan Mackenzie, who had children. His grandson, John, was killed in 1645 at the Battle of Auldearn.
• William Mackenzie, who had children.
• Two daughters who married into the Fraser and Cuthbert families.

John Roy Mackenzie then married Isabel Mackenzie. They had more children, including:

• Captain Roderick Mackenzie, who served in the army in Holland and died in 1624.
• Hector Mackenzie, who had children.
• John Mackenzie, a clergyman who had children.
• Two daughters who married into the Fraser and MacDonald families.

John Roy Mackenzie passed away in 1628 at the age of 80.

Alexander Mackenzie, Fifth of Gairloch

Strath Bay and the village of Gairloch

Strath Bay and the village of Gairloch

Alexander Mackenzie, the 5th of Gairloch, took over from his father in 1628. He was already quite old when he became the leader. He had been a key figure in the Mackenzies' ongoing conflicts with the MacLeods. In 1619, a document had already named Alexander as the future owner of the Gairloch lands. He also worked to gain more land, like parts of Dìobaig and Loggie Wester.

Alexander Mackenzie first married Margaret Mackenzie. They had several children, including:

• Kenneth Mackenzie, who became the 6th of Gairloch.
• Murdo Mackenzie, who had children.
• Hector Mackenzie, a soldier.
• Alexander Mackenzie, from whom a famous historian is descended.
• Three daughters who married into the Gray and other families.

Alexander Mackenzie then married Isabel Mackenzie. They had more children, including:

• William Mackenzie.
• Roderick Mackenzie.
• Angus Mackenzie, who fought for the King at the Battle of Inverkeithing in 1651.
• Two daughters.
• A natural daughter.

Alexander Mackenzie died on January 4, 1638, at 61 years old.

Kenneth Mackenzie, Sixth of Gairloch

Kenneth Mackenzie, the 6th of Gairloch, was a strong supporter of the King during the wars with the Covenanters. He was fined in 1646 for helping the King. He led a group of Highlanders, but he escaped capture when the King's army was surprised. In 1640, he finished buying the Loggie Wester lands that his father had started. In 1658, Oliver Cromwell appointed him as a guardian for Hector Mackenzie, a young family member.

Kenneth Mackenzie first married Katherine MacDonald in 1635, but they had no children. He then married Ann Grant. They had several children:

• Alexander Mackenzie, who became the 7th of Gairloch.
• Hector Mackenzie, who had children.
• John Mackenzie, who never married.
• Three daughters who married and had children.

Kenneth Mackenzie married a third time to Janet Cuthbert. They had more children:

• Charles Mackenzie.
• Kenneth Mackenzie, who never married.
• Colin Mackenzie, who had children.
• Two daughters who married and had children.

Kenneth Mackenzie died in 1669 and was buried in Beauly Priory.

Alexander Mackenzie, Seventh of Gairloch

Alexander Mackenzie, the 7th of Gairloch, received official confirmation that the Loggie Wester lands were part of Gairloch. In 1681, his rights to his titles were officially approved by the Scottish Parliament.

He first married Barbara Mackenzie. They had two children:

• Kenneth Mackenzie, who became the 8th of Gairloch.
• Isobel Mackenzie, who married and had children.

Alexander Mackenzie then married Janet Mackenzie. They had more children:

• Alexander Mackenzie, who never married.
• William Mackenzie, who had children.
• John Mackenzie, who had children.
• Ann Mackenzie, who had children.

Alexander Mackenzie died in December 1694 at the age of 42 and was buried in Gairloch.

Kenneth Mackenzie, Eighth of Gairloch

Sir Kenneth Mackenzie, the 8th of Gairloch, was given the special title of a Baronet of Nova Scotia by Anne, Queen of Great Britain in 1703. He studied at Oxford University and later represented the County of Ross in the Scottish Parliament. He strongly disagreed with the Acts of Union 1707, which joined Scotland and England.

Sir Kenneth Mackenzie married Margaret Mackenzie in 1696. They had several children:

• Alexander Mackenzie, who became the 9th of Gairloch.
• George Mackenzie, who became a merchant in Glasgow and died in 1739.
• Barbra Mackenzie, who married George Beattie in 1729 but had no children.
• Margaret Mackenzie, who died young in 1704.
• Anne Mackenzie, who had no children.
• Katharine Mackenzie, who died young.
• A natural daughter, Margaret Mackenzie, who married.

Sir Kenneth Mackenzie died in December 1703 at the age of 32. About a year later, his wife married Bayne of Tulloch.

Alexander Mackenzie, Ninth of Gairloch

Sir Alexander Mackenzie, the 9th of Gairloch and 2nd Baronet, was only three and a half years old when his father died. During his childhood, many family debts were paid off, which meant he didn't get much formal education at first. In 1708, he and his siblings were taken to live with Colin Mackenzie, who managed their estate. They received a basic education there. In 1712, they went to school in Chanonry, where Sir Alexander stayed for six years. He then went to Edinburgh at age 18 to finish his education, returning home in 1730. He stayed out of the Jacobite rising of 1745.

Sir Alexander Mackenzie married Janet Mackenzie in 1730. They had several children:

• Alexander Mackenzie, who became the 10th of Gairloch.
• Kenneth Mackenzie, who died as a baby.
• Roderick Mackenzie, a captain in the army, who was killed in Quebec.
• William Mackenzie, a writer who never married.
• James Mackenzie, who died as a baby.
• Kenneth Mackenzie, who later managed the affairs of Sir Kenneth Mackenzie, the 4th Baronet.
• Margaret and Janet Mackenzie, who both died young.
• Janet Mackenzie, who married and had children.
• A natural son, Charles Mackenzie.

Sir Alexander Mackenzie died in 1766 at 66 years old.

Alexander Mackenzie, Tenth of Gairloch

Sir Alexander Mackenzie, the 10th of Gairloch and 3rd Baronet, built Conon House between 1758 and 1760. He first married Margaret Mackenzie in 1755. They had one son:

• Hector Mackenzie, who became the 11th of Gairloch.

Sir Alexander Mackenzie then married Jean Gorry. They had several children:

• John Mackenzie, who raised a company of soldiers for the 78th Regiment of Foot.
• Kenneth Mackenzie, born in 1765, who served as a Captain in the army in India, including at the Siege of Seringapatam.
• Jean Mackenzie, who died young.
• Margaret Mackenzie, who married and had children.
• Janet Mackenzie, who married but had no children.
• A natural daughter, Janet Mackenzie, who married and had children.

Sir Alexander Mackenzie died on April 15, 1770, and was buried at Gairloch.

Hector Mackenzie, Eleventh of Gairloch

Sir Hector Mackenzie, the 11th of Gairloch and 4th Baronet, was known in Scottish Gaelic as An Tighearna Storach, which means the Buck-toothed Laird. He was only 12 years old when he inherited his title, and his affairs were managed by guardians chosen by his father.

In 1789, he received permission to sell lands that his father had intended to use to pay off family debts. In 1815, he was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of his home county, a high-ranking official position. He mostly lived at home among his loyal tenants and only visited London once. He supported Gaelic poets, like Alexander Campbell.

He first married Cochrane Chalmers in 1778, but they had no children, and their marriage ended in 1796. A month later, he married Christian Henderson, who was known among the Gairloch people as A Bhantighearna Ruadh (The Red Lady). They had several children:

• Francis Alexander Mackenzie, who became the 12th of Gairloch.
• William Mackenzie, a merchant in Java, who died unmarried in 1860.
• Hector Mackenzie, a captain in the Honourable East India Company, who had no children.
• Dr John Mackenzie, who had children.
• Roderick Mackenzie, who moved to Australia and married an Irish lady.
• Three natural children with the housekeeper, Jean Urquhart.

Sir Hector Mackenzie died on April 26, 1826, and was buried in Beauly Priory.

Francis Alexander Mackenzie, Twelfth of Gairloch

Francis Alexander Mackenzie, the 12th of Gairloch and 5th Baronet, was interested in local affairs, just like his father. During the Highland Potato Famine in 1836–37, he sent food and seed potatoes to his tenants in Gairloch. This left him in debt, so he arranged for his brother, Dr John Mackenzie, to manage his finances. He and his second wife lived in Brittany for a few years, where their son Osgood Hanbury Mackenzie was born. His brother eventually had to pay a large sum to clear Francis Mackenzie's debt.

In 1836, Francis Mackenzie published a book called Hints for the Use of Highland Tenants and Cottagers. It was 273 pages long and had both English and Gaelic versions side-by-side.

He first married Cythe Caroline Smith-Wright in 1829. They had two children:

• Kenneth Smith Mackenzie, who became the 13th of Gairloch.
• Francis Harford Mackenzie, born in 1833.

Francis Alexander Mackenzie then married Mary Hanbury. They had one son:

• Osgood Hanbury Mackenzie.

Kenneth Smith Mackenzie, Thirteenth of Gairloch

Sir Kenneth Smith Mackenzie, the 13th of Gairloch and 6th Baronet, was born in 1832. He was very involved in his home county's affairs. He was the leader of the Commissioners of Supply and the County Council, and also the Lord Lieutenant of Ross and Cromarty. In 1854, he was offered a position at the British Embassy in Washington, but he never took it. In 1855, he became a captain in the Highland Rifles (a local military group). He later became a Major before retiring. In 1880, he ran for a political position in Inverness but was defeated. He was also a member of the Napier Commission from 1883 to 1884, which studied land issues in the Highlands.

He married Elia Frederica Campbell in 1860. They had three children:

• Kenneth John Mackenzie, born in 1861, a captain in the Rifle Brigade, who had children.
• Francis Granville Mackenzie, born in 1865.
• Murial Katharine Mackenzie.

See also

• Mackenzie baronets
• Inglis baronets
• Chiefs of Clan Mackenzie