Murchison (sept) facts for kids
The Murchison family was a small but important group from Loch Alsh in Scotland. They were part of a larger Scottish clan called Clan Mackenzie. Today, the Murchison name is still linked to the Clan Mackenzie.
The Murchison Family's Story
Where the Murchisons Came From
The Murchison family started with a man named Murdoch, or Murcha in Gaelic. In 1362, he received land in Kintail from David II of Scotland, who was the king at the time.
People believe the Murchisons were in charge of Eilean Donan Castle for a long time. This castle was very important. In 1563, there was a disagreement about who should be the castle's leader. The Mackenzie chief decided that a priest named John MacMhurchaidh Duhibh (a Murchison) should have the job. This made another clan, the Clan MacLennan, unhappy. Sadly, they later shot Murchison.
Murchisons and the Jacobite Risings
The 18th century was a time of big changes in Scotland. There were several rebellions called the Jacobite Risings. These were fights over who should be the king of Scotland and Britain.
After the 1715 rebellion, a leader named William Mackenzie, 5th Earl of Seaforth had to leave Scotland and go to France. However, his manager, Colonel Donald Murchison, kept collecting money from the Mackenzie lands. He sent this money to his leader in France.
This made the Clan Ross, who supported the British Government, angry. It led to a battle called the Battle of Glen Affric in 1721. Donald Murchison led the Clan Mackenzie and won against the government's supporters. After this, in 1721, Donald Murchison and his relative Kenneth Murchison also led the Clan Mackenzie in the Battle of Coille Bhan. They successfully defended their lands from the government's forces.
Later, during the Jacobite rising of 1745, the Mackenzie chief, Kenneth Mackenzie, Lord Fortrose, supported the British Government. He created three special companies of soldiers to help the government. Simon Morchison (Murchison) was an officer, called an Ensign, in one of these companies.
