Alexander Mackenzie, 7th of Gairloch

Biographical Summary

"VII. Alexander Mackenzie, who, by a charter of resignation, got Loggie- Wester included in the barony of Gairloch. It had, however, been settled on his stepmother, Janet Cuthbert, in life-rent, and after her on her eldest son, Charles of Mellan and subsequently of Letterewe, to whom, after her death, Alexander formally disponed it. They afterwards entered into an excambion by which Alexander reacquired Loggie- Wester in exchange for Letterewe, which then became the patrimony of the successors of Charles.

A tradition is current in the Gairloch family that when Alexander sought the hand of his future lady, Barbara, daughter of Sir John Mackenzie of Tarbat, and sister-german to the first Earl of Cromarty and to Isobel Countess of Seaforth, he endeavoured to make himself appear much wealthier than he really was, by returning a higher rental than he actually received at the time of making up the Scots valued rent in 1670, in which year he married. This tradition is corroborated by a comparison of the valuation of the shire of Inverness for 1644, published by Charles Fraser-Mackintosh in Atitiquarian Notes, and the rental of 1670, on which the ecclesiastical assessments are still based. In the former year the rental of the parish of Gairloch was £3134 13s 4d, of which £1081 6s 8d was from the lands of the Barony, equal to 34 ½ per cent., while in the latter year the valued rental of the parish is put down at £3400, of which £1549 is from the barony lands, or 45 ½ per cent. It is impossible that such a rise in the rental could have taken place in the short space of twenty-six years ; and the presumption is in favour of the accuracy of the tradition which imports that the rental was over-valued for the special purpose of making the Baron of Gairloch appear more important in the eyes of his future relatives-in-law than he really was. In 1681 he had his rights and titles ratified by Act of Parliament, printed at length in the Folio edition.

He married, first, in 1670, Barbara, daughter of Sir John Mackenzie, Baronet of Tarbat, with issue —

• Kenneth, his heir and successor,
• Isobel, who married John Macdonald of Balcony, son of Sir James Macdonald, IX. of Sleat.

He married, secondly, Janet, daughter of William Mackenzie, I. of Belmaduthy (marriage contract 30th of January 1679), on which occasion Davochcairn and Ardnagrask were settled upon her in life-rent, and on her eldest son at her death, as appears from a precept of dare constat, by Colin Mackenzie of Davochpollo, in favour of William, his eldest surviving son. By her he had issue —

• Alexander, who died unmarried.
• William, who acquired the lands of Davochcairn, and married, in 1712, Jean, daughter of Roderick Mackenzie, v. of Redcastle, with issue — a son, Alexander, of the Stamp Office, London, and several daughters. Alexander has a clarc constat as only son in 1732. He died in 1772, leaving a son, Alexander Kenneth, who emigrated to New South Wales, where several of his descendants now reside ; the representative of the family, in 1878, being Alexander Kenneth Mackenzie, Boonara, Bondi, Sydney.
• John, who purchased the lands of Lochend (now Inverewe), with issue — Alexander Mackenzie, afterwards of Lochend ; and George, an officer in Colonel Murray Keith's Highland Regiment ; also two daughters, Lilias, who married William Mackenzie, IV. of Gruinard, and Christy, who married William Maciver of Tournaig, both with issue — See Mackenzies of Lochend.
• Ann, who, in 1703, married Kenneth Mackenzie, II. of Torridon, with issue. She married, secondly, Kenneth Mackenzie, a solicitor in London.

He died in December 1694, at the age of 42, which appears from his general retour of sasine, dated 25th February, 1673, in which he is said to be then of lawful age. He was buried in Gairloch, and was succeeded by his only son by his first marriage."

SOURCE: History of the Mackenzies, with genealogies of the principal families of the name; Alexander Mackenzie; 1894; page 427