Donald Macleod, 3rd of Geanies

Biographical Summary

"XV. Donald Macleod, third of Geanies, an Advocate at the Scottish Bar, and for nearly sixty years — from 1744 until his death — Sheriff-Principal of Ross and Cromarty. He married, first, Margaret, daughter of James Craufurd, of Rotterdam, with issue —

• Hugh of the H.E.I.C.S., who died in India, before his father, unmarried.
• James Craufurd, who also died before his father. He married Stuart Sutherland, with issue — Donald, a Lieutenant in the Bengal Army, who, on the death of his grandfather, Sheriff Macleod, carried on the representation of the family; and Mary Craufurd, who, in 1840, married, as his first wife, the late Sir Alexander Matheson, Baronet, of Lochalsh, without issue. She died in 1841.
• Patrick, appointed Lieutenant-Colonel of the 78th Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs) on the 17th April, 1804, which regiment he commanded at the battle of Maida, where he was wounded, in 1806, and was afterwards killed in action at El Hamet, in Egypt, on the 21st of April, 1807, leaving no issue.
• William, a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy, who died before his father, without issue.
• Duncan, a Lieutenant-General in the Bengal Engineers, who, on the death of his nephew, Donald Macleod, became head of the family.
• Elizabeth, who married Dr. Thomas Farquharson, of Howden, with issue —
  • George, who died without issue.
  • Margaret, who married Alexander Cleghorn, with issue, among others, the late Sheriff Cleghorn.
  • Annabella, who, in 1815, married Duncan Matheson of Achany, eldest brother of the late Sir James Matheson of the Lewis, with issue. He was an advocate at the Scottish Bar, and, for many years, Sheriff of the burgh of Leith. By this lady, who died in 1829, Sheriff Matheson, who died in 1838, had issue — Donald Matheson, heir of entail to his late uncle, Sir James Sutherland Matheson, Baronet of the Lewis. He married in 1849, Jane Ellen, third daughter of Horace Petley, R.N., with issue — Hugh Mackay Matheson, Hampstead, London, who married Agnes, daughter of David Macfarlane, with issue ; Thomas Matheson of Liverpool, who, in 1850, married Anne, daughter of John Cropper, without issue ; and two daughters, Elizabeth and Isabella. Dr. Thomas Farquharson had also five other daughters by Elizabeth Macleod of Geanies.
• Isabella, who married Dr. James Gregory, Edinburgh, with issue —
  • John ;
  • Hugh ; and
  • James ; all of whom died without issue.
  • William, who married Lizette Scott, with issue — James Liebig.
  • Donald Gregory, author of the History of the West Highlands and Isles of Scotland, so often referred to and quoted in this work. He died unmarried.
  • Duncan, a distinguished mathematician, who also died unmarried.
  • Margaret, who married Dr. Alison, without issue. Dr. James Gregory had also four other daughters — Jane, Elizabeth, Isabella, and Georgina, all of whom died unmarried.
• Mary, who married Sir George S. Mackenzie, Baronet, VII. of Coul, with issue —
  • Sir Alexander Mackenzie, Baronet, VIII. of Coul, an officer in the Bengal Army, H.E.I.C.S., who died unmarried in 1856.
  • Sir William Mackenzie, Baronet, IX. of Coul, who married Agnes, daughter of R. D. Smyth of Ardmore, Derry, and died without issue in 1868.
  • George Mackenzie, who died unmarried in 1839.
  • Sir Robert Ramsay Mackenzie, Baronet, X. of Coul, born in 1811, and married, in 1846, Louisa Alexandrina, daughter of Richard Jones, a member of the Legislative Assembly of Sydney, Australia, with issue — Sir Arthur G. Ramsay Mackenzie, Baronet, XI. and present of Coul, born in 1865.
  • The Rev. John Mackenzie, late minister of Ratho, born in 1813, and married, in 1839, a daughter of the famous Thomas Chalmers, D.D., without issue. He died in London in 1878.
  • Donald Macleod Mackenzie, Admiral, Royal Navy, born in 1815, and married, in 1865, Dorothea, daughter of Admiral Sir Michael Seymour, G.C.B., without issue.
  • The Rev. James Mackenzie, who married Philadelphia, daughter of Sir Percival Hart-Dyke of Lullingstone, Kent, Baronet, without issue. He died in 1837.
  • Margaret;
  • Catherine; and
  • Mary, who died unmarried.
• Annabella, who married Charles Carter Petley of Riverhead, with issue —
  • Charles Carter Petley, who married Martha Woodgate, with issue — three sons and three daughters.
  • Patrick Macleod Petley, who married Elizabeth M. Petley, without issue.
• Jane, who died unmarried.
• Margaret, who died unmarried.

Sheriff Macleod married, secondly, Jane, daughter of Charles Petley of Riverhead, and widow of Captain Kenneth Mackenzie, V. of Cromarty, without issue. He was succeeded, as representative of the family, by his grandson."

SOURCE: History of the Macleods with genealogies of the principal families of the name; Alexander Mackenzie; 1889; page 422