John Mackenzie, 1st of Ord

Biographical Summary

"I. John Mackenzie, was the first of the family who possessed Ord and was designed thereof, though it was previously held in tack by his father. John was locally called "Ian Dubh a Ghiuthais," or Black John of the Fir. He obtained a charter from Kenneth, XIIth Baron and first Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, of the lands and mill of Ord, and the half of Corrievoulzie and Strathvaich, dated 23rd July, 1607, and on the 15th of September, 1637, George second Earl of Seaforth granted him a regular free charter of the whole.

John married Isobel, daughter of Alexander Cuthbert of Drakies, by his wife Christian Dunbar, who long survived him, with issue —

• John, his heir and successor.
• Thomas, from whom the Mackenzies of Highfield.
• James, who married a daughter of the Rev. Farquhar Clark. He is cautioner, with his brother Kenneth of Ord, for Thomas Mackenzie, III. of Inverlael, from which he is discharged on the 18th of May, 1659. He is witness to the registration of the marriage contract of his brother John, at Inverness, on the 20th of February, 1666.
• George, who married, first, a natural daughter of Alexander Mackenzie, V. of Gairloch, and secondly, Janet, daughter of the Rev. Mr Linen, minister of Fairnly, with issue — one son, Alexander, who joined the Darien expedition, and afterwards settled and married in Jamaica, where his posterity still flourish.
• A daughter, who married Mackenzie of Tarradale.
• Annabella, who in 1650 married Alexander Mackenzie, VI. of Hilton.
• Janet, who, in 1652 married Alexander Cam, fourth son of Alexander Mackenzie, V. of Gairloch, with issue — Roderick and Alexander, Mic Alastair Chaim, the author's ancestors.

Two daughters married respectively a son of the Rev. John Clark, minister of Lochalsh, and Murdo Mackenzie Mhic Mhurchaidh.

John witnessed the burning of the Church of Killichrist by the Macdonalds of Glengarry in 1602. He died before the ist of December, 1644, and was succeeded by his eldest son."

SOURCE: History of the Mackenzies, with genealogies of the principal families of the name; Alexander Mackenzie; 1894; page 527