William Mackenzie 4th of Gruinard

Biographical Summary

"IV. William Mackenzie, fourth of Gruinard, who married Lilias, daughter of John Mackenzie, I. of Lochend, with issue —

• Simon, Captain 78th Regiment, who died before his father, returning from India, unmarried.
• George, who was killed by a fall before his father's death, in Jamaica, unmarried.
• John, who became his father's heir and successor.
• Alexander, Colonel in the army, "a most distinguished soldier." He served with the 36th Regiment throughout the Peninsular War, and in the course of his service was dangerously wounded in the neck, lost an eye, and had two horses killed under him. He was a gallant and distinguished officer, in every sense a thorough Highlander. He married first, Eliza, daughter of Colonel George Mackenzie, son of John Mackenzie, I. of Lochend, with issue — George, a Captain in the 36th (his father's) Regiment, killed while leading an escalading party at the assault of Burgos, unmarried ; Alexanderina, who married Alexander Grove, M.D., R.N., at Greenwich Hospital, with issue — three daughters. Colonel Alexander married, secondly, Eliza, daughter of Captain James Graeme, R.N., with issue — (3) George, who died unmarried in 1842; (4) Major-General Alexander Mackay Mackenzie, who became the representative of the family ; (5) William, who died young ; (6) Eliza ; (7) Lilias, who married Sir John W. Fisher, M.D., without issue; and (8) Janet, who married W. F. B. Staples, barrister, with issue.
• Catherine, who married the Rev. Donald Mackintosh, Gairloch, with issue — five daughters, one of whom, Annabella, married Murdo Macrae, with issue.
• Margaret, who died unmarried,

William, IV. of Gruinard, raised a Company of Highlanders in 1778 for Lord Seaforth's Regiment. Simon, his eldest son, went to India in command of it, and, as already stated, died on his return voyage, from the accidental bite of a favourite Arab horse which he brought along with him ; when lock-jaw supervened and caused his death.

William was succeeded by his eldest surviving son."

SOURCE: History of the Mackenzies, with genealogies of the principal families of the name; Alexander Mackenzie; 1894; page 618