History Of The Mackenzies [178]
of Kintail did not come under the attainder of William, the fifth Earl, for the part which he took in the Rising of 1715, and therefore the Chief of the Mackenzies, as heir male of the first Lord Mackenzie of Kintail, is, in virtue of that position, we believe, entitled to assume that ancient title.
The first formal claim to the Chiefship is one by a Captain Murdoch Mackenzie, "of London," who claimed "the titles, honours, and dignities of Earl of Seaforth and Baron Mackenzie of Kintail," in virtue of a pretended descent and pedigree from the Hon. John Mackenzie of Assynt, second son of Kenneth Mor, third Earl of Seaforth. This pedigree and claim is before us. According to that document the Hon. John Mackenzie of Assynt had a son "Murdoch Mackenzie of Lochbroom, who, having shown a disposition of enterprise like his kinsman Earl William, left his native parish in 1729 or 1730, first for Aberdeen and afterwards for Northumberland, where, in consequence of the unsettled state of Scotland, he resided with his family." This Murdoch had a son, John Mackenzie, "born in Beadnall, parish of Bamborough, county of Northumberland, in 1738, who married Miss Isabella Davidson in 1762, and died in 1780, in his forty-second year." John had a son, "Captain Murdoch Mackenzie, the claimant, who was born at Beadnall, county of Northumberland, in 1763, and married in 1781, Miss Eleanor Brown of the same place, and has issue. He commanded the ship Essex, transport 81, of London, during the late war. Being desirous to see his clan in the North, in 1790 he visited the late Francis Lord Seaforth, who in the true spirit of Scotch sincerity, hospitality, and nobility received him with demonstrations of pleasure. After talking over family matters his Lordship candidly said that Captain Murdoch ought to have been the peer in point of primogeniture." A short account of the family accompanies the pedigree and claim, which concludes in these terms--"In consequence of the death of the last peer it has been discovered in Scotland that the titles and family estates have devolved upon Captain Murdoch Mackenzie of London. This gentleman is naturally anxious to establish his rights, but being unable to prosecute so important a claim without the aid of sufficient funds he has been advised to solicit the aid of some individuals whose public spirit and liberal feelings may prompt them to assist him on the principle that such timely assistance and support will be gratefully and liberally rewarded. Captain Mackenzie hereby offers to give his bond for ?00 (or more if required) for every ?00 that may be lent him to prosecute his claim--the same to become due and payable within three months after he shall have recovered his titles and estates." The result of this appeal has not been ascertained, but it is certain that Captain Murdoch Mackenzie did not succeed in establishing any claim either to the titles or estates of the House of Kintail and Seaforth.
It was, on the contrary, placed absolutely beyond dispute by the evidence produced at the Allangrange Service in 1829 that the eldest and only surviving son of the Hon. John Mackenzie of Assynt was not Murdoch but Kenneth, and there is no trace whatever of his having had any son but Kenneth. In an original Precept issued by the Provost and Magistrates of Fortrose on the 30th of October, 1716, the son of the then late John Mackenzie of Assynt is designated "Kenneth Mackenzie, now of Assynt, grandchild and apparent heir to the deceased Isobel, Countess Dowager of Seaforth, his grandmother on the father's side." In the same document Kenneth is described as her Ladyship's "nearest and lawful heir," conclusively showing that he was her son John's eldest son. It is thus fully established that Captain Murdoch Mackenzie's genealogical chain fails at the very outset--is broken in its initial link. The Hon. John Mackenzie of Assynt had only one son. His name was Kenneth, not Murdoch, and he died without issue. If any additional proof be required to show that the
The first formal claim to the Chiefship is one by a Captain Murdoch Mackenzie, "of London," who claimed "the titles, honours, and dignities of Earl of Seaforth and Baron Mackenzie of Kintail," in virtue of a pretended descent and pedigree from the Hon. John Mackenzie of Assynt, second son of Kenneth Mor, third Earl of Seaforth. This pedigree and claim is before us. According to that document the Hon. John Mackenzie of Assynt had a son "Murdoch Mackenzie of Lochbroom, who, having shown a disposition of enterprise like his kinsman Earl William, left his native parish in 1729 or 1730, first for Aberdeen and afterwards for Northumberland, where, in consequence of the unsettled state of Scotland, he resided with his family." This Murdoch had a son, John Mackenzie, "born in Beadnall, parish of Bamborough, county of Northumberland, in 1738, who married Miss Isabella Davidson in 1762, and died in 1780, in his forty-second year." John had a son, "Captain Murdoch Mackenzie, the claimant, who was born at Beadnall, county of Northumberland, in 1763, and married in 1781, Miss Eleanor Brown of the same place, and has issue. He commanded the ship Essex, transport 81, of London, during the late war. Being desirous to see his clan in the North, in 1790 he visited the late Francis Lord Seaforth, who in the true spirit of Scotch sincerity, hospitality, and nobility received him with demonstrations of pleasure. After talking over family matters his Lordship candidly said that Captain Murdoch ought to have been the peer in point of primogeniture." A short account of the family accompanies the pedigree and claim, which concludes in these terms--"In consequence of the death of the last peer it has been discovered in Scotland that the titles and family estates have devolved upon Captain Murdoch Mackenzie of London. This gentleman is naturally anxious to establish his rights, but being unable to prosecute so important a claim without the aid of sufficient funds he has been advised to solicit the aid of some individuals whose public spirit and liberal feelings may prompt them to assist him on the principle that such timely assistance and support will be gratefully and liberally rewarded. Captain Mackenzie hereby offers to give his bond for ?00 (or more if required) for every ?00 that may be lent him to prosecute his claim--the same to become due and payable within three months after he shall have recovered his titles and estates." The result of this appeal has not been ascertained, but it is certain that Captain Murdoch Mackenzie did not succeed in establishing any claim either to the titles or estates of the House of Kintail and Seaforth.
It was, on the contrary, placed absolutely beyond dispute by the evidence produced at the Allangrange Service in 1829 that the eldest and only surviving son of the Hon. John Mackenzie of Assynt was not Murdoch but Kenneth, and there is no trace whatever of his having had any son but Kenneth. In an original Precept issued by the Provost and Magistrates of Fortrose on the 30th of October, 1716, the son of the then late John Mackenzie of Assynt is designated "Kenneth Mackenzie, now of Assynt, grandchild and apparent heir to the deceased Isobel, Countess Dowager of Seaforth, his grandmother on the father's side." In the same document Kenneth is described as her Ladyship's "nearest and lawful heir," conclusively showing that he was her son John's eldest son. It is thus fully established that Captain Murdoch Mackenzie's genealogical chain fails at the very outset--is broken in its initial link. The Hon. John Mackenzie of Assynt had only one son. His name was Kenneth, not Murdoch, and he died without issue. If any additional proof be required to show that the