History Of The Mackenzies [218]
in the same year he seems to have been taken seriously ill, whereupon he executed a holograph will and testament at Stankhouse, dated the 23rd of May, 1702, which was witnessed by his uncle, Colin Mackenzie of Findon, and by his brother-in-law, Simon Mackenzie, I. of Allangrange. He appoints as trustees his "dear friends "John, Master of Tarbat, Kenneth Mackenzie of Cromarty, Kenneth Mackenzie of Scatwell, Hector Mackenzie, and Colin Mackenzie, his uncles, and George Mackenzie, II. of Allangrange. He appointed Colin Mackenzie, then of Findon, and afterwards of Davochpollo and Mountgerald, as his tutor and factor at a salary of 200 merks Scots. In May, 1703, having apparently to some extent recovered his health, he appears in his place in Parliament. In September of the same year he returned to Stankhouse, Gairloch, where he executed two bonds of provision, one for his second son George, and the other for his younger daughters.
He married, in 1696, Margaret, youngest daughter, and, as is commonly said, co-heiress of Sir Roderick Mackenzie of Findon, but the Barony of Findon went wholly to Lilias, the eldest daughter, who married Sir Kenneth Mackenzie, 1st Baronet and IV. of Scatwell another of the daughters, Isobel, married Simon Mackenzie, I. of Allangrange. There was a fourth daughter, unmarried at the date of Margaret's contract of marriage and the four took a fourth part each of Sir Roderick's moveables and of certain lands not included in the Barony. At the date of his marriage Kenneth had not made up titles to his estates; but by his marriage contract he is taken bound to do so as soon as he can. His retour of service was taken out in the following year.
By Margaret Mackenzie of Findon Kenneth had issue--
1. Alexander, his heir and successor.
2. George, who became a merchant in Glasgow, and died unmarried in 1739.
3. Barbara, who, in 1729, married George Beattie, a merchant in Montrose, without issue.
4. Margaret, who died young in 1704.
5. Anne, who, in 1728, married, during his father's life-time, Murdo Mackenzie, VII. of Achilty, without issue.
6. Katharine, who died young.
Sir Kenneth had also a natural daughter, Margaret, who married, in 1723, Donald Macdonald, younger of Cuidreach. Sir Kenneth's widow, about a year after his decease, married Bayne of Tulloch. Notwithstanding the money that Sir Kenneth received with her, he died deeply in debt, and left his children insufficiently provided for. George and Barbara were at first maintained by their mother, and afterwards by Colin of Findon who had married their grandmother, widow of Sir Roderick Mackenzie of Findon, while Alexander and Anne were in even a worse plight.
He died in December 1703, at the early age of 32; was buried in Gairloch, and succeeded by his eldest son,
IX. SIR ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, the second Baronet, a child only three and a half years old. His prospects were certainly not enviable, he and his sister Anne having had for a time, for actual want of means, to be "settled in tenants' houses." The rental of Gairloch and Glasletter at his father's death only amounted to 5954 merks, and his other estates in the Low Country were settled on his mother, Sir Kenneth's widow, for life while he was left with debts due amounting to 66,674 merks, equal to eleven years rental of the whole estates. During his minority, however, the large sum of 51,200 merks was paid off, in addition to 27,635 in name of interest on the original debt; and consequently very little was left for his education. In 1708 he, along with his brother and sisters, were taken to the factor's house--Colin Mackenzie of Findon--where they remained for four years, and received the rudiments of their education from a young man, Simon Urquhart. In 1712 they were all sent to school at Chanonry, under Urquhart's charge, where Sir Alexander remained for six years, after which, having arrived at 18 years of age, he went to complete his education in Edinburgh. He
He married, in 1696, Margaret, youngest daughter, and, as is commonly said, co-heiress of Sir Roderick Mackenzie of Findon, but the Barony of Findon went wholly to Lilias, the eldest daughter, who married Sir Kenneth Mackenzie, 1st Baronet and IV. of Scatwell another of the daughters, Isobel, married Simon Mackenzie, I. of Allangrange. There was a fourth daughter, unmarried at the date of Margaret's contract of marriage and the four took a fourth part each of Sir Roderick's moveables and of certain lands not included in the Barony. At the date of his marriage Kenneth had not made up titles to his estates; but by his marriage contract he is taken bound to do so as soon as he can. His retour of service was taken out in the following year.
By Margaret Mackenzie of Findon Kenneth had issue--
1. Alexander, his heir and successor.
2. George, who became a merchant in Glasgow, and died unmarried in 1739.
3. Barbara, who, in 1729, married George Beattie, a merchant in Montrose, without issue.
4. Margaret, who died young in 1704.
5. Anne, who, in 1728, married, during his father's life-time, Murdo Mackenzie, VII. of Achilty, without issue.
6. Katharine, who died young.
Sir Kenneth had also a natural daughter, Margaret, who married, in 1723, Donald Macdonald, younger of Cuidreach. Sir Kenneth's widow, about a year after his decease, married Bayne of Tulloch. Notwithstanding the money that Sir Kenneth received with her, he died deeply in debt, and left his children insufficiently provided for. George and Barbara were at first maintained by their mother, and afterwards by Colin of Findon who had married their grandmother, widow of Sir Roderick Mackenzie of Findon, while Alexander and Anne were in even a worse plight.
He died in December 1703, at the early age of 32; was buried in Gairloch, and succeeded by his eldest son,
IX. SIR ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, the second Baronet, a child only three and a half years old. His prospects were certainly not enviable, he and his sister Anne having had for a time, for actual want of means, to be "settled in tenants' houses." The rental of Gairloch and Glasletter at his father's death only amounted to 5954 merks, and his other estates in the Low Country were settled on his mother, Sir Kenneth's widow, for life while he was left with debts due amounting to 66,674 merks, equal to eleven years rental of the whole estates. During his minority, however, the large sum of 51,200 merks was paid off, in addition to 27,635 in name of interest on the original debt; and consequently very little was left for his education. In 1708 he, along with his brother and sisters, were taken to the factor's house--Colin Mackenzie of Findon--where they remained for four years, and received the rudiments of their education from a young man, Simon Urquhart. In 1712 they were all sent to school at Chanonry, under Urquhart's charge, where Sir Alexander remained for six years, after which, having arrived at 18 years of age, he went to complete his education in Edinburgh. He