History Of The Mackenzies [239]
of whose descendants we now treat, occupied it in the preceding generation, and from the further fact that Charles Mackenzie, I. of Letterewe, eldest son by his third marriage of Kenneth Mackenzie, VI. of Gairloch, who would come of age about 1670, is described as "of Mellan," which he possessed along with Loggie-Wester, until he exchanged both places with his eldest half-brother, Alexander Mackenzie, VII. of Gairloch, in 1696.
The sons of Hector, Portioner of Mellan, joined in the Rising of 1715, and on that account found it necessary to leave their native county, crossing in an open boat from the Black Isle to the town of Nairn, from which they naturally found their way to the neighbourhood of their kinsmen in the upper districts of Morayshire and Inverness-shire, a place in which several of their relatives held influential positions in the Episcopal Church, and in other situations. The Rev. Murdoch Mackenzie, Hector's second cousin, descended from John Glassich Mackenzie, II. of Gairloch, and Episcopal minister successively of Contin, Inverness, and Elgin, had only very recently, in 1677, been transferred from the Bishopric of Moray to that of Orkney, while several of his near relations were still in the district, among them the Rev. Hector Mackenzie, the Bishop's nephew, and third cousin of Hector's son John, who was minister of Kingussie from 1670 until he was translated to Inverness in 1688.
There were also several intermarriages between them and the families of Grant of Freuchy and Grant of Easter Elchies and Edenvillie. Some of Hector's sons are found not many years after in the Strathspey district, John, the eldest, having two farms on the estate of Edenvillie, in the parish of Aberlour. Hector of Mellan's descendants continued Episcopalians for some time after settling there.
I. HECTOR MACKENZIE, Portioner of Mellan, son of Alexander Mackenzie, V. of Gairloch, married a daughter of Donald MacIver, Lochbroom, with issue--
1. John, who engaged in the Rising of 1715.
2. Murdoch, married, and had a son Kenneth.
3. Duncan, of whom there is no further trace.
4. Mary, who married her cousin, Alastair Mor, son of Alexander Cam Mackenzie, fourth son of Alexander, V. of Gairloch, with issue.
Hector was succeeded as representative of the family by his eldest son,
II JOHN MACKENZIE, the first of the family who settled in Aberlour. He married Margaret Mackenzie, a relative of his own, died on the 9th of August, 1772, and was buried at Aberlour, leaving issue--an only son,
III. HECTOR MACKENZIE, who, on the 5th of May, 1721, married Elspet Stronach, with issue--
1. William, his heir and successor.
2. John, born 7th April, 1728, and died without issue.
3. Alexander, who was born on the 28th of February, 1731, and died without issue.
4. Margaret, who died without issue.
On the 3rd of June, 1723, it is recorded in the Session Records of the parish of Aberlour, that "Hector Mackenzie, in Netherton of Edenvillie, gave in a boll of meal, which his deceased father had appointed to be distributed among the poor of the parish."
Hector died on the 9th of March, 1732, was buried at Aberlour, and succeeded as representative of the family by his eldest son,
IV. WILLIAM MACKENZIE, who was born on the 26th of March, 1725. He left Edenvillie, and settled at Lyne of Carron, and in 1763 married Grizzel Dean, Knockando, with issue--
1. John, who was born on the 28th of February, 1764, and died without issue, in 1838.
2. William, born on the 2nd of March, 1769, and married, with issue--one daughter, Grace.
3. James, born 26th of May, 1771, and died in 1783.
4. Alexander, born on the 7th of January, 1774, and died in France, without issue.
5. Thomas, who on the death of his eldest brother, John, in 1838, became the representative of the family.
6. Hector, born on the 8th of May, 1778, and died in 1814, without issue.
7. James, a clergyman, born on the 26th of September, 1785, and died without issue,
The sons of Hector, Portioner of Mellan, joined in the Rising of 1715, and on that account found it necessary to leave their native county, crossing in an open boat from the Black Isle to the town of Nairn, from which they naturally found their way to the neighbourhood of their kinsmen in the upper districts of Morayshire and Inverness-shire, a place in which several of their relatives held influential positions in the Episcopal Church, and in other situations. The Rev. Murdoch Mackenzie, Hector's second cousin, descended from John Glassich Mackenzie, II. of Gairloch, and Episcopal minister successively of Contin, Inverness, and Elgin, had only very recently, in 1677, been transferred from the Bishopric of Moray to that of Orkney, while several of his near relations were still in the district, among them the Rev. Hector Mackenzie, the Bishop's nephew, and third cousin of Hector's son John, who was minister of Kingussie from 1670 until he was translated to Inverness in 1688.
There were also several intermarriages between them and the families of Grant of Freuchy and Grant of Easter Elchies and Edenvillie. Some of Hector's sons are found not many years after in the Strathspey district, John, the eldest, having two farms on the estate of Edenvillie, in the parish of Aberlour. Hector of Mellan's descendants continued Episcopalians for some time after settling there.
I. HECTOR MACKENZIE, Portioner of Mellan, son of Alexander Mackenzie, V. of Gairloch, married a daughter of Donald MacIver, Lochbroom, with issue--
1. John, who engaged in the Rising of 1715.
2. Murdoch, married, and had a son Kenneth.
3. Duncan, of whom there is no further trace.
4. Mary, who married her cousin, Alastair Mor, son of Alexander Cam Mackenzie, fourth son of Alexander, V. of Gairloch, with issue.
Hector was succeeded as representative of the family by his eldest son,
II JOHN MACKENZIE, the first of the family who settled in Aberlour. He married Margaret Mackenzie, a relative of his own, died on the 9th of August, 1772, and was buried at Aberlour, leaving issue--an only son,
III. HECTOR MACKENZIE, who, on the 5th of May, 1721, married Elspet Stronach, with issue--
1. William, his heir and successor.
2. John, born 7th April, 1728, and died without issue.
3. Alexander, who was born on the 28th of February, 1731, and died without issue.
4. Margaret, who died without issue.
On the 3rd of June, 1723, it is recorded in the Session Records of the parish of Aberlour, that "Hector Mackenzie, in Netherton of Edenvillie, gave in a boll of meal, which his deceased father had appointed to be distributed among the poor of the parish."
Hector died on the 9th of March, 1732, was buried at Aberlour, and succeeded as representative of the family by his eldest son,
IV. WILLIAM MACKENZIE, who was born on the 26th of March, 1725. He left Edenvillie, and settled at Lyne of Carron, and in 1763 married Grizzel Dean, Knockando, with issue--
1. John, who was born on the 28th of February, 1764, and died without issue, in 1838.
2. William, born on the 2nd of March, 1769, and married, with issue--one daughter, Grace.
3. James, born 26th of May, 1771, and died in 1783.
4. Alexander, born on the 7th of January, 1774, and died in France, without issue.
5. Thomas, who on the death of his eldest brother, John, in 1838, became the representative of the family.
6. Hector, born on the 8th of May, 1778, and died in 1814, without issue.
7. James, a clergyman, born on the 26th of September, 1785, and died without issue,