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The two main 19th century attempts to trace all lines of descent of the Clan Mackenzie do not cover the Mackenzie of Langwell family very thouroughly; "History of the Mackenzies" notes them five times in passing mention of other families, with no attempt to trace the descent. The "Findon Tables", Sheet No.6, sketchily charts the descent, with a number of overwrites and additional notes by the author that have required further research to interpret. Descendants of the family, especially Kathy Hunter in Oregon, have traced the descent down to the present day, note especially her database "langwell" on Worldconnect at http://wc.rootsweb.com
The little descent chart that follows is a new attempt to untangle the early generations.
The Findon Tables were typeset, then the compiler, Maj. James D. MacKenzie of Findon, added several handwritten corrections and additions, the copy I have includes;
Clearly Findon was contemplating edits to the chart in this area. He also had a page with various edits charted out, but not yet edited into the main chart. it includes;
The person at the top of these excerpts, "John Buy of Ardcharnich", is noted as third son of Kenneth, himself a gt-grandson in direct male descent of Sir Kenneth "A'Bhlair," VIII Baron of Kintail. Confusion begins two generations after John Buy, with his grandson or grandsons. There are several handwritten notes by Findon there;
Note the fellow on lower left of the two edits is noted in one as "younger of Langwell", in the other as "younger of Scatwell". Though his grandmother was a Mackenzie of Scatwell I think Findon here meant "younger of Langwell" as correct.
An article in the 2004 Clan Mackenzie UK Society newsletter by the Scottish Historian, Malcolm Bangor-Jones examining rental and other records concerning the Mackenzie of Langwell family has Kenneth, I of Langwell, succeeded in the farm by son Thomas. In light of that I would read the edits above to suggest Kenneth I was succeeded by Thomas II, who was married first to Catherine (daughter of Simon who was son of Simon of Lochslin), and son of Thomas and Catherine was another Kenneth.
My interpretation of the situation was Findon had data Kenneth Mackenzie of the Langwell family was married in 1706 to a daughter of Donald Rioch, a Burgess of Inverness, and determined him to be a brother of Thomas, whom he reidentified as "Thomas Mackenzie, II of Langwell". And further, Thomas II married first to Catherine (daughter of Simon who was son of Simon of Lochslin).
The son of Thomas II, "Kenneth, younger of Langwell", was head of the family by time of the 1745 Rebellion, he could be considered "Kenneth, III of Langwell". This Kenneth was married twice, first to a daughter of Ross of Aldie, second to a daughter of Mackenzie of Keppoch. By that first wife he had son Simon, whose own son became the first "Mackenzie Ross of Aldie" in 1819. The second wife, a daughter of James Mackenzie of Keppoch; their children included Thomas who succeeded to the farms at Langwell (Thomas IV of Langwell).
I wonder if "the Burial-place of his Family at Ullaboll in Coygach” might have been the old structure in the cemetery there, there had been rumours Prince Charles was hiding there 1746, if Kenneth III was a Jacobite, and his wife a sister of one of the most prominant Jacobites involved in trying to get Charlie out of Scotland genesis of that legend might have come from Ardloch and Keppoch hiding in the structure waiting for French ships to arrive.
Their two known sons;
Simon retired as a half pay officer and took up farming at Langwell, he seems to have become the major Mackenzie farmer at Langwell during his father's lifetime, and it is not yet clear if he predeceased his father, regardless, position as head of the Langwell Mackenzie family looks to have passed to his brother Thomas. Simon died 1775-6 while his two children were young, they did not follow at Langwell, likely their widowed mother settled elsewhere. The Findon tables note two children and thirteen grandchildren.
A son and daughter of Captain Simon are noted, the son, George, in 1819 became the first of the Mackenzie-Ross of Aldie family, whose descent is traced to the present day.
The second Statistical Account and the 19th centry genealogys suggest by 1746 Kenneth had remarried to Isobel, a daughter of James Mackenzie of Keppoch and Kildonan. He had eleven children, several alive when the Marines sacked Langwell, including at least the eldest son;
His obituary published 11 March, 1825 in the Inverness Advertiser reads;
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Presumably the "6th in succession" in that article refers to the following;
- John Buy Mackenzie, of Ardcharnach [ sometime resident at Langwell, but normally styled as "of Ardcharnach" ]
- Kenneth Mackenzie, I of Langwell
- Thomas Mackenzie, II of Langwell
- Kenneth Mackenzie, III of Langwell
- Captain Simon Mackenzie [ son of Kenneth III, brother of Thomas IV ]
- Thomas Mackenzie, IV of Langwell
Though Thomas was second son, his father lived to a great age, and as his elder brother died about 1775 Thomas can be considered as "4th of Langwell".
Which of the following children of Kenneth III were from his first or second wife is now not known;
This file, and others dealing with history and genealogy of Coigach, links from my homepage at:
http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~coigach Any suggestions for additions or edits please feel free to email me, Donald MacDonald-Ross, at: | |
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