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This article was published in the 13 September 1877 edition of the Inverness Courier;

TWO MEN DROWNED NEAR ULLAPOOL It is feared that two men belonging to Coigach - John Mackenzie, Free Church elder, and Thomas Mackenzie, Achiltibuie - have been drowned near Ullapool. On Thursday, the 30th ult., they came to the village in a boat, and after transacting some business left for home the same evening. The night, however, turned out stormy and they put into Isle Martin. At eight o'clock next morning, they again started for home, but have not been seen or heard of since. The finding of one of their oars and the baling dish on the shore puts it beyond a doubt that both men were drowned shortly after leaving the firth. The boat was probably struck by one of those squalls which are not infrequent in the district. Both were about seventy years of age, and were highly respected.

Cela Beale in New Zealand (CONTACT INFO) has MacKenzie ancestors at Coigach, including John McKenzie who was drowned in 1877 (see Achiltibuie 71-27). Many Coigach people have emigrated to New Zealand over the last twohundred years, and Cela as a librarian interested in genealogy has been a great help to others searching for branches of their family trees there.

When Cela joined the Highland Family History Society she mentionned the drowning death of John McKenzie, and his companion Thomas McKenzie from Achiltibuie. In thanks for reciprical research, the good people in Inverness searched the microfilmed copies of Highland newspapers of the day and found an article on their tragic loss, Cela's transcription being above.

Thomas McKenzie lived in the croft next to John's, see Achiltibuie 71-26.

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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