Alexander MacKenzie purchaser of Seton Hall, Tranent

[kb0fhp]

Tradition in my family from the letters of my great grandmother suggest that the MacKenzie Family lost all their money in a lawsuit with the Brodies.  No details are given.  In doing my research I have located the MacKenzie family in Tranent, East Lothian.  This is from wills, OPRs and death records. 

From my records it appears that the last MacKenzie I have in my line that I can trace is Alexander MacKenzie and Christian Knox.  In all the records they were herders or gardeners.  The only thing that I can find that suggests litigation is the long litigation and reversal of sale of the Seton Castle property purchased by Alexander MacKenzie from the York Building Company.  This could be the lawsuit that my great grandmother referred to in her letters.  Can any one provide details regarding this Alexander MacKenzie?

Thank you

Scott

[tidybooks]

Hi Scott,

Went through Scotsman Archives last night, but never found anything to link Seton Castle (Hall) and Alexander Mackenzie. However, better luck on National Archives of Scotland site today, http://www.rootschat.com/links/01gjp/

Notebook containing (1) Copy Contract for building Seton Castle between Alexander Mackenzie [McKenzie] and Adam and Thomas Russell, 12 Nov 1789. (2) Description of building and finishing an addition to Clunie Castle, Aberdeenshire, 1 Sep 1790. (3) ....

Not sure if this available for inspection, but you can contact NAS for details.

Tom

[tidybooks]

Hi Scott,

Googled "Seton Castle" and "Mackenzie", and came up with a link, http://www.stravaiging.com/history/castle/seton-castle

When George Seton, the 5th Earl of Winton supported the Jacobites in 1715 he forfeited his estates, including Seton Castle and Winton Castle. The now ruined Seton Castle was sold to the York Buildings Company, who sold it on to Lt Col Alexander Mackenzie of the 21st Dragoons.

So this Alexander Mackenzie looks to be more than a herder or gardener, a Lt Col of the 21st Dragoons, no less.

Tom

[philipsearching]

According to
http://sites.scran.ac.uk/ada/documents/castle_style/seton/seton_history.htm

"By the 1790's the Palace was a ruin, and the site in the hands of Lt Col Alexander Mackenzie of the 21st Dragoons, eldest son of Alexander MacKenzie of Portmore, Peebleshire. He was a young man, in his early twenties, when he commissioned the design from Adam. He would not live long to enjoy his new house. According to a local tradition he had evicted an old woman who lived in a cottage on the estate near Seton Palace. She laid a curse on him and prophesied, as her house was demolished, that the new Seton Castle would never become his family home. He died five years later in 1796."

In the days when army commissions were purchased it was not unknown for a man in his 20s to buy his way up to Colonel without ever seeing action!

[tidybooks]

Hi,

Great reply from philipsearching, I hadn't tried Scran yet, but the story of the old woman, rang a bell with me. As a child growing up in Port Seton about a mile from the castle, we used to talk of a "Black Aggie" who would get us if we lingered in the woods at dusk etc. I am sure it was "Black Aggie" but minds play tricks at times.

Tom

[tidybooks]

Hi ,

On another page,

http://archive.stjohns-edinburgh.org.uk/MacKenzieAlexander.html

it states that Alexander was born 1769, Lt Col in 23rd Dragoons, died in West Indies 1796, unmarried, so I do not think we have the correct Alexander Mackenzie.

Tom

[kb0fhp]

That is all good information.  This appears to rule out one set of MacKenzie's in the Tranent area.  It also indicates that this wasn't the litigation that my great grandmother talked and wrote about

I had found some information regarding this Alexander MacKenzie and some information regarding the sharp business practice that was used to purchase the property. 

How is the best way to investigate any possible litigation between the MacKenzie family and Brodie family?  I want to either confirm or dispel this family legend.

[tidybooks]

Hi Scott,

 Yes, I agree that rules this one out. Do you have any dates of the legal action between the Mackenzies and the Brodies? Any other info that we can tie a date to them will help.

Tom

[kb0fhp]

I have absolutely no idea.  In my letters from my great grandmother there was no indication of dates or location.  The males on the MacKenzie side have been foresters or gardeners at a variety of estates throughout Scotland - none that I am aware have been related to the Brodies.  I suspect that it is probably 1740-1760 or so