MacKenzie's from Ardessie, Little Lochbroom?

[dmackenzie]

A bit of a long shot, but any descendants of MacKenzie's from around Ardessie, Little Lochbroom, c. early 1800's out there?

[MJHS1]

Hi,

By a strange coincidence, I have just stumbled across your message having been in Ardessie, three weeks ago, and having only discovered, last week, that I am distant descendant of the Mackenzies of Dundonell.

Apparently, my great x3 grandmother was an Ann Mackenzie (b circa 1730), who was a great niece of the then (3rd?) Laird of Dundonell, Kenneth Mackenzie. She married Angus MacDonald of Scoraig.

You may be interested to know that there is a new book 'Dundonell of the Mackenzies' written by David Iredale (published by Phillimore & Co) ISBN 978-1-86077-461-4, which provides a very comprehensive history of the family and their estate.

I actually bought a copy from Maggie's Tea rooms in Ardessie!

I should be delighted to hear if you think that there may be a family connection.

Regards

Mike

[dmackenzie]

Hi Mike

I don't know of any possible connection with the Dundonell MacKenzie's, but we now think my gg-grandfather's brother (John MacKenzie) was born in Badluarach in 1810, just up the road from Ardessie. See my other thread 'MacKenzie's from Fodderty and Ullapool' for more background, but my ggg-grandparents were John MacKenzie and Ann McKay, their parents were John MacKenzie/Janet Stewart and George McKay/Elizabeth Martin. Children of John and Ann were (in order):
John
Kenneth
George
Catherine
Alexander
Lizy
Janet
Christy

So if you followed the common naming conventions of the time, Kenneth and Catherine are unusual because you would have expected the parents of John and Ann to be used first. We speculate that Kenneth and Catherine might have been some significant people in John or Ann's lives. One idea is that perhaps they were relatives that raised one of them, and there is a Kenneth and Catherine MacKenzie in Ardessie of about the right age in the 1841 census. A leap of faith, but they are in the right geographic area so just trying to chase down the possibility.

Will pass on the info about the book to my dad who is currently in Scotland, he might be able to pick a copy up.

Cheers
Darryl

[MJHS1]

Hi Daryl,

I can't see any obvious connections either.

There is a good write up of the 'Mackenzie Families of the Barony of Lochbroom', by Malcolm Bangor-Jones, in Peoples and Settlements in North-West Ross, edited by John Baldwin ISBN 0 9505994 8 4.

I also see that the History of the Mackenzies by Alexander Mackenzie is online at:
 
http://www.fullbooks.com/History-Of-The-Mackenzies.html

I hope that this helps.

Regards

Mike

[Maryburgh]

I live here and the local crofting tennants are still MacKenzies, it will be very probable they are your decendants.

[Scott Hamilton]

Hi,
I have been researching my family history and I have a John Mackenzie born in Badlurach around 1809. Died 1883 (dates are vague)
John Mackenzie Crofter and Fisherman
Barbara McLennan Domestic Servant.
John's parents were also a John and Mary
Barbara's parents were John McLennan and Martha Mackenzie.
They had a son also called John around 1851.
My G Grandmother was Mary MacGregor (Mackenzie) born 15th Jan 1893 in Badluarach
We have an address of Croft 61 but I cannot find any reference to this number.
In 1861, John was living with his family in Badluarach with his family (John, Father Age 50, Mary, Age 38 and Elizabeth 15, Kenneth 12, John 10 Isabella 8 and Betty 4)