I am searching for information on the paternal ancestry of my great x3 grandfather, Norman Mackenzie. He was born 5 Aug 1804 at Diabaig, which was at the time part of the Applecross parish but really more closely connected with Gairloch. Norman's father was Murdoch and his mother Catherine Macdonald. Murdoch was a tenant at Diabaig on the Gairloch Estate from 1791 to about 1810 when he died. Murdoch's father, Roderick, was likewise a tenant from at least 1766 until 1789.
Family tradition holds that Murdoch's father was Roderick "Dubh Mor" Mackenzie, who fought at Culloden and was part of a descent from Alexander Mackenzie, a royalist soldier circa 1649-1651 who lost an eye in battle and carried it home to Gairloch in his pocket and was subsequently known as Alastair Cam.
The chapter on Sliochd Alastair Chaim (i.e. The descendants of Alexander the One-Eyed) in the 1894 2nd edition of The History of the Mackenzies states that Alastair Cam's second son, also named Alexander, was commonly called Alastair Mor Mac Alastair Chaim, and that Alastair Mor's son John was locally known as Ian Mor Mac Alastair Mhic Alastair Chaim. John had a tack from the Mackenzie laird of Gairloch of the half of North Erradale beginning 1765, although he was in possession of this land as of 1760. The History states that John had 7 sons, known as Clann Ian Mhoir, including his third son, "Roderick, who married, with issue". Whether this Roderick is indeed Norman Mackenzie's grandfather is what I am trying to determine; in order for this to be the case, the Roderick of Clann Ian Mhoir would have left North Erradale and settled in Diabaig.
Any information, insight or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
