Blair Collection > Celtic magazine > Volume 4

448 THE CELTIC MAGAZINE.
HISTORY OF THE CLAN MACKENZIE.
By the Editor.
[Concluded, j
THE MACKENZIES OF GAIRLOCH,
X. Sir Alexander Mackenzie;, third Baronet, called " An Tighearna
Ruadh," or Red-haired Laird. He built Coiiou House between 1758 and
17(30, during his father's lifetime. His mother, who continued to reside
at Kinkell, where she lived separated fi'om her husband, on his decease
claimed the new mansion built by her son eight years previously, on the
ground that it was situated on her jointure lands; but Sir Alexander re-
sisted her pretensions, and ultimately the matter was arranged by the
award of John Forbes of New, Government factor on the forfeited estates
of Lovat, who then resided at Beaufort, and to whom the question in
dispute was submitted as arbitrator. He compromised it by requiring Sir
Alexander to expend £300 in making Kinkell Castle more comfortable,
by taking oft' the top storey, re-roohng it, and rebuilding an adition at
the side, reflooring, plastering, and papering all the rooms.
Sir Alexander, in addition to the debts of the entailed estates, con-
tracted others on his own account, and finding himself, in consequence,
much hampered, he tried, but failed, to break the entail, though a flaw
has been discovered in it since, to which Sir Kenneth, the present
Baronet, called the attention of the Court ; whereupon the entail was
declared invalid. He then entered into an agreement to sell the Strath-
peffer lands and those of Ardnagrask, in contemplation of which Plenry
Davidson of Tulloch bought the greater portion of the debts of the entailed
estates, with the view of securing the consent of the Court to the sale of
Davochcairn and Davochpollo to himself; but on the 15th of April 1770,
before the transaction coidd be completed, Sir Alexander suddenly died
from the effects of a fall from his horse. His affairs were seriously in-
volved, but having been placed in the hands of an Edinburgh accountant,
his creditors afterwards received nineteen shillings in the pound.
He married, first, 29th November 1755, IMargaret, eldest daughter of
Roderick Mackenzie, VII. of Redcastle, by whom he had issue, one son,
1. Hector, who succeeded him.
She died 1st December 1759.
He married, secondly, in 1760, Jean, daughter of John Gorry of Bal-
blair, and Commissary of Ross, with issue —
2. John, who raised a company, almost entirely in Gairloch, for the
78th Regiment of Ross-shire Highlanders when first embodied, and of
which he obtained the captaincy. He rose rapidly in rank. On May 3,
1794, he obtained his majority ; in the following year he is Lieutenant-
Colonel of the Regiment; Major-General in the army in 1813 ; and full
General in 1837. He served with distinction and without cessation from
1779 to 1814. So marked was his daring and personal valour that he
was popularly known as " Fighting Jack " among his companions in arms.
He was at the Walcheren expedition ; at the Cape ; in India ; in Sicily ;
Malta; and the Peninsula; and though constantly exhibiting numberless