第 99 节
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西门在线 更新:2021-09-29 13:02 字数:9322
h Erradale; already referred to。 The other daughter; known as 〃Kate Gairloch;〃 who lived to a very old age; unmarried; was provided for in comfortable lodgings and with a suitable allowance by the heads of the family。
He died in 1766; in the 66th year of his age; was buried with his ancestors in Gairloch; 'The old chapel and the burying place of the Lairds of Gairloch appear to have been roofed almost up to this date; for in the Tutorial accounts of 1704 there is an item of 30 merks for 〃harling; pinning; and thatching Gairloch's burial place。〃' and succeeded by his eldest son;
X。 SIR ALEXANDER MACKENZIE; third Baronet; designated 〃An Tighearna Ruadh;〃 or the Red…haired Laird。 He built Conon House between 1758 and 1760; during his father's lifetime。
Lady Mackenzie; who continued to reside at Kinkell; where she lived separated from her husband; on Sir Alexander's decease claimed the new mansion at Conon built by her son eight years before on the ground that it was situated on her jointure lands; but Sir Alexander resisted 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。 Forbes compromised it by requiring Sir Alexander to expend ?00 in making Kinkell Castle more comfortable; by taking off the top storey; re…rooting it; rebuilding an addition at the side; and re…flooring; plastering; and papering all the rooms。
Sir Alexander; in addition to the debts of the entailed estates; contracted other liabilities on his own account; and finding himself much hampered in consequence; he tried; but failed; to break the entail; although a flaw has been discovered in it since; and Sir Kenneth; the present Baronet; having called the attention of the Court to it; the entail was judicially declared invalid。 Sir Alexander had entered into an agreement to sell the Strathpeffer and Ardnagrask lands; in anticipation of which Henry Davidson of Tulloch bought the greater part of the debts of the entailed estates; with the view of securing the consent of the Court to the sale of Davochcairn and Davochpollo afterwards to himself。 But on the 15th of April; 1770; before the transaction could be completed; Sir Alexander died suddenly from the effects of a fall from his horse。 His financial affairs were seriously involved; but having been placed in the hands of an Edinburgh accountant; his creditors ultimately received nineteen shillings in the pound。
He married; first; on the 29th of November; 1755; Margaret; eldest daughter of Roderick Mackenzie; VII。 of Redcastle; with issue
1。 Hector; his heir and successor。
She died on the 1st of December; 1759。
He married; secondly; in 1760; Jean; daughter of John Gorry of Balblair; and Commissary of Ross; with issue
2。 John; who raised a company; almost wholly in Gairloch; for the 78th Regiment of Ross…shire Highlanders when first embodied; of which he himself obtained the Captaincy。 He rose rapidly in rank。 On the 3rd of May; 1794; he attained to 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 among his companions in arms as 〃Fighting Jack。〃 He was at the Walcheren expedition; at the Cape; in India; in Sicily; Malta; and the Peninsula and though constantly exhibiting numberless instances of personal daring; he was only once wounded; when on a certain occasion he was struck with a spent ball on the knee; which made any walking somewhat troublesome to him in after life。 At Tarragona he was so mortified with Sir John Murray's conduct; that he almost forgot that he himself was only second in command; and charged Sir John with incapacity and cowardice; for which the latter was tried by Court MartialGeneral Mackenzie being one of the principal witnesses against him。 Full of vigour of mind and body; he took a lively interest in everything in which he engaged; from fishing and shooting to farming; gardening; politics; and fighting。 He never forgot his Gaelic; which he spoke with fluency and read with ease。 Though a severe disciplinarian; his men adored him。 He was in the habit of saying that it gave him more pleasure to meet a dog from Gairloch than a gentleman from any other place。 When the 78th returned from the Indian Mutiny the officers and men were feted to a grand banquet by the town of Inverness; and as the regiment marched through Academy Street; where the General resided; they halted opposite his residence; next door above the Station Hotel; and though so frail that he had to be carried; he was taken out and his chair placed on the steps at the door; where the regiment saluted and warmly cheered their old and distinguished veteran commander; who had so often led their predecessors to victory; and at the time the oldest officer in and 〃father〃 of the British army。 He was much affected; and wept with joy at again meeting his beloved 78ththe only tears he was known to have shed since the days of his childhood。 He married Lilias; youngest daughter of Alexander Chisholm; XXII。 of Chisholm; with issue(1) Alastair; an officer in the 90th Light Infantry; who afterwards settled down and became a magistrate in the Bahamas; where; in 1839; he married an American lady; Wade Ellen; daughter of George Huyler; Consul General of the United States; and French Consul in the Bahama Islands; with issuea son; the Rev。 George William Russel Mackenzie; an Episcopalian minister; who on the 2nd of August; 1876; married Annie Constance; second daughter of Richard; son of William Congreve of Congreve and Burton; with issueDorothy Lilias; (2) a daughter; Lilias Mary Chisholm; unmarried。 Alastair subsequently left the Bahamas; went to Melbourne; and became Treasurer for the Government of Victoria; where he died in 1852。 General Mackenzie died on the 14th of June; 1860; aged 96 years; and was buried in the Gairloch aisle in Beauly Priory。
3。 Kenneth; who was born on the 14th of February; 1765; was a Captain in the army; and served in India; where he was at the siege of Seringapatam。 He soon after retired from the service; and settled down as a gentleman farmer at Kerrisdale; Gairloch。 He married Flora; daughter of Farquhar Macrae of Inverinate; with issue; three sons and four daughters(1) Alexander; a Captain in the 58th Regiment; who married a daughter of William Beibly; M。D。; Edinburgh; with issue; (2) Hector; a merchant in Java; where he died; unmarried; (3) Farquhar; a settler in Victoria; where he married and left issueHector; John; Violet; Mary; and Flora; (4) Jean; who married William H。 Garrett; of the Indian Civil Service; with issuetwo sons; Edward and William; and four daughters; Eleanor (now Mrs Gourlay; The Gows; Dundee); Flora; Emily; and Elizabeth; (5) Mary; who married; first; Dr Macleod; Dingwall; without issue and; secondly; Murdo Mackenzie; a Calcutta merchant; also without issue; (6) Christian Henderson; who married John Mackenzie; solicitor; Tam; a son of George Mackenzie; III。 of Pitlundie; with issuetwo sons; both dead; one of whom left a son; Charles; (7) Jessie; who married Dr Kenneth Mackinnon; of the Corry family; H。E。I。C。S。; Calcutta。
4。 Jean; who died young。
5。 Margaret; who married Roderick Mackenzie; II。 of Glack; with issue。
6。 Janet; who married Captain John Mackenzie Woodlands; son of George Mackenzie; II。 of Gruinard; without issue。 Sir Alexander had also a natural daughter; Janet; who married John Macpherson; Gairloch; with issue。
The second Lady Mackenzie of Gairloch; Jean Gorry; died in 1766; probably at the birth of her last daughter; Janet; who was born on the 14th of October in that year; and Sir Alexander himself died on the 15th of April; 1770。 He was buried in Gairloch; and was succeeded by his eldest son;
XI。 SIR HECTOR MACKENZIE; the fourth Baronet; generally spoken of among Highlanders as 〃An Tighearna Storach;〃 or the Buck…toothed Laird。 Being a minor; only twelve years of age when he succeeded; his affairs were managed by the following trustees appointed by his fatherJohn Gorry; Provost Mackenzie of Dingwall; and Alexander Mackenzie; W。S。; son and grandson respectively of Charles Mackenzie; I。 of Letterewe; and Alexander Mackenzie; of the Stamp Office; London; son of William Mackenzie of Davochcairn。 These gentlemen did not get on so harmoniously as could be wished in the management of the estate。 The first three opposed the last…named; who was supported by Sir Hector and by his grandfather and his uncle of Redcastle。 In the month of March; 1772; in a petition in which Sir Hector craves the Court for authority to appoint his own factor; he is described as 〃being now arrived at the age of fourteen years。〃 The differences which existed between the trustees finally landed them in Court; the question specially in dispute b