HISTORY OF THE WILLIAM MACKENZIE FAMILY
By
Margaret Bamford
Submitted by
Margaret Anne Dodson
Edited by
William J. Dorgan III
Note: The following recollections of Margaret Bamford, and others, are one of the most interesting and anecdotal accounts of the WILLIAM MACKENZIE FAMILY. I have copied Margaret Bamford's account verbatim as she wrote it.
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"In Memory of
WILLIAM MACKENZIE
A Native of
ROSS-SHIRE, Scotland
DIED
MARCH 11, 1868, AGE 98
Also His Wife
FLORA MACMILLAN,
A Native of
INVERNESS-SHIRE, Scotland
DIED
MAY 15, 1853, AGE 86"
Inscription on headstone in THE ELGIN CEMETERY, PICTOU COUNTY, NOVA SCOTIA, situated left rear corner.
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William MacKenzie and his wife Flora MacMillan and their five children sailed from Urquhart for Pictou, NS, on June 8th, 1801, on the ship Sarah. Shipping conditions were terrible. The vessel was 350 tons -carried 350 passengers, plus some household articles, food and water. The water allotment was to be 3 quarts per person per day instead became 3 pints or less per day. The trip normally took six weeks, but due to lack of wind to sail or storms forcing them in wrong direction, with the result the crossing took three months. Small pox and whooping cough were prevalent on the ship. Due to the sickness the MacKenzies buried three children at sea. Their names are not known. The Public Archives at Dalhousie University, Halifax, N.S., show that two children, Isabel aged 5, and John aged 2 survived the trip. These settlers were evicted from Scotland due to the Highland Clearances, when sheep were of more value to the landowners (Lords, Earls and Dukes) than human lives. On leaving Scotland the people were told they could get sugar, fuel and soap from the same tree (Canadian Rock Maple) but were not told of the work involved to accomplish this feat.
Landing in Pictou Harbor the first night was spent at Abercrombie, near the shore where the Scott Paper Pulp Mill now stands. Tired, weak from lack of food, heartbroken and lonesome, they rested and then went to New Glasgow. From New Glasgow, N.S., they proceeded up the East River towards what is now Sunny Brae, in search of a Cameron family who emigrated twelve years previously. They found their Cameron friends in Glencoe, N.S., and visited with them for a few days and then started to look for Land for themselves. All the land on the East River had been granted but they were told land might be available between the East Branch and the West Branch or what is now known as Elgin and Bridgeville.
Following an Indian footpath they came to a spot where the crossroads now is, just below our house. There was a large rock beside the path and Flora sat down on that rock and said, "I am not going any further" . They stopped right there and when a suitable spot was found, erected their log cabin. This was known as the first house. Five children were born after their arrival in Nova Scotia. This family will be listed further on.
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They received a great deal of help from the Micmac Indians who were camped near the first house. The Indians shared meat and fish and showed them plants and herbs that could be used as food or medicine. In this way scurvy was prevented. Their footwear was at first made from animal skins, mostly moose and were called moose shanks, a larrigan type of footwear.
The children of the first family could be classed as Tri-lingual, speaking Gaelic, Micmac and later English. All MacKenzies were literate, a rather unusual accomplishment for settlers of that era.
William MacKenzie was known to have one brother living in Scotland when they sailed for Nova Scotia. At that time the person who received the letter had to pay the postage. The people in Nova Scotia had no money to pay postage. They had to write their relatives and tell them not to send mail as they weren't able to pay to get it out of the Post Office. In that way all contact with relatives in Scotland was lost.
It is also known William MacKenzie's brought a set of bag pipes and a grandfather clock with them. Both items were later sold. The last I heard the clock had gone to Monckton. I was never able to trace it any further. We did try tracing relatives in Scotland in the late sixties but it was very time consuming and would be expensive. We didn't seem to have much success so that was dropped.
All Scottish settlers were firm believers in "witchcraft". If there was tragedy in a family, they believed someone had put a "curse" on them. The MacKenzies were no exception to this trait. For some strange reason they felt they lived under a "curse" as one person in each of the first six generations unfortunately lost the vision of one eye. With generations seven and now eight following that theory has died out.
Of the first family Mary is worthy of particular mention. She married John Mackintosh (note spelling) of Springville, N.S., and raised a family of twelve children. No one will ever know how they even existed but two boys graduated from College, one a Doctor, the other a druggist. Mary was also the midwife for the East River and assisted at the births of over three hundred babies, many of these cases without a Doctor in attendance. Of that number only one mother was lost, but at that case a Doctor was in attendance. Mary was also able to treat many sick persons using remedies made from plants and weeds. Much of this
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information she obtained from the Indians. Even when she was an old lady she would be seen out on the hills, or following the brooks gathering plants to make the medicines she used for the sick. * List of family follows.
John of the first family married Catharine Fraser from MacLellan’s Mountain, N.S. area. At that time John was classed as being wealthy. When he brought his bride home he was well enough off to own a horse with the result the bride rode horseback to her new home while her husband walked. John was late to retire at age sixty and moved to Stellarton, N.S. where he built a house and was town "lamplighter" for many years.
At that time Ford Street was lit at night by oil lights. Each evening John took his ladder, went around and climbed up to light the lamps. One stormy evening when he was up on a ladder a "smart alec" young fellow passing kicked the ladder out from under him. John had no warning of the accident coming with the result he was thrown to the ground and severely injured. He never recovered from this injury.
FAMILY OF WILLIAM AND FLORA (MACMILLAN) MACKENZIE, Presbyterian Faith Members of Kirk
Isabel married Alexander MacDonald (Owen). Lived in Foxbrook or Hopewell, N.S. area.
Isabel's Family:
1. Barbara -married Henry Munroe, Foxbrook, buried in Foxbrook Cemetery at Hopewell, N.S.
2. Jane Ann -married John McLeod, lived in same area but buried in MacLeod Cemetery, Foxbrook, N.S. Family not known.
3. Margaret -married Alexander Munroe lived in Westville, N.S. Buried in one of the cemeteries in Westville, N.S.
4. Flora -married ___ MacKenzie. Lived in New Glasgow, N.S. Two children, Isabel and Charles.
5. John George -could have lived in P.E.I. but was buried in cemetery at Hopewell, N.S.
6. Duncan - not married.
7. William - married Jerusha (Ruchia) Munroe, family of six - three boys and three girls.
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Barbara (number 1 above) could have been born at her parents' home in Centredale, N.S. She married Henry Munroe and had five children.
1. William Alexander -married Catharine Fraser.
2. Daniel Robert -married Ann Bowser.
3. Harry M. -married Anna McIntosh lived in Sydney, N. S., and had two sons.
4. James -died aged 14 years.
5. Jessie -died in infancy.
William married Catherine Fraser, lived in Foxbrook, N. S. William drowned in Rocky Lakes, Trafalgar, N.S. while on a fishing trip with companions.
William's Family:
1. Henrietta (known as Reta) married Charles Woodman, living in Windsor, N.S.
2. Hazel -married William Magee, Eureka, N.S. Hazel now deceased.
3. Isabel -married Donald Fraser, has three children and lives in Eureka, N.S.
John MacKenzie, son of William and Flora, who came on Ship Sarah, 1801, and married Catharine Fraser.
John's Family:
Born Died
William 1833 1915
Christy 1835 1877
Margaret 1836 1858
John 1838 1910
Barbara 1841 1917
Flora 1842 1917
Hugh 1843 1915
Daniel 1844 1928
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John's Family Continued:
Born Died
Jessie 1846 1930
Alexander (Sandy) 1849 1927
Catherine(Kate) 1851 1923
Mary 1854 1916
Mary, daughter of William and Flora (MacMillan) MacKenzie, married John McIntosh, Springville, N.S.
Mary's Family:
1. Elizabeth - married MacArthur
2. Katharine - married MacKay.
3. Hannah - married McCaffrey.
4. Margaret - married Conley.
5 Daniel - medical doctor Pugwash.
6. John George - wheelwright - Providence, U.S.A.
7. Duncan - mechanic.
8. William - Furniture maker - Oxford, N.S.
9. James - Furniture maker - Oxford, N.S.
10. Albert -Druggist - Oxford, N.S.
11. Alexander - mechanic - Providence, U.S.A.
12. Steptoe - later changed his name to Stephen and was a Wheelwright by trade.
Mrs. Henry E. Owens, Holderness, New Hampshire, U.S.A. Box 462. 03245.
The above lady is a granddaughter of John George McIntosh, so she might be able to fill in the McIntosh family.
Catharine, daughter of William and Flora MacMillan MacKenzie. See attached sheet prepared by Eleanor Cox and Verda MacDonald.
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Dan or Daniel, son of William and Flora (MacMillan) MacKenzie.
See attached sheet compiled by Henry H. MacDonald.
Alexander, son of William and Flora (MacMillan) MacKenzie.
See attached sheet compiled by Mrs. Marjorie Dewar.(Rev. E.F.)
Flora, daughter of William and Flora (MacMillan) MacKenzie.
Flora married John MacDonald (Post) also of Centredale, N.S. Flora's husband was known as Johnny Post, a rather uncomplimentary nickname as he was stone deaf.
Flora's family was one of the hardest to obtain information on. She was known to have two daughters or granddaughters who went to Rockland, Mass, U.S.A. and had a nursing home for retarded children of wealthy families. Flora's son John was married and had one child, possibly a son. On their way to St. Paul's Church, East River, to have the baby baptized, the horse they were driving ran away with the result his wife and child were killed. Shortly after that John left the farm and went to work the coal mines in Cape Breton, N.S.
A daughter of Flora's married a MacKinnon from Sunny Brae, N.S. Her daughter married Henry Langille also from Sunny Brae, N.S., and had two children, Alonzo in Sunny Brae, and Flora, Mrs. Dan Baillie, who lived on Campbell's Road, Westville, N. S., near where D.W. Ross lived.
Mrs. Baillie has one daughter Marie, who is married to Burchill MacQuarrie, Halifax, N.S.
Alonzo Langille had one son James, who with his wife and family lived in Sunny Brae.
Catherine, a daughter of Flora and John MacDonald, married Robert Chisholm of Bridgeville. I do not know of any members of this family living now. Catherine's daughter Florence married her cousin Alex Dunbar. See sheet compiled by Verda MacDonald. There was another family of MacKenzie's and Moore's related to Flora and John MacDonald, but I haven't the right connection. Possibly a daughter of Flora had married another MacKenzie clan.
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FAMILY OF JOHN AND CATHERINE (FRASER) MACKENZIE
William married Catherine MacQuarrie, Glencoe, E. R.
William's Family:
John -died in infancy.
Margaret -Born Oct. 18, 1862, married Simon A. Thompson.
Wallace -Born Aug. 22, 1864, married Margaret J. Chisholm
John A. -Born July 30, 1866, married Mabel Cameron.
Catherine M. -Born Aug. 31, 1868, married John MacMillan.
Elizabeth A. -Born July 29, 1870, died 1871.
A son born Dec. 13, 1871, died at birth from mother's fall.
Angus, a twin brother, died Sept. 1872, nine months.
Catherine died shortly after the birth of the twins, and she and her baby son were buried together (in the same casket) in Elgin Cemetery.
William married second wife Jessie Forbes (no family.
William married third wife Marion MacDonald Weir, one Edwin Weir.
William married fourth wife, Mrs. Margaret Cameron, no family.
Christy married John Elliott, Gays River, N.S.
Christy was working with a minister and his family in Springville, N.S. When he was called to Gays River, she went with them as a maid, or servant girl was the term then used.
There she met and married John Elliott. Later two of her sisters went to visit her and they met their future husbands, and when they married they too lived in the Gays River area.
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Christy's Family:
1. William married Mrs. Ida Benjamin, lived Gays River.
2. Catharine, married Samuel Frame, lived Shubenacadie.
3. John, born 1872, married Ethel Harvey. Married second wife Nettie Gardner, and had seven children. Ethel, Florence, and George were the only members of his family I met in 1965.
4. Christine, married George Faulkner, lived in Everett, Mass. Had four children: Viola, Lorimer, William and John.
Christy died April 7, 1877, aged 42, and is buried in Gays River Cemetery.
Margaret - daughter of John and Catharine (Fraser) MacKenzie. Margaret died May 13, 1858, due to a spinal injury. Buried in Elgin Cemetery.
John - son of John and Catharine (Fraser) MacKenzie. Born in Centredale, N.S., 1838 died 1910. Buried in St. Phillips Cemetery, Westville, N.S. A blacksmith by trade. Married Jane Black, Macias, Maine, 1843-1915. They had ten children.
John's Family:
1. John
2. Mary Ellen (Nellie) married William Lorimer, Westville, Nova Scotia.
3. Joseph -married Maggie Duncan, California, one daughter, Lola.
4. Isabel -married William Allen, 3 children. Second marriage to Hector Carr, 3 children.
5. Fred - married Catharine MacKay, Stellarton, N.S. Fred was killed in Allen Shaft Explosion, at Stellarton, N.S., 1918.
6. Catharine -married Peter Patterson, Trail, B. C.
7. Maggie married Dan W. MacLeod, Westville.
8. Jane -married Dan W. Ross.
9. Dollie -not married.
10. Hugh - War casualty, 1917.
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Barbara - daughter of John and Catherine (Fraser) MacKenzie. See sheet compiled by Verda MacDonald.
Catharine - daughter of John and Catharine (Fraser) MacKenzie. See sheet compiled by Verda MacDonald and Eleanor Cox.
Hugh - Son of John and Catharine (Fraser) MacKenzie. Born in Centredale. Hugh married Henrietta Lynch of Shubenacadie, N.S. They had thirteen children. Hugh is buried in St. Phillips Cemetery, Westville, N.S., and his wife is buried in Orange, Mass. Hugh was one of the first policemen in Westville, N.S.
Hugh's Family:
1. John - Born May 4, 1868, died Boston, March 30, 1869.
2. Child, twin, May 4, 1869, died infancy. 3. Child, twin, May 4, 1869, died infancy.
4. James S. - Nov. 1876, married Ina Brown. He died June 11, 1949.
5. Catharine F. - Born June 12, 1873, died March 4, 1880.
6. John -Born Feb. 14,1876, married Lina Grey. He died 1951. Second married Gussie - 8 children.
7. William -Born May 24, 1878, married Clara Drowne. Married second wife Florence Eaton, one daughter Betty. William died April 8, 1948.
8. Mary Jane - -Born Jan. 3, 1881, married Jack Chisholm. Children, Sydney and Loran. Married second husband Frederick Northrop, 1 son Frederick.
9. Daniel A. -Born Dec. 31, 1883, married Evelyn Richardson, 1 son Frank E. Married second wife, Aldea Douillette. He died Dec. 23, 1957.
10. Hugh Loran - Born Feb. 21, 1886. Married Bessie Thayer, 1 daughter Amy (Blind?)
11. Henry D. - Born April 12, 1889. Died - Buried in Providence.
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12. Alexander - Born Dec. 22, 1891. Married Ella Collins, one daughter Luella. Married second wife Polly Burkhart lived in St. Petersburg, Florida.
13. Cassie Bell -Dec. 27, 1894. Married John H. Blake, Providence. One son - Donald.
Dan, Son of John and Catharine (Fraser) MacKenzie, was born in Centredale, N.S. in 1844. Dan married Janie Urquhart, daughter of Kennie Urquhart, a son of Deacon Urquhart Catechist, a native of Centredale, N.S. Dan had two sons, John and Hugh, who made a career of the Canadian army, and all contact with them was lost. He also had a daughter Cassie who died young, and is buried in Stellarton area. Dan was a blacksmith by trade.
Jessie, daughter of John and Catharine (Fraser) MacKenzie. Jessie married Robert Elliott of Gays River, N.S., and had ten children. Jessie was born in Centredale, N.S.
Jessie's Family:
1. Thompson -married Emma Nelson, and had two children, Willina and Elmer.
2. Maggie - married Adams.
3. John - Unmarried.
4. Minnie - Married Murray.
S. Robert
6. James - Unmarried.
7. Richard
8. Cassie - Married -Bruce.
9. Annie - Married -Bruce.
10. Beatrice - Married Harley Jackson.
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Beatrice and her daughter lived in British Columbia. I know of no contact with her since the late sixties.
Jessie and all her family moved to Saskatchewan and it is doubtful if any of her family were ever back to Nova Scotia. died in 1930, possibly buried in cemetery in Peace Alberta.
Alexander, better known as Sandy, son of John and Catharine (Fraser) MacKenzie, was born in Centredale, N.S. He died in Stellarton, N.S. in 1927. He is buried in Pictou Cemetery, Pictou Landing, N.S. He was a blacksmith by trade. He first married Jane MacDonald.
Alexander's Family:
1. Christina (Tina) Born Feb. 28, 1877, married Walter Lawson and later moved to Johannesburg area in South Africa.
2. Catherine M. -Born May 18, 1881, lived in Norwich, Conn.
3. John Allan -Born April 23, 1883. Unmarried, died in 1928.
4. William J. -Born Nov. 8, 1885, unmarried, lived in American and Canadian West.
5. Barbara -Born March 8, 1887, unmarried, died April, 1908. Buried in Bridgeville Cemetery.
6. Jean -Born Nov. 12, 1891, married Dr. .Loran Carter, lived in Presque Isle, Maine, U.S.A.
7. Bertha died as a young child and is buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Pictou Landing, N.S.
Jane MacDonald wife of Sandy passed away, and his second was to Bessie Murray. Their family:
8. Aileen -Born Nov. 17,1896, married Fraser Chisholm, lived in Stellarton, N.S., and passed away Jan. 3, 1983
9. Alexander, known as Alex - Born Feb. 9, 1899, married Mary J. Whitehead and lived in Detroit, later in Arizona. Alex and Mary had triplets, two boys and one girl. One boy called Sandy died in infancy, the other two lived to maturity.
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Henrietta, known as Etta, born Aug. 8, 1906,married Clarence Ferguson and lived in New Glasgow, N..S. They had one son Allan. Etta passed away Dec. 15, 1978.
There were also two children who died in infancy, but their birth dates are not known.
This gave Sandy a family of twelve.
Catherine (known as Kate), daughter of John and Catharine (Fraser) MacKenzie, was born in Centredale, N.S., in 1851, died 1923. Kate married Dan Fraser (nickname Taylor) and lived in Stellarton, N.S.
Catherine's Family:
1. John Alex - married Maggie Jackson.
2. Hugh - married Maggie Etta Fraser. Had two children. Catherine and Hugh. (See note below)
3. Duncan
4. Maggie - Born 1881, married John F. Keith, had five children, Fraser, Ian, Lois, Jean, and Elwood.
5. Willard - Born 1883, died young.
6. Bessie - Born 1886, died young.
7. Florence - Born 1889. Married James Dunn, lived Lyons Brook. Had five children. Two girls died young from a heart condition. Three sons Eric, Lyons, Brook - married Beatrice Munro, Allison lived in Vancouver, deceased, and Laurie was killed in Second World War.
8. Donald died in Stellarton at 50 years of age from asphyxiation in a house fire.
Catherine had one other daughter, also Margaret, who married a MacGregor and lived in Toronto, Ont. She died following the birth of twins, Donald and Margaret. The twins were brought to Stellarton, N.S. at six weeks of age, and were cared for by their aunt Mrs. Keith, and Grandmother Catharine MacKenzie Fraser.
Margaret MacGregor married William P. McNeil, and lives in New Glasgow, N.S.
Donald died in 1978, and his widow and family reside in New Glasgow, N.S.
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Hugh, his wife and family, left Stellarton, N.S. Soon his wife and children returned but nothing was heard about Hugh for many years. Evidently Hugh was divorced as in the late 1960’s; a letter appeared in the local press requesting information about relatives. The writer said she was a daughter of Hugh Fraser, and gave her name as: Mrs. Lola Dunlop, 822 East 7th St., Port Angeles, Washington. 98362. She had one brother Leroy Fraser. Two children first family. Catherine (Mrs. Gordon Munro, Stellarton, N.S.) Hugh address unknown.
Mary, daughter of John and Catharine (Fraser) MacKenzie, was born in Centredale, N.S. in 1854, and died in 1916. She married James Wilson of Gays River, N.S. They had ten children.
Mary's Family:
1. Alma -married Thomas Killen. Lived in Cook's Brook.
2. Annie - born Dec. 1, 1875, married George Tays. She died June 2, 1911. Her daughter Edna married John Flemming, Lumber Dealer from Truro. Their son Harry is the well known news commentator on T.V. Halifax, N.S.
3. Henry -not married. Went West.
4. Christy -married Jim Bagwell lived Charlestown and Somerville, Mass.
5. Ethel -married Paul Woodworth lived Milford, N.S.
6. Hugh - married Irene Ryder. Lived 11 Fuller St., Everett, Mass.
7. Creighton - born 1892.Married Jessie MacPhee. Lived several places. Two known were West R Station, N.S., and Truro, N.S.
8. Jamie - married Muriel Spears, and second wife Marjorie MacDonald. Lived Elmsdale, N.S.
9. Arthur -died young. 10. John -died young.
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FAMILY OF WILLIAM (THE PIPER) AND CATHARINE MACQUARRIE
1. John - died in infancy.
2. Margaret C. - married Simon A. Thompson, St. Paul's, Pictou County, had four children.
1. Mary married D. M. MacDonald, Sunny Brae, N.S. Four of a family.
2. William M. married (1st) Florence MacFarlane, one daughter Peggy, lived in British Columbia.
3. Harry A. married Alice Williams, three sons, Harry Jr., David and Hugh.
4. Katharine, married William Porter, lived in Bowmansville, Ontario - no family.
3. Wallace - married Margaret J. Chisholm, Springville, N. S. Five children.
1. William Herman -died 1940.
2. Edna Jane -married Alex Findlay, Lorne, N.S. A son Wallace, daughter Adele.
3. Catharine Hazel
4. Bessie Mary - married Sam W. Lawrie, three children, Douglas, living in Burnaby, B.C., daughter died in infancy, and Wallace (M.D.) living in Penticton, B.C.
5. Margaret - married Alfred Bamford, living on the old homestead.
4. John A -married Mabel Cameron, Bridgeville, N.S. Lived in Bridgeville, .N.S., later moved to Chilliwack, B.C. One adopted son Cyril Bayly. Lives in Peterborough, Ont.
5. Catharine M. married John MacMillan from Bridgeville, N.S., and lived in the next community of Springville. Had four of a family. Two died in infancy. William married Ruth MacWilliam, and had three children.
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1. John Robert lives in Truro, N.S.
2. Evangeline married Elmer Way, and lives in Stellarton, N.S. Evangeline has done extensive research on MacKenzie family.
3. Mildred married Mac Eaton, Canard, Annapolis Valley, N.S. They had four children.
4. Jessie, daughter of Catherine and John MacMillan, married George MacLeod, and lives in Greenwood, Mass. Daughter, Diane.
6. Elizabeth A. - died in her first year, about six months of age.
7. & 8. Twins. One died at birth, Angus died aged nine months.
LOST CONNECTIONS
Relationships with some families have been lost due to the older generations being dead, and nothing being written down.
Among these are:
MacKenzie relationship with Culton family.
MacKenzie relationship with Mrs. John Ballem, New Mrs. Ballem was married to Dr. John Ballem, New Glasgow, N.S.
MacKenzie relationship with a Dunbar family in Stellarton, N.S. Mrs. Hugh Cruickshank, Stellarton, N.S., might be able fill this in.
There was also a relationship with another MacKenzie family through Flora of first family, who was married to John MacDonald Post.
MacKenzie relationship with Cluney or Clunis.
William MacKenzie (who married Catharine Macquarrie) was known as "The Piper", as he played the bagpipes.
When William and Catharine were married in December in 1860, winter was just starting. Their wedding day was clear and frosty. There were one hundred pipers in attendance at their wedding. When they left Catharine's home in Glencoe, N.S.,
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they were piped to William's home in Centredale, N.S., a distance of six to seven miles by the "One Hundred Pipers". Those who heard and saw the procession considered it a thrilling experience.
Thirty four years later, when Wallace and Margaret J. Chisholm were married, William "piped" them from Margaret's home in Springville, N.S., to the home in Centredale, N.S.
During the time William was living on the farm, for any great distance horses and wagons or sleighs were the means of transportation. For short distances people usually walked.
When William went driving to the store or to town he took his bagpipes with him. His driving horse had trained himself to keep time to the music. If the piece of music William played was lively such as a reel, hornpipe or strathspey, the horse threw his head up and stepped to the music. If the music was sad, such as a "lament" the horse put his head down and just dragged his feet along. This story was told to me by William A. Dunbar of Lorne, N.S., who remembered seeing and hearing William and his horse going to the store for groceries.
When the country was first settled there were four MacKenzie families in Centredale. "Nicknames" were prevalent then with the results these families were known as the "Archies" - "Hoostens" - Garners" - and "Tuskers". William MacKenzie's belonged to the Tusker group. None of the MacKenzies were related although in later years a daughter of John and Flora MacDonald (1st family) married into the "Garners" MacKenzie family.
Each family is free to add their own personal family.
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In the eighteen hundreds when the pioneer families were becoming firmly established and were building frame houses, it became fashionable to give their homes a Name. At that time the name the MacKenzies chose for their home "Woodside Cottage". Even in the early days the families enjoyed recreation. In other words, "they made their own fun". To the East of the MacKenzie buildings, beside the road that went along to the "Second Division", was a sheltered level spot of ground. This was to become known as the "picnic ground". A path leading East from this area is still referred to as "The Picnic Path".
On this ground a large dance floor was erected and people came from miles to join in the merriment. Much of the music for dancing was supplied by the MacKenzie family.
A bounteous meal would be provided all baked by the women attending. The fare would be very plain by today's standards, i.e., Home made bread, bannock (biscuits), scones, and oatcakes and possibly gingerbreads, and buckwheat cakes. These picnics were held until sometime in the 1880's. By that time the families were beginning to scatter and were unable to continue preparing for the yearly event.
Who knows! Perhaps if you believe in the supernatural or witchcraft, you may even yet hear the shrill of the pipes or the violins, for the short distance from the "Picnic Ground" was supposed to be haunted.
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The years 1815 and 1816 were very difficult for the Pioneers.
In 1815 a plague of mice hit the province. No one knew where they came from and the like has never been heard of since.
Thousands of mice swept across the land. As fast as the farmers planted any seed the mice devoured it. Finally they gave up in despair and let the mice eat everything. There was little else they could do, as they were helpless to combat such an influx of rodents. Very little, if any, food was harvested that year.
The mice kept on consuming everything as they went. Finally they came to the Atlantic Ocean and they all rushed in headlong into the water and drowned. No one was ever able to explain this phenomenon.
The year 1816 was known as the year of no summer. People were still wearing their winter clothing in June. The ground was frozen so hard they weren't able to plow or harrow. Brooks were frozen over with ice. Very little, if anything, was planted, but someway people managed to survive.
There was another year in the 1800's where it rained sometime during the day or night every day. Crops did grow but finally in desperation they had to harvest them and store them "wet". Strange to say, nothing spoiled.
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The MacKenzies were of the Presbyterian Faith and from the beginning all families were expected to pay to the Church although at that time their income was limited. They walked long distances to church and the services were of two hour duration, one hour in English and one in Gaelic. after churches were built the MacKenzies attended service in St. Paul's Church, East River. A story is told about a minister by the name of Roy who preached a sermon on the "Day of Judgment", and dwelt on the outcome of that day. On passing out of church, one member or adherent (an elderly man) said, "Reverend, if I heard you right, you said everyone would be judged on that day. "yes said the minister that is so." "Well", the man continued, "Will the Big Weaver from the Glen be there?" "Yes". "And Beetle Head MacLean and Billy McCool from Middle River? And Tusker MacKenzie?" "Yes, all will be there." "Well, Minister, if that be so, take it from me, there won't be much judging done the first day!"
When the country was first settled, elections were first held in Pictou Town. Only the men were entitled to vote with the results they either walked or rode horseback to Pictou, a distance of almost thirty miles. The elections went on for two or three days with open voting, i.e., open voting meant you could stand around and watch how each man marked his ballot. With plenty liquor many fights occurred. One election William MacKenzie prevailed on one of his friends to go to Pictou with him to support the party William was supporting. As a further inducement, William gave his horse to the friend so he could ride to Pictou while William walked. When they got to Pictou the voting was upstairs in a building. William, being a bit tired after his long walk, allowed his friend to mark his ballot first. With the open voting William realized the friend had voted for the contemporary party. William marked his ballot, but the whole thing was too much for him. He grabbed his friend, shook him like a dog would shake a small animal, and threw him downstairs. Then William went downstairs, took his horse and rode home to Centredale, N.S., while the friend had to walk home.
History of Pictou
1660-1900
Compiled by local historian Ron Wallis, who now resides in Ottawa.
The original people living in the area now known as Pictou were the Mi’kmaq’s and had been living in the area for hundreds and possibly thousands of years. The early name that the natives had for the area was Pictook, meaning exploding gas, probably related to the coal fields in the area. They are responsible for assisting the earlier settlers in hunting, fishing and the ways of the land. If it weren’t for them many of our forefathers would never have survived through those long cold winters. In the mid 1950’s a native burial ground was accidentally uncovered during an excavation near Lowden’s Beach revealing their custom burial rites. The name "Souriguoi" which was the Acadian name for the Mi’kmaq’s was given to the north shore area of Nova Scotia.
1660: The name "La reviere de Pictou" was given to this harbour by Nicolas Denys who explored it in the 1660’s. In 1653, the French government gave Denys sole exploratory rights to that particular territory on the Gulf of St. Lawrence from Canso to the Gaspee, including Cape Breton Island and the other gulf islands with rights to explore and to govern as he saw fit. Denys was a trader and colonial promoter and he spent 40 years trying to develop the colony. Many of his ventures were unsuccessful commercial failures including his fishing establishments in Port Rossignol (Liverpool) in the1630’s and on Cape Breton in the 1650’s.
1765: The Philadelphia Company, of Pennsylvania was formed and consisted of 14 men of British and Protestant background. They received a grant of 200,000 acres of land on October 31, 1765 from the British government on the condition that the lands be settled by similar background people within four years. This land was known as the "Philadelphia Grant". The land was located to the west of a line through Brown’s Point (adjacent to the McNutt Grant) and extended into what is now Colchester County. The only water frontage was that shoreline from Brown’s Point westerly to the mouth of the West River. Because of the limited access to water frontage the principals in the Philadelphia Company had difficulty enticing settlers to the area to fulfill their conditions of the grant. The grant was eschewed a number of years later due to the Company’s inability to settle the lands.
1767: The Betsy, charted by the Philadelphia Company arrived on June 10th. of that year to establish the first settlement in what is now Pictou County. The settlers began settling along the West River in the area now known as Lyons Brook. Among it’s passengers were notables Dr. John Harris ( a physician, graduate of Princeton University), who became the first Magistrate in the area, John Patterson ( a surveyor) became better known as Squire Patterson and succeeded Harris as Magistrate. Both families settled west of the Gut or Halliburton. James McCabe settled in Durham while John Rogers settled in Rogers Hill (Scotsburn). There is no record of where the other two families (Henry Cumminger and another ) settled.
1769: The first saw mill in Pictou County was established on the Saw Mill Brook near Lyons Brook.
1770: The McNutt Grant or Irish Grant which mainly encompassed the area known and as Pictou Township including the town of Pictou, Trenton, New Glasgow and Stellarton was eschewed in this year. McNutt had beaten the Philadelphia Company by establishing title to the choice coast land but failed to fulfill the terms of settlement of these lands.
1770: In January of this year there were 120 people living in Pictou Township.
1773: In July, the ship Hector, an old Dutch barque owned by John Pagan, a merchant of Greenock on the River Clyde below Glasgow sailed from Lock Broom, Scotland with 179 passengers and later picked up an additional 10 from Greenock. The ship arrived in Pictou on September 15th. of that year. The passengers came ashore and found the town on land that had been granted to Alexander McNutt.
1775: Five thousand acres of the eschewed MuNutt grant including the township of Pictou was granted to Lieutenant Richard Williams of the 80th. Regiment. He allegedly traded it for a horse with Walter Patterson who laid out the town and called it "Colerain".
1775: In November of this year there were 53 families in the township of Pictou.
1783: Part of the escheated McNutt Grant was re-granted to 44 settlers, mostly Hector passengers. Seventy of Pictou’s finest men were able to bear arms.
1787: In September, John Patterson acquired a portion of the McNutt grant and divided the land into building lots and renamed the town "New Paisley".
1787: The first church in the county was built at Lock Broom by the Presbyterians..
1788: The town was surveyed and again renamed as "Pictou".
1788: Timber merchants Edward Mortimer and the brothers Alexander and Thomas Copeland arrived in Pictou. The Copeland’s built the first wharf.
1788: The first vessel built in Pictou was constructed by Thomas Copeland.
1789: Robert and Thomas Pagan came to Pictou as merchants.
1790: The first permanent style house was built in Pictou
1790: Hugh Denoon, a settlement promoter arrived in Pictou prior to enlisting settlers from Scotland.
1792: A jail was erected.
1793: Peter Grant open the first school in Pictou
1793: Deacon John Patterson built his first wharf.
1798: William Lowden launched the "Harriet", the largest and finest ship built in the province to that time.
1799: The first election held in the county was won by Edward Mortimer, the Pictou representative of the Reform (later called the Liberal) Party. He and two other Pictou County members were in disagreement with the previous ruling body established by members from Halifax and Truro.
1800: An immigrant ship from Scotland is believed to have brought a noxious weed known as "stink’n willie" into Pictou Harbour. When the weed is eaten by cattle it may cause illness and sometimes death.
1801: Hugh Denoon’s first boat load of settlers arrived on the "Pigeon". Most of these settlers were Catholic and settled in Antigonish and Cape Breton.
1803: Rev. Thomas McCulloch arrives in Pictou as missionary-minister of the First Presbyterian Church and eventual founder-principal of Pictou Academy.
1804: The frame for the First Presbyterian Church in Pictou was erected.
1806: Ferry service between Pictou and Pictou Landing was introduced by John Foster Jr.
1808: Rev. Thomas McCulloch opened a grammar school in his own home which eventually became the Grammar School for the Pictou District after the government passed the Grammar School Act in 1811.
1811: James Dawson arrived in Pictou from Scotland and became a prominent shipping businessman. James’ son, John William Dawson was appointed Nova Scotia’s first superintendent of education in the1840’s. Sir William was offered the first Principal-ship of McGill University in 1855 and retired from that position in 1893. Sir William’s son, George Dawson spent his younger years in Pictou prior to moving to Montreal. George was a pioneer geologist of western Canada with the Geological Survey of Canada where locations like Dawson and Dawson Creek were named after him.
1812: A Post Office was established with Postmaster U.R. Masters.
1812: A battery for defense was built on Battery Point for protection from Fenian raiders.
1813: The first Court House was built.
1816: An Act granting a charter to the Academy at Pictou was passed in the Assembly in 1816.
1816: In this year mail service from Halifax to Truro was extended to Pictou.
1817: The Pictou Academy opened in a private home with 23 students enrolled.
1818: A grammar school was built in June in which Patrick Connelly taught for the first six months.
1818: The original Pictou Academy building on the western end of Church Street was completed.
1819: Norway House was built by Edward Mortimer.
1820: A Divinity Hall within Pictou Academy was opened this summer.
1822: A public subscription library was established this year and lasted for thirty years.
1822: Public floggings were suspended
1823: A wooden church was erected for the St. Andrews Kirk Church.
1823: Father James Grant encouraged the small group of Catholics living in the Pictou area to build a chapel. Construction began this year but the following year the chapel was destroyed by fire.
1824: The first flax mill in Nova Scotia was constructed.
1825: The building of St. James Anglican Church began.
1825: A regular packet run between Pictou and Charlottetown began.
1825: D. Fullerton and Son began a planning mill and made sashes and doors for over a century.
1827: The construction of St. James Anglican Church was completed.
1827: "The Colonial Patriot" began publication on December 7th. with William Milne as editor.
1827: The Catholic Church was completed. And the first resident Priest was an Irishman named Father Boland. The Pictou Parish was first named St. Patrick’s and for a short time was known as St. George’s.
1829: St. James Anglican Church was consecrated on August 16th.
1830: In February of this year there were 1500 residents in Pictou.
1830: Steam boat "Richard Smith" was put on the run between Pictou and Prince Edward Island.
1830: Joseph Howe visits the town on a journey that brought him through parts of eastern Nova Scotia. He would report about his visits in his Halifax newspaper the "Nova Scotian". His report of his arrival at Pictou stated "The Lord only knows whether we may live to come out, but here we go merrily in - we may be burned by the Antiburghers, or eaten without salt by the Highlanders".
1830: This was the year of "The Big Election" or "Brandy Election" with the main agenda being the collection of customs duties on brandy interwoven politically with the Academy debate. The Tory supporters were the Highlanders who came into Pictou armed with sticks ready to do battle with the opposition. A group of sailors arrived and more voters arrived. When arguments erupted there were fighting in the streets and taverns. The violence lasted for several days in which one man was killed. In the end the liberals won the election.
1831: "The Pictou Observer" started publication on May 11, editor Rev. J.K. McKenzie published by W. Gossip.
1832: "The Juvenile Entertainer" started publication - August 6 - editor William Milne.
1833: The famous American naturalist John James Audubon arrived in Pictou on his way to the U.S. from Labrador. He visited with Rev. Thomas McCulloch where he viewed McCullock’s collection of bird and rock specimens. McCulloch gave some specimens to Audubon which Audubon didn’t have.
1833: A stage coach service began between Pictou and Antigonish.
1833: The "Royal William", the first steam ship to cross the Atlantic under its own steam bunkered-up in Pictou before leaving on its historic crossing on August 17th.
1834: A lighthouse was built at the entrance to Pictou Harbour on Cole Point.
1835: The "Pictou Bee" had its first publication on May 27th. by J. Stiles.
1838: "The Mechanic and Farmer" first published on May 23rd. by J. Stiles
1838: "The Presbyterian Banner" was first published on May 28, by J. Stiles and Fraser.
1838: A census this year reported that there were 1744 people living in the Town of Pictou.
1840: George Hamilton began a bakery here in this year and remained until 1955 when it was purchased Weston’s Ltd.
1841: The brig "Lady Gray" brought typhus to the town among her passengers. There wasn’t any hospital to receive the sick. In the same year cholera and smallpox were also brought in by immigrant ships.
1842: An infant school was established.
1843: "The Eastern Chronicle", a merge of "The Mechanic and Farmer" and "The Presbyterian Banner" took place under the ownership of Gelgart and Patterson. It was later moved to New Glasgow.
1843: "The Christian Record" began with Rev. Hugh Dunbar as editor.
1843: "The Little Visitor" began publication.
1844: Pictou Academy was closed in August for two years because of discontent and disagreements between two factions. The government had curtailed the grants for the Academy after Dr. McCulloch had moved to Halifax as Principal of Dalhousie University, thus his influence as an Academy supporter was sorely missed.
1848: The John Know Free Church opened its doors in May of this year.
1848: Pictou chemist J.D.B Fraser produced the first chloroform which was used in Canada for the first time in a Halifax operation.
1848: The First Presbyterian Church was built.
1848: John Logan began a tannery in Lyons Brook, which remained in operation for 75 years. It was destroyed by fire in 1875 and was immediately rebuilt and enlarged.
1849: The "Lazerette"(infectious diseases hospital) was built this year. It was a sandstone building located in the area of Braeshore overlooking the entrance of Pictou Harbour. It was built three miles from town because of the contagious diseases that were treated here. Most of the patients came from immigrant ships.
1850: A monthly newspaper "The Missionary Registry" was begun by E.M. McDonald.
1850: Telegraph service was made available to Pictouians this year with the completion of the line from Truro.
1856: "The Christian Instructor", by Rev. George Patterson, amalgamated with "The Missionary Registry"
1856: A new Court House was built
1856: "The Times Magazine" began publication.
1856: Pictou Iron Foundry began operations.
1857: January 4th. the Evangelical Union Church of Scotland opened its doors.
1858: "The Colonial Standard" first published on November 2nd. by S.H. Holmes.
1860: "The Colonial Prenological Journal" was begun in May by A.B. Parker
1860: A coal-oil manufactory was built.
1860: A tannery was built at the west end of Pictou and later the area became known as "Barktown". Bark from trees in the area being one of the main ingredients in the tanning process.
1862: A drill hall was erected for the Pictou volunteers.
1864: The building of Stella Maris Church and rectory was begun on June 15 of this year and was consecrated in the following year.
1867: First Masonic Hall built on Front Street.
1868: The Methodists acquired the Evangelical Church building this year and used it until 1925 when it was sold to the United Church of Canada and used by them until 1937.
1869: A new St. Andrew’s Kirk church was opened on January 10th.
1870: The Pictou Gas Works went into operation.
1871: The Pictou Boot and Shoe Company was incorporated.
1871: Canada’s first census was taken this year.
1872: The South Pictou school was built.
1873: The Town of Pictou was incorporated.
1873: On August 24th. a gale hit the town and did a great deal of damage. Dozens of vessels were driven ashore and the bridge at the Gut was destroyed.
1876: A new Customs house was completed in April at its present location.
1876: The Stella Maris convent was built
1879: The new St. James Anglican church building was begun.
1879: A new Y.M.C.A. building was under construction in this year. The ground floor was used as the Post Office until 1895.
1880: The building of the second Pictou Academy commenced on May 24th.
1880: Norway House was purchased by Donald Smith (Lord Strathcona)
1880: Eggs sold for a dime a dozen, butter for seventeen cents a pound, molasses at fifty cents a gallon, roast beef for eight cents a pound and a soup bone sold for five cents.
1880: The Marine Hospital was built for the care of sick mariners and ship’s passenger. It was located on the site of the later Sutherland Memorial Hospital.
1881: Fire destroyed the St. Lawrence Hotel, the Masonic Hall and other buildings valued with a $34,000 loss.
1881: The new St. James Anglican Church was opened on June 15.
1881: The second Pictou Academy was opened on January 9th.
1882: "The Pictou News" first published in September. Published by W. Harris and edited by C.D. McDonald.
1883: The High Street School burnt down in January and was replaced by a new building in November.
1885: A small pox epidemic hits Pictou.
1886: The second Masonic Hall was built on Front Street
1887: The Pictou Railway between Pictou, Westville and Stellarton began construction in 1886 and was officially opened on November 28th.
1887: A telephone system was established in Pictou.
1888: The new St. James Anglican Church was consecrated on May 31st.
1888: The ship "Stanley" began making regular runs between Pictou and P.E.I.
1890: In November fire destroyed the jail and twenty businesses.
1890: The "Short Line" which ran between Pictou and Oxford Junction began construction in 1888 and was opened in this year.
1893: "The Pictou Advocate" first published on December 22 with J.D. McDonald as editor.
1893: The first General Hospital in Pictou consisted of four rented rooms in the home of Mrs. George Logan on High Street.
1893: St. Andrew’s Kirk burned down on November 7th.
1895: The second Pictou Academy was burned down in October.
1895: The new Post Office building at the corner of George and Water Street was completed.
1896: The third Pictou Academy was built this year and completed on December 26.
1896: St. Andrew’s Kirk Church rebuilt this year.
1898: Production hit an all time high, when 50,000 pounds of Pictou Twist was made this year. Raw tobacco leaf was imported from Virginia and Kentucky. John Harris was the original importer and acquired a partner by the name Patterson. The Primrose brothers later operated the plant and gave the roughly plaited tobacco its name. The business lasted for 60 years.
1899: A smelter was built on the shoreline near to where to where the Straight-MacKay boatyard existed. The plant processed copper and other ores from Newfoundland and the Maritime Provinces.
A SHORT HISTORY OF THE MACKENZIE NAME
Background: The surname itself is rendered in Gaelic as 'Maccoinneach', meaning 'son of the fair bright one'. It has been suggested that the name alludes to the pagan god Cerunos, who is often depicted as having a stag's head or antlers; this may be one explanation for the gold stag's head on the chief's shield. The Mackenzies were one of the clans who held lands in Ross between Aird on the east coast and Kintail on the west. They are believed to share a common ancestery with Clan Matheson and Clan Anrais, all three descending from the Celtic dynast Gilleoin of the Aird, who lived at the beginning of teh twelfth century. By 1267 the family seem to have been settled at Eilean Donan, the great Mackenzie stronghold at the mouth of Loch Duich.
Motto: Luceo non uro, I shine not burn.
Arms: Azure, a deer's head cabossed Or.
Crest: A mount in flames Proper.
Plant: Stagshorn clubmoss.
The name Mackenzie, or MacCoinnich, as it appears in Gaelic, is generally taken to mean "son of Kenneth", and the original Kenneth, who lived in the thirteenth century, is said to have descended from a younger son of Gilleoin of the Aird. The MacKenzies were, without doubt, of Celtic stock and were not among the clans that originated from Norman ancestors. We know little about the generations immediately following Gilleoin, but in 1267 Kenneth was living at Eilean Donan, a stronghold at the mouth of Loch Duich. He must have been an important vassal, for the Earl of Ross appears to have married Kenneth's aunt and thus strengthened the relationship which already existed between the two families. At the start of the fifteenth century the Earldom of Ross came, through marriage, into the hands of the powerful family of MacDonald, who owned vast property on the west of Scotland and called themselves, at first without the King's authority, Lords of the Isles. In this way the Mackenzies became vassals, not of their kinsmen the Earls of Ross but of the MacDonalds. The Lords of the Isles were so powerful and claimed the allegiance of so many clans that they very soon came into conflict with the King. The earliest of their rebellions took place in 1428 after James I had imprisoned the Lord of the Isles and several chiefs who were attending a Parliament at Inverness.
Alexander Mackenzie of Kintail was one of the chiefs who attended the Parliament of 1427; but, as he was very young at the time, James I sent him not to prison but to school at Perth, which was then one of the centers of the Court. Alexander seems to have taken advantage of his education, for he was later called "the Upright" and his rule of the clan laid the foundations of its future power. Alexander refused to support his superior, the Lord of the Isles, in his later rebellions and the Mackenzies were prominent in defending the King. As a result the Chief obtained royal charters for his land, the earliest being in 1463. Thirteen years later as the result of another rebellion, the Earldom of Ross was declared forfeit to the Crown, and in the same year Alexander Mackenzie was given charters of land to be held directly from the King. A last revolt by younger members of the MacDonald family, under Alexander of Lochalsh, was finally crushed, the leader captured by the Mackenzies, and the Lordship of the Isles itself was forfeit in 1493. This enabled the Mackenzies to obtain new land without antagonizing powerful neighbors and, what was perhaps more important, to acquire clear legal titles from their own superior, the Crown.
Alexander's son, Kenneth, married a daughter of Lord Lovat, his son, John married a daughter of Grant of Grant, while his son, another Kenneth, married Lady Elizabeth Stewart, daughter of the Earl of Atholl and niece of the Earl of Argyll. The power resulting from these alliances was seen after the Government of the infant Mary Queen of Scots had appointed the Earl of Huntly to be "Lieutenant of the North," while Argyll held a similar position in the west. In 1544 Huntly commanded Mackenzie of Kintail to raise his clan against Clanranald of Moidart and, when he refused, ordered an attach on Mackenzie. But the clans supporting Huntly - Grants, Rosses, and Macintoshes - were not inclined to fall out with Mackenzie and would not attack him. From that time onwards Kintail seems to have been recognized as a separate power in the northwest, independent of the Queen's Lieutenant. In 1602, John Mackenzie of Kintail was appointed a Privy Councillor and in 1609 he was created Lord Mackenzie of Kintail. His independent power and influence in the north had been fully recognized
The clan country of the Mackenzies includes almost every kind of scenery and conditions to be found in Scotland. The original home of the clan is Kintail, which in Gaelic means "head of the sea." High hills fall steeply down to Loch Duich, giving little space for cultivation. At the mouth of Loch Duich stands Eilean Donan castle, no longer a stronghold of the Mackenzies, but the first home of their chief. Built on a rocky island at the narrow entrance of the loch, where the arrival of enemy boats could be seen and contested, it looks over the water towards Skye and the west
From Kintail the Mackenzies gradually pressed outwards. Eventually they reached the east coast and here they found a fertile country where the soil is excellent and the climate most favorable for agriculture. In contrast to the west, the slope from moorland to sea is very gradual, the hills are softly rounded and stand back from the water allowing the cultivation of a wide plain. The coastline runs back into several firths but the rivers flow gently through fields rather than hurl themselves over rocks as they do on the west. Although the Mackenzie country has a shorter coastline on the east, it is far richer. In later years the chiefs moved eastwards from Eilean Donan. In the fifteenth century they lived at Kinellan, near Strathpeffer, before making their home at Brahan, near Dingwall, where, in the early seventeenth century, they built themselves a castle that was as much a contrast to Eilean Donan as the surrounding country was to Loch Duich. Brahan was regarded as one of the most stately houses in Scotland when it was built among the meadows above the river Conon
In Scottish clans, the younger sons and grandsons of the Chief often founded what were known as cadet or landed families of their own. In the Clan Mackenzie there was an unusual number of these, 25 founded before 1600. After 1600 only five main cadets appeared - Roderick of Coigach, Alexander of Kilcoy, and Alexander of Coul being brothers of Lord Mackenzie, Simon of Lochslin, his son, and John of Gruinard, his great-grandson. These five founded another sixteen landed families within the clan. The descendants of Roderick of Coigach rose to become Earls of Cromartie
In 1609, as previously described, the Chief was created Lord Mackenzie. Fourteen years later, in further recognition of his power in the north, he became Earl of Seaforth, taking his title from a sea-loch in Lewis. This Earl had succeeded his father at the age of eleven and his affairs were very ably managed by his uncle, Roderick of Coigach, known as the Tutor of Kintail. Coigach was an excellent landlord but severe, as is recorded in the saying, "There are but two things worse than the Tutor of Kintail - frost in spring and mist in the dog days." Under his administration the Mackenzie estates increased in value while the influence of the first Earl was extended by his marriage to Lady Margaret Seton, daughter of the Lord High Chancellor of Scotland. Before the death of the first Earl of Seaforth in 1633, the fortunes of the Mackenzies, chief and clan, were at their highest peak
Coigach was also able to lay the foundation of the success of his own family. He himself was knighted, his son, Sir John Mackenzie of Tarbat, became a Baronet, while his grandson was created Viscount Tarbat and later Earl of Cromartie. In commemoration of the fact that Coigach, the first property of the family, had been inherited through marriage with the MacLeods of Lewis, Cromartie's son took the title of Lord MacLeod
The history of the Mackenzies in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries naturally centers on the fate of the Stewart kings. The struggle opened in the 1630's, when the power and influence of the clan were at their highest. The cause of the trouble in Scotland at first appeared to be purely religious and there were many, including Seaforth, who were unwilling at first to seem disloyal to the Church and the Covenant they had signed for its defense. The Mackenzies therefore wavered during Montrose's campaigns of 1644 and 1645 and it was not until just before the tragedy of the death of Charles I that Seaforth, fully realizing that he must choose between the Covenant and the King, took up the Stewart cause which was ultimately to ruin his family. In 1649, having placed his family in safety in Lewis, Seaforth joined Charles II in exile in Holland.
Seaforth's eldest son ran away from college at Aberdeen to gather recruits from the clan. Several of the cadets followed him to join the King and were present with their men at the battle of Worcester in 1651 when Cromwell defeated Charles. In 1652 this son, now Earl of Seaforth, was among the chiefs who were plotting a rising against Cromwell's government of Scotland. It was Seaforth who opened hostilities in Lewis in May 1653. General Monck eventually defeated the Royalists at Loch Garry. The leaders managed to hold out for several months longer, but in the end they capitulated. The treaty between Cromwell and Seaforth was signed in January 1655 and Seaforth, together with Coul, Applecross and Lochslin, was allowed to go free after providing certain financial security. These seem easy terms but, apart from the loss in man-power sustained by the clan, the lands of Kintail, Lochbroom, Strathgarve, Strathconan, and Strathbran had already been burnt "as a lesson."
The return of Charles II in 1660 brought peace to the Highlands and prosperity to Clan Mackenzie; but twenty-eight years later, when James II fled the country, Seaforth, now the son of the college boy of 1649, went with him. By the time Seaforth had arrived back in Scotland to gather his clan in support of the rising of 1689, Viscount Dundee the Jacobite leader had died at the battle of Killiecrankie and the struggle was over for the time. But King William allowed no chances for further plotting; Seaforth was imprisoned for seven years, and garrisons were placed at Brahan and at Castle Leod, the home of Lord Tarbat. As soon as he was liberated Seaforth returned to the Stuart Court in France, where he died in 1701
His son William, the 5th Earl, was perhaps the most devoted Jacobite of all his family. Returning to Scotland about 1713, he was soon involved in the plots. In 1715 Seaforth went north to raise his clan, but found his return blocked. It was not until Seaforth had collected about 3000 men, including other clans as well as his own, that he could fight his way south, leaving some of his clan under Coul and Gruinard to hold Inverness. The Mackenzies joined the Jacobite army in time to take part in the battle of Sheriffmuir, where many of them were killed. A few days earlier Coul had been forced to yield Inverness, the garrison was compelled to swear not to bear arms against the Hanoverians and, as a precaution, Brahan was once again occupied, together with Eilean Donan. Seaforth returned north after the defeat at Sheriffmuir and tried to raise another army, but the government forces were too strong and the rising was already fading out elsewhere
Seaforth himself escaped to France, but his estates, with those of all the landowners who had taken part in the rising, were forfeit. In 1718 a large-scale invasion of England by the Duke of Ormonde was being planned there and it was decided that the Highlanders should create a diversion in the north to draw off some of the Hanoverian troops. Jacobite headquarters were established at Eilean Donan castle in March 1719. But Ormonde's fleet had already been scattered by a gale and the English blew up the castle and set fire to all the supplies. At the beginning of June Seaforth returned from a recruiting drive with at least 500 of his clan only a few days before the Hanoverian army attacked the Jacobites in Glen Shiel. Seaforth and Coul each commanded over 200 Mackenzies, the former on the extreme left and high up the hillside. Seaforth was attacked first and Coul with his men came to help him, but the Jacobite army had already been defeated and the Mackenzies were pursued. Seaforth had been severely wounded at the battle, but he managed to escape once more to France. A week after the battle of Glen Shiel the English commander wrote that he was "taking a tour through all the difficult parts of Seaforth's country to terrify the Rebels by burning the houses of the Guilty."
The inevitable result of all this fighting was not only to reduce the man-power of the clan but also to impoverish those remaining. In 1725 General Wade reported that the Seaforth tenants, who had been among the richest of any in the Highlands, were now poor, through neglecting their business and applying themselves to the use of arms. He might as justly have said that they were poor through having their houses and crops burnt by government troops as a lesson. Seaforth died in 1740 and was succeeded by his son Kenneth, known as Lord Fortrose
The extreme poverty of the clan and the chief goes far to explain why Lord Fortrose did not lead the clan to the help of Prince Charles Edward in 1745. He decided that he could not again hazard the fortunes of his clan and family and Duncan Forbes of Culloden even managed to persuade him to recruit a few officers for an Independent Company under the Hanoverian government. Meanwhile the Earl of Cromartie and his son, Lord MacLeod, decided to call out the clan and succeeded in raising about 500 men. Cromartie's Regiment, as the force was called, joined the Prince at Stirling in January 1746 and fought at the battle of Falkirk. On 15th April, the day before the battle of Culloden, they were defeated at Dunrobin and the Earl of Cromartie, Lord MacLeod, and many others were taken prisoner
During the later part of the eighteenth century it seemed as though the family of Mackenzie of Seaforth might again rise to lead the North, but the losses they had suffered eventually proved too heavy. Lord Fortrose died in 1761 and was succeeded by his son, who was once more created Earl of Seaforth. It was this Earl who raised and commanded a regiment of Seaforth Highlanders when the Government decided to seek recruits among the clans for service in the war of American Independence. The 78th Regiment, as it was first called, was raised in 1778 from men on the Seaforth and other Mackenzie estates. The Earl of Seaforth, having raised his men, sailed with them to India in 1781, but unfortunately died there a few month later. He had no son and was succeeded by the descendants of his father's great-uncle, a younger son of the 3rd Earl. This line was represented by Thomas Humberstone Mackenzie, who died within two years of succeeding to the estates, to be followed by his brother Francis
In Francis Humberstone Mackenzie the clan had one of its ablest chiefs, but even he failed to resuscitate the clan. The vast Seaforth estates provided very little money-rent, the Highlanders were without means to increase this, and the chief lacked the capital needed to undertake the extensive schemes of improvement and development which alone would benefit his people. Many Mackenzies found their way overseas at this time. On his death the estates passed to his elder daughter, whose husband, Admiral Sir Samuel Hood, had recently died while serving in Indian waters. Lady Hood afterwards married James Stewart of Glasserton, grandson of the 6th Earl of Galloway and their son assumed the name of Stewart-Mackenzie, but there were no male heirs in several generations. Colonel James Francis Stewart-Mackenzie was created Baron Seaforth of Brahan in 1921, but this title became extinct on his death 2 years later. His niece, Lady Middleton, had two sons; the elder took the name of Stewart-Mackenzie of Seaforth on succeeding to Brahan, but both were killed in action in 1943
The Earldom of Cromartie, which was forfeited after 1745, was revived in 1861 in favor of Anne, only daughter of John Hay Mackenzie of Cromartie, whose ancestors had inherited the estates, including Castle Leod in Strathpeffer, from Lord MacLeod. The first Countess was Mistress of the Robes to Queen Victoria and later married the Duke of Sutherland. The Cromartie honors, descending through their second son Lord Tarbat, were confirmed to his daughter Sibell in 1895. After holding them for more than sixty years, she was succeeded in 1962 by her son Roderick Grant Francis Mackenzie as 4th Earl of Cromartie. In 1979 Sir Roderick was confirmed as Caberfeidh (chief) of the Mackenzies. Roderick died December 21, 1989, and his son John R. Mackenzie became Earl of Cromartie, and Caberfeidh.
In 1991, under the leadership of Caberfeidh, the Clan Mackenzie announced plans to restore the original portion of Castle Leod, built at the end of the 15th Century. The restored Castle will include a Clan genealogical center and will be open to the public. The Earl and his family will continue to live in an extension to the Castle built in the Victorian and Edwardian periods
Name Variations: Charles, Charleson, Cluness, Clunies, Cromarty, Iverach, Iverson, Ivory, Kenneth, Kennethson, Kynoch, MacAweeney, MacBeolain, MacConnach, MacIver, MacIvor, MacKenna, MacKenney, MacKenzie, MacKerlich, MacKinney, MacMurchie, MacMurchy, MacQueenie, MacVanish, MacVinish, MacVinnie, MacWeeny, MacWhinnie, Murchie, Murchison, Smart .