clan mackenzie society in the americas · the results which have come ... alan mckenzie roddy...

THE CLAN MACKENZIE INTERNATIONALGATHERING

STRATHPEFFER - SCOTLAND

8 - 14 AUGUST 2005

The Gathering 2005 web site http://www.clan-mackenzie.org.uk/clan/gathering.html - will be

updated as and when necessary with increasing fre-quency.

Any queries can be sent to Gathering SecretaryPhilippa Mackenzie:[email protected]

PROGRAMMEMonday 8th Daytime – Come to the CommunityCentre at Strathpeffer to Register, Collect Tickets andGet Acquainted & Chat. Evening - Torchlight Procession Tuesday 9th Official Opening - Society Reports -Talks - Gaelic and Scottish Dance classes - Half DayTours Wednesday 10th (see 12th)Thursday 11th (see 12th)Friday 12th Daytime - During 3 days there will be achoice of half or full day guided coach tours, Gaelic &Country Dance Classes, and various Talks andDemonstrations.

On one of each three Evenings there will be aDinner, a Ball, a Concert in Castle Leod. Alternativelyan evening at a Distillery. Saturday 13th Morning - Gaelic Classes. Afternoon - Strathpeffer Highland Games. TheGathering will have its own large marquee there. Evening - Ceilidh. Sunday 14th Drumhead Service, followed by Sundaylunch and Closing Ceremony and Raspberry Tea. Throughout the week: The Community Centre andSchool facilities will house the HQ, the GatheringCoffee Shop and the Genealogy Room.

Registration will be based there with separate roomsfor demonstrations, lectures, sales areas, etc.

There will be a tree planting ceremony in theGathering Grove at Castle Leod on a day to be decid-ed.

Clan MacKenzie Societyin the Americas

Cabar FeidhThe Canadian Chapter Magazine

June, 2005 ISSN 1207-7232

Cabar Feidh Newsletter: Members who wish to write to the Society with contributions to the Newsletter please send submissions to The Editor,Clan MacKenzie Society, 580 Rebecca St., Oakville, ON L6K 3N9. or e-mail to [email protected] Web Pages: www.clanmackenzie.com & www.electricscotland.com/mackenzie

In This Issue:Clan Gathering, August 2005 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 - 2New Book on the Scottish Pioneers of Upper Canada

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Coming Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3New Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3The Adventures of a Paper Sleuth . . . . . . . . . . .4 - 5Heather MacKenzie marries in B.C. . . . . . . . . .5 - 6Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6An Old Letter Discovered . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 - 7The Mackenzies of Redcastle . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 - 12Canadian Census 1881 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Mackenzie DNA Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 - 13Obituary - Iain Mackenzie-Gray . . . . . . . . . . 13 - 15Report from Holland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 - 17Letter from Grace Gibson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 - 20100th Birthday Celebration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19And a Birth! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

TICKETSAdmission Ticket:

If booked before June 1st 2005:Day Ticket £15 per day / WholeWeek Ticket £75,

or,If booked after June 1st 2005:

Day Ticket £19 per day / WholeWeek Ticket £90.

This Ticket gives admission toall Events as above APART FROMADDITIONAL INDIVIDUALLYPRICED ITEMS BELOW

Child Concessions available. We accept payment by cheque in

sterling, Visa and MasterCard. If you are only able to send non-

sterling cheques, please add £7 tocover the cost of bank charges inUK.

Additional Individually PricedTickets:

Highland Banquet (225 places) -£35.00

Concert in Castle Leod (limitedplaces) - £30.00

Highland Ball (150 DoubleTickets - £90.00 Double Ticket

Sunday Lunch - £12.00 Genealogy Sessions - To be

arranged Boat/Coach Trip Lochness - To

be arranged Any other Additional

Alternative Item - To be arranged If you decide to book, payment

can be accepted byVisa/MasterCard or by cheque insterling (made payable to ClanMackenzie Society of Scotland andUK).

For those on the internet thereare fuller details and a number ofquestions answered at the web sitehttp://www.clan-mackenzie.org.uk/clan/gathering.html

A NEW PUBLICATION FOR ONTARIO GENEALOGISTS

COMING EVENTS

June 11th Abbotsford, BC - Sons of Scotland Games,Abbotsford.Infowww.eteamz.com/sonsofscotlandJune 11th - Georgetown, OntarioJune 12th Hamilton, ON -Hamilton International Tattoo.Infowww.hamiltontattoo.caJune 25th - Hamilton HighlandGames, OntarioJune 25th Coquitlam, BC - BCunited Scottish Highland Games &Festival.Info:www.bchighlandgames.comJuly 1st - Embro, OntarioJuly 2nd - Kincardine, OntarioJuly 2nd Penticton, BC -Penticton Highland Games.Infowww.pentictonhighlandgames.comJuly 2nd Selkirk, MB.Manitoba Highland [email protected] 9th - Chatham-KentSupreme Highland Games,OntarioJuly 9 - Haliburton HighlandGamesJuly 16th - Cambridge, OntarioJuly 16th - Orillia ScottishFestival, OntarioJuly 22nd-24th Fredericton, NB -New Brunswick HighlandGames.Infowww.highlandgames.caJuly 23rd-24th Kingston, ON -Kingston Heritage Tattoo.Infowww.tattoo.kingston.on.caJuly 23rd - Fort York, Toronto(Bands Only)July 23rd-24th Highlands ofDurham Games, Uxbridge. Info:www.highlandsofdurhamgames.comJuly 23rd-25th - Barrie HighlandGames, BarrieJuly 29/30 - Glengarry HighlandGames, Maxville, Ontario

July 31st - Montreal HighlandGames, QuebecAug 13th - Fergus ScottishFestival, OntarioAug 20th - Sarnia HighlandGames, Ontario.Aug 20th - Almonte Games,OntarioSeptember 3rd Calgary, AB -Calgary Highland Games.Infowww.calgaryhighlandgames.orgSeptember 4th Canmore, AB -Canmore Highland Games.Infowww.canmorehighlandgames.caSeptember 11th Toronto (BlackCreek Pioneer Village) AGM andPicnicSeptember 17 - DownsviewFestival, Toronto, Ontario September 16-18 - Owen SoundCeltic Festival

NEW MEMBERS

We welcome the followingmembers who have joined

since the last Newsletter:

Compton MacKenzie,29 Wentworth Cres.,Calgary, AB T3H 5V2

John Edward MacKenzie,135 Margaret Avenue,Wallaceburg, ON N8A 2A2

Dr Ross MacKenzie,2261 Constance Drive,Oakville, ON L6J 5L8

Ruth Smart Pidduck,275-51st Avenue,Lachine, QUE H8T 2W3

Here is a fine photo of a new baby. The father and mother, Mairi and Joe Sousa, are lookingpleased with their new offspring. The baby is Nolan Mackenzie Sousa, born February 24 and

weighing in at 9lbs 15 ozs. The baby’s uncle is the present Mackenzie of Ballone who iscurrently living in Ontario.

ADVENTURES OF A PAPERSLEUTH

The title of this article is the titleof a book by a friend of mine,

Hugh P. MacMillan. His new bookis published by Penumbra Press(www.penumbrapress.com). Hugh,who now lives in Ottawa, was for along time a governor of the ScottishStudies Foundation and a leadingexpert on the fur trade. I had sever-al meetings with him and becauseof his access to several sources ofinformation it was Hugh whoobtained for me my first copy ofAlexander Mackenzie’s “History ofthe Mackenzies” published in 1894and since reprinted by our society.He also obtained for us a fine repro-duction photograph of the portraitof Sir Alexander Mackenzie, whichwe have often displayed at our clantent

Hugh worked for many years as“a roving archivist” with theOntario Archives and over a periodof 25 years hunted down andsecured the deposit of a huge massof documentation. In 1967 his ini-tiative to retrace the voyageurcanoe routes and to re-enact furtrade history resulted in him beinghonoured with a Doctorate ofLetters by Laurentian University,Sudbury.

I decided to buy his new bookbecause I knew he was a great storyteller and I was sure that hisexploits would prove interestingreading. Indeed it has proved to beone of the most interesting andenjoyable books I have read for along time. Many of his tales hunt-ing down ancient archives were lit-erally hilarious and he was equallydevious in finding ways to get theseinvaluable documents and evenfilms into the Ontario Archives.

I have selected a short piece as itrelates to the view that someCanadians had of the Highlandersfrom Scotland.

“One of the more courageousand foolhardy politicians of the lastcentury [actually the 19th century]was the Honourable RichardCartwright, a graduate of TrinityCollege, Dublin, who started politi-cal life in Canada as aConservative, crossed the floorafter the Pacific Scandal, andbecame Canada’s Minister ofFinance in the new Liberal cabinet.

Cartwright’s scandalous behav-iour was reported in a pamphlet,published in 1877, which I acquiredfrom Clarence Ostrom ofAlexandria. Clarence’s specialitieswere repairing watches and collect-

ing gossip and ephemera - transito-ry items not intended to have last-ing value, but which can becomevaluable collectibles. The itemread:

Whiles this gentleman and the others of theMinistry were travelling through the coun-try, he made a very insulting reference toSir John Macdonald and to SenatorMacPherson in a speech he delivered inAylmer, Ont. He averred that those twogentlemen are dishonest, and that theyhave the right to be so because they areHighlanders; and because, from timeimmemorial, the Highlanders have beenplunderers and thieves.

Scots all over the country erupt-ed in rage when word of this calum-ny reached them, and theHighlanders of Glengarry were soincensed that they sent a delegationto Senator David Lewis

Portrait of Dr Hugh P. MacMillan

MacPherson in Ottawa to thankhim for bringing it to their atten-tion, and for rebuking Cartwright tohis face for daring to cast suchunwarranted aspersions on a noblerace.

In the blindness of his partisan rage [stateda Major Fraser, who read out the Glengarrydelegation’s address to the senator], Mr.Cartwright stigmatized us as having inher-ited dishonesty from our forefathers and inpossessing ‘predatory instincts’ . . . . thatthese instincts with us were stronger thanreason and that we are compelled to bethieves, robbers and outcasts.

This monstrous assertion was made beforethousands of people . . . and it is now beingdisseminated throughout the country.

Fraser went on to deplore “awhole race slandered to promotethe ends of unscrupulous partisan-ship,” and added that if it had notbeen for Highlanders it was doubt-ful “whether this Dominion wouldever have belonged to the BritishEmpire, or would have been pre-served to it in 1812 and 1837-38.”

In his reply, SenatorMacPherson thanked them for com-ing “from a great distance . . . tovindicate the memories of our siresand the good names of their chil-dren.” He brought them to their feetwith his words, “A further dutyremains to be performed - the pun-ishment of our traducers! . . . In dis-charging that duty, not with theclaymore, as of old, all of us mustbear a part. It is most fitting thatGlengarry, the Highland heart ofCanada, should be the first to moveand that her manly sons should sendforth the fiery cross to . . . show thatneither man nor government shallinsult them with impunity.”

A much longer peroration wasdelivered in the Gaelic tongue, fol-lowed by a reception for the men

from Glengarry. At the reception,Senator MacPherson pointed out,facetiously, that if Cartwright hadwanted to insult Highlanders hecould have done so without incur-ring their lifelong enmity. “If hehad any imagination, he could havequoted the satirist and called us amotley crew of bare-legged beg-gars, McLeods, MacDonalds andMacgregors.” If he’d wanted to getreally insulting, he could have put itinto broad Scots:

There’s naught in the Highlands but syboes[onions] and leeks, And lang-leggitcallants [fellows] gaun wanting the breeks.

- Traditional, quoted by Sir Walter Scott,Waverley.

At the next election, in 1878,Richard Cartwright was defeated inthe riding of Lennox and Addingtonand had to go looking for a newconstituency with a scarcity ofScots among its voters.

CLAN MACKENZIE MEMBERIN B.C. MARRIES

Heather MacKenzie and FrankNorman wore costumes of

Louis XIV French Court for theirwedding on February 12, 2005 inBurnaby, B.C. They are surround-ed by members of Heather’s family

(future Clan members?) and otherClan members, William, Jennifer,Joan and Diane. (See photo above).

Heather says,“People in picture are, from left

to right back row: my niece DebraHovey; her daughter RebeccaHovey; my brother DonaldMacKenzie (hidden behind Clanmember Diane MacKenzie);nephew Kevin MacKenzie; theGroom, Frank Norman (sept ofClan MacLeod); BC ClanCommissioner, WilliamMacKenzie: my son, MatthewLong; my son, Alexander Long;Sharon MacKenzie (wife of Kevin)

holding Nelson MacKenzie.Front row: Marina MacKenzie

(daughter of Kevin and Sharon);Clan member Diane MacKenzie;the Bride, Heather MacKenzie; mysister-in-law Diane MacKenzie(married to Donald MacKenzie);Jennifer MacKenzie (wife of Will)and Clan Commissioner, JoanMacKenzie.”

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The Seaforth Highlanders ofCanada have invited me to

accompany them to TheNetherlands next month for theofficial celebrations of the 60thAnniversary of the Liberation byCanada of Holland from NaziGermany. I shall be the only civil-ian. The Seaforths have been askedby the Dutch to lead the variousparades, play at concerts and othercelebration events and conductremembrance ceremonies atHolland’s Canadian WarCemeteries in which 7,600Canadian soldiers are buried.

In 1945 the Seaforths liberatedAmsterdam. For the 50thAnniversary in 1995 one millionDutch turned out to welcome theSeaforths parade back intoAmsterdam. We are told even moreDutch will turn out this year.

So I’m off to The NetherlandsApril 21st, returning to CanadaMay 16th, and then back to Europein July with Ruaridh. We’re cer-tainly observing the 60thAnniversary of our victory inWWII!

Best regards, RoddyRoderick M. MacKenzie, a PastPresident of the Clan MacKenzieSociety in the Americas and formerLieutenant to Cabarfeidh. See page15 for a further report from Roddy.

Spotted in the Rum Doodle bar,Thamel, Kathmandu, Nepal:-Photo of Kieron MacKenzie onsummit of Everest, dated 23rd May2001.

E-Mail from:[email protected]

Iwas trailing a Metis resourcewebsite and on one of the mes-

sage boards, the Red River Reunionwas mentioned with members chat-ting up attending in mid August inWinnipeg area at Fort Garry. Manyof our members might have con-nections to the Red River, so Ithought a small mention in the nextnewsletter might be a good idea.

E-mail from Commissioner JoanMacKenzie

AN OLD LETTER DISCOVERED

We are grateful to BenMackenzie, a descendant of

Donald Mackenzie, King of theNorthWest, for sending us details ofa copy of a letter from the Earl ofCromartie found among the familypapers at Three Rivers “in October1820.”

The letter clearly relates toGeorge Mackenzie, the 3rd Earlwho took part in the 1745 Rebellionand was sentenced to death andlater reprieved and banished toEngland where he lived until hisdeath in 1766. The letter is notdated but would have been writtensometime between 1746 and 1766.

Roderic McKenzie of AhilibuyGeorge McKenzie of CoigachGentlemen:-Your letter of the 22nd of August

was delivered to me only the daybefore yesterday by AlexanderMackenzie of Bishopsgate. It givesme great pleasure to prove that my

friends in Coigach have not forgotme, and that ye think of the presentcondition of me and my familywhich could not be represented toyou in a worse situation than whatby experience we find it to be - Anyaid of assistance from my friendswill be a seasonable relief to us andit will be a double pleasure to have

it from my friends of Coigach,because it will be a testimony oftheir friendship and regard for mewhich cannot be more than thatwhich I still retain for them. Whatthey think fit to give may be sent toMedeal [Mackenzie of Meddat,Cromartie’s factor], who will remit itto me, and at the time you maywrite me a letter with the names ofthose who do contribute affixingtheir several names with their placeof abode; that I may know them towhom I am obliged, and I hope tolive to be able to make a recom-pence to such as I shall be so oblig-ed - believe me to be very sincere-ly,

Your humble servant & affec-tionate cousin,

(signed) Cromartie

Despite the use of the title“Cromartie” the attained earl wasnow plain Mr George Mackenzie.

He was imprisoned in the Tower ofLondon until until February 1748.In August of the same year he hadpermission to live at Layhill inDevonshire. In September he wrotefrom Layhill to seek permission tofind better housing as “the house isin a manner ruinous, not even nec-essary furniture in it, hardly a chairto sitt on.” Perhaps this was theplace he was living when he wrotethat letter referring to his “worsesituation.”

George Mackenzie also soughtaid from others in the Highlandsincluding Sir Alexander Mackenzieof Gairloch, who was not sympa-thetic. He replied that he was sorrythat Cromartie was obliged to solic-it the aid of “small gentlemen” suchas himself: “I much rather he haddyed sword in hand even where hewas ingaged then to be necessitateto act such a pairt.” Cromartie wasthus reduced to beggary and it issaid that his eldest daughter was‘not too proud to perform the mostmenial tasks for the comfort of herparents and their younger children’.

In 1751 he complained toMeddat ‘we are most excessivelypinched for want of money’. Evenas late as 1759 he wrote of his ‘mis-erable situation’ and the burden ofhis ‘load of debts’. ‘We feel dailythe miserable situation we are in. Iam afraid we shall be put to theutmost extremity soon, perhaps notto have a house to go into or a bedto lie on, and no hopes of anyamendment in this our distressedsituation for some time.’

It would be some years afterGeorge’s death that the Cromartieestates came back to the familythrough his eldest son JohnMackenzie, Lord Macleod. In themeantime the children moved into

the army or married into mercantileconnections.

Other than the letter from BenMackenzie, the other references tothe life of George Mackenzie andhis family come from “Cromartie:Highland Life 1650-1914” by EricRichards and Monica Clough, pub-lished by Aberdeen Press 1989.

HISTORICAL AND TRADITIONALSKETCHES OF THE

MACKENZIES OF REDCASTLEThe following is taken from an oldbook “Historical and TraditionalSketches of Highland Families andof the Highlands” by JohnMaclean, published in Dingwall in1848.

This branch of the clanM’Kenzie, at one time numer-

ous and powerful, may now be saidto be extinct. In former days whenviolence, rapine, and war, was theall-absorbing business of men, theMackenzies of Redcastle, occupiedthe southern portion of the Countyof Ross, and possessed in the frithof Beauly (which bounded theirestate on the south) a natural barri-er of great importance to protectthem from sudden invasion or sur-prise, commanding a view of anextensive portion of the country ofthe Frasers and the Mackintoshes,were well situated to act as thescouts and warders of their clan, tocommunicate information to theirchief and his adherents, and toharass and delay, if they could noteffectually oppose, a hostile andinvading army. In their capacity assentinels of the clan, they were dis-tinguished by watchfulness andbravery, and rendered importantservices to their friends. In times ofpeace, they were, however, charac-

terised by a spirit of tranquility,humanity, and benevolence, whichwas seldom evinced in the turbulenttimes in which they lived.

The period at which theMackenzies became the proprietorsand took possession of the estate ofRedcastle, is very remote, and notknown to the author. In the year1590, Kenneth Mackenzie, thenlaird of Redcastle, a gentleman ofgreat worth, and endeared to hisfriends, tenants, and dependants, byhis amiable and engaging qualities,resided in the family Castle atChapletown, situated a few hundredyards north of where the presentcastle stands. From his peaceableand impartial conduct to all withwhom he came in contact, heobtained a character for integrity,intelligence, and justice, and thedisputes of his more quarrelsomeneighbours were referred to hisdecision. Not only was he esteemedand respected by those lairds andchiefs in his own county and imme-diate neighbourhood, but hisacquaintance and friendship weresolicited by many at a distance. Hewas particularly intimate, and agreat favourite with the then chiefof the clan Cameron, and on theinvitation of the chief, paid frequentvisits to the residence of Lochiel inLochaber.

In the year 1598, the Earl ofHuntly, created Marquis in the lat-ter part of that year by James VI,went on a hunting excursion in thewilds of Lochaber. The Marquiswas a keen sportsman, and devotedmuch of his time to that noblest ofBritish, or perhaps of any sports,deer stalking, then pursued with anardour and on a scale of greaterextent and danger than in thesedegenerate days, although of late

years something of the spirit andenthusiasm of the olden times seemto be reviving, among those whodevote themselves to this gloriouspursuit. To receive so important apersonage as the Marquis of Huntlywith suitable respect, and to enablehim to follow his favourite amuse-ment on an extended and splendidscale, Lochiel, invited to the castle,not only gentlemen of his own clan,but several lairds and chiefs far andnear, and amongst them KennethMackenzie, Laird of Redcastle. Thesport was carried on for severaldays with all the ardour, skill andsuccess of practised sportsmen, andgreat was the destruction which thenumerous party made, among theantlered monarchs, of the braes ofLochaber and the surroundingcountry.

On the return of the party oneevening, after a fatiguing day’ssport through hill and dale, the wor-thy chief as usual threw open hiscastle gates, and admitted thealmost worn out party. They werereceived with the highest courtesy,and treated with the greatestrespect; and on the pressing solici-tation of Lochiel, Huntly and theother guests consented to pass thenight under the chieftain’s hos-pitable roof, for whom a splendidfeast was ordered to be speedilyprepared, to which a few ofLochiel’s most respected neigh-bours were hastily summoned. Atthe groaning board, on the right ofHuntly, sat their brave and hos-pitable host and son, and on his leftLochiel’s lady and her lovelydaughter. The piper, as customary,played during the repast, some fam-ily airs. All, with one exception,were as joyful and as happy ascould be: the ruby cup passedround, relieved with some ofOssian’s songs bursting powerfully

and melodiously on the ear, and attimes the piobrach’s stirring strains,resounded through the banquetting-hall. But there was one individualpresent for whom the cup held outno enticement, or the rapturoussongs, delight, nor could the wildand marshal notes of the great bag-pipe arouse him from his reverie.This solitary exception wasRedcastle’s son, who, from the firstglance he got of Lochiel’s beautifuldaughter, became desperately inlove with her; and although hisfather, who was surprised at hisunusual silence, would now andthen gently chide him, it had noeffect in awakening him from hiscontemplative mood. Next morningas the guests were leaving the hos-pitable mansion, under the roof ofwhich such an agreeable and happynight had been passed, each and allof them shook Lochiel and the restof the family heartily by hand; andamong the last to perform this markof friendship was the Laird ofRedcastle’s son. He shook Lochieland his lady with the accustomedcordiality and respect, but uponapproaching Miss Cameron, thechief’s daughter, to take his leave ofher, there was a hesitation in hismanner, his hand trembled, hischeek was flushed, and in theexpression of his eye, there was aneloquence which told the throb-bings of his heart, although histongue was mute. The young ladywas also much fluttered, her colourcame and went, and she hung downher eyes upon the ground, untiltheir hands separated, and theyoung Laird was about to depart,when she ventured to raise them,and they encountered his as theywere taking a last lingering lovinglook of the object of his affections.The declaration on either part,

although not a word was spoken,was inexpressibly intelligent - theeyes spoke unutterable things, andthe bond of mutual attachment wassealed. The young Laird departed inmelancholy silence, and quicklyrejoined his party, and a few moredays saw himself and his father insafety at Redcastle.

Since the morning he had leftLochiel’s, the young man was neverknown to be happy, and if he didsmile, it was the smile of one whowas a stranger to cheerfulness - asort of melancholy seemed to havetaken possession of his mind, andsettled there. This state of matterscould not long remain concealedfrom the eye of a fond and anxiousparent, who became greatlyalarmed, when he discovered tracesof a decline in his son’s counte-nance, and pressed him hard toknow the cause. To his father’sentreaties to be informed of thechange in his manner, he at lastyielded, and informed him of hisattachment to Miss Cameron, andthat without her he could not sur-vive much longer, at the same timerequesting his father to intercedefor him with Lochiel. Finding thathis son’s attentions were irretriev-ably fixed on Miss Cameron,Redcastle, like a wise and prudentparent, entered into the feelings ofhis son, and instantly despatched atrusty messenger with a letter toLochiel, acquainting him with thedistressed condition of his son, stat-ing, at the same time, that nothingon earth would give him greaterpleasure than that chieftain wouldcondescend to bestow his daughteron his son, and pointing out the dis-astrous results to himself(Redcastle,) in the event of hisrefusing to do so. Lochiel found hisdaughter in much the same state asRedcastle his son, and the sooner

the youthful pair were united, thebetter. Great was the joy of the sonwhen Redcastle informed him ofthe import of the letter, and even theworthy parent could not refrain,from participating in his belovedson’s happiness, at the approachingalliance with the daughter of thechief of a powerful clan.

Redcastle and his son, accompa-nied with a good many relatives,and a numerous body of followers,lost no time in setting out for thecastle of Lochiel, where, in a fewdays after their arrival, the youngand loving pair were united. In theevening of that eventful day, andfor many after, the halls ofLochiel’s castle overflowed withguests, all hearts joining in wishinghappiness to the youthful couple,for which the latter seemed to enter-tain no fears for a bright future.During the marriage feast, the visi-tors were delighted with music,resounding through the extensivehall; while their followers, forget-ting old animosities, betook them-selves to sports and games upon thegreen, and were amply refreshedwith plenty of home-brewed ale,&c.

After spending some weeks atLochiel Castle, the happy pair,accompanied by their friends andfollowers, returned to Redcastle;Lochiel sending along with hisdaughter, his faithful and trustyvalet, Donald Cameron, an gillemaol dhu, or the bonnetless lad.Valets then, did not, as now, wearfine hats with gold and silver bandsaround them, neither were theydressed in any other livery thantheir plain clan tartan, and were notonly bonnetless but shoeless. Now,although Donald Cameron held thismenial situation under his chief, hewas a member of one of the mostrespectable families in Lochaber,

and nearly allied to the chief him-self. It was not generally the poor-est who held the situation of thechief’s gille maol dhu, and Donaldbeing a stately, fine looking, power-ful and faithful man, possessed nosmall share of Lochiel’s confi-dence. Although Lochiel was over-joyed at his daughter’s marriagewith Redcastle’s son, he had yet hisfears for her safety, owing to an oldfeud that existed between the BlackIsle people and those of Lochaber,especially the Glengarry men, andthe horrible tragedy of Gilchrist notbeing yet effaced from the memoryof the Black Islanders. What stillmore increased his apprehensionswas, that some time previous tothis, they were repeatedly harassedby a lawless band of cattle liftersfrom Lochaber - the Bains, orMacbeans, headed by their savageleader, Bengie Macbean, whoseson, whilst quite a youth, became sodisgusted with the barbarous lifehis father and his adherents led, thathe fled from, and never returned tothem again, but afterwards becameone of the brightest ministers thatScotland could boast of since thedays of the great Mr Welsh. Asalready stated, Lochiel being awareof a deep-rooted prejudice existingin the minds of the Black Isle peo-ple towards the Lochaber men,made him the more anxious ofsending with his daughter the gillemaol dhu, knowing full well thatthis trusty adherent, sword in hand,would die in defence of his youngand beautiful mistress. The party atlength, without the least occurrenceworth mentioning, arrived in safetyat Redcastle, where a sumptuousbanquet was prepared, to which allthe neighbouring gentry and farm-ers were invited, and a cordial wel-

come the young pair received totheir future home from thoseassembled. The surrounding hillswere all in flames, every knoweshowed its bonfire in honour of theoccasion, and as the blaze wasreflected from the Beauly andMoray Firths, Donald Cameron wasconvinced, that for his young mis-tress, no danger need be apprehend-ed from the Black Islanders, fromthis display of their attachment tothe house of Redcastle. Donald wassoon presented with a morecivilised dress, with the additionalappendages of bonnet and shoes.Being a remarkably good-lookingyoung man, he attracted the atten-tion of the housekeeper, who wasalso young and pretty. HonestDonald being aware of the bonniedamsel’s partiality for him, like agood and true knight, could not suf-fer any lady to die for love of him,and they were soon united. Havingnow possessed himself of an agree-able and happy companion, Donaldwas resolved to return to “Lochaberno more,” but fix his residence inthe Black Isle, and by the kindnessof his amiable mistress and herlord, he was enabled to enter intopossession of the farm ofMulchaich in Ferrintosh, but wasnot long tenant of it when he wasdeprived of his wife - who left him,however, a legacy of seven beauti-ful daughters. Donald soon marriedagain, and his second wife bore himseven sturdy sons, who grew up andmarried, so that the Black Isle waswell supplied with the race of thegille maol dhu. He lived himself toa great age, and was interred in thechurch-yard of Ferrintosh, wherealso repose the ashes of many of hisdescendants. The descendants ofthe gille maol dhu were not only tobe found in the Black Isle, butRoss-shire in general, and not a few

of them are to be found in the shiresof Sutherland and Moray, and evenin various parts of the globe, hold-ing prominent stations in society,while a good many respectable andsturdy sons are yet to be found inFerrintosh, their original soil.

But to return from this digres-sion to the Mackenzies ofRedcastle. The family continued toincrease in wealth and power. Theold castle became too old or tooinconvenient, and the present castlewas erected. It is situated on a smalleminence within a few hundredyards of the sea, and commands oneof the most extensive, varied andpicturesque views in the north.Immediately in front is LochBeauly, the whole of which, fromthe village of Beauly at the one end,to the ferry of Kessock at the other,can be seen from the castle win-dows. Beyond Loch Beauly, theAird, Bunchrew, Muirtown, andBelladrum, rise in variegated splen-dour with their handsome seats,fruitful fields and beautiful planta-tions, while to the north the eyegleams along a fertile and cultivat-ed country, until the view is bound-ed by the dark mountains ofStrathorrin and Strathconan. TheCastle itself is an extensive, com-modious, and elegant structure,combining some of the conve-niences of the modern mansionwith the strength, the turrets, spires,loopholes, and battlements of thecastles of the 16th century.

From the period when this castlewas erected, the tide of prosperitywhich had hitherto attended theMackenzies of Redcastle began toebb. The superstition of the peopleof the country ascribed the decay ofthe family to the circumstances of aman having been buried alivebelow the foundation stone. It isunnecessary to say there can be no

grounds for a story which wouldreflect such diabolical disgrace onthe family; but it may have arisenfrom the accidental death of one ofthe workmen engaged in his work.The people of the neighbourhood,perhaps the most superstitious inthe kingdom, required then, andrequire even now, but very slendermaterials to impose upon them-selves, and upon others, a tale ofhorror. Be this, however, as it may,certain it is, that from this periodthe family declined in prosperity,until it gradually became extinct.The Lairds of Redcastle, like theirneighbours, took part in the civilcommotions of the last century; andlike most of those who wereengaged in those commotions, suf-fered for their loyalty or disloyalty,whichever it may be called.

The last Laird of Redcastle ofthe name of Mackenzie, wasCollector of Customs at Invernessand was well know to the narrator.He was a most amiable man, con-descending in his manners, andarduous in the duties of his office,which he discharged satisfactorilyfor a considerable time, but fromthe circumstance of his oldest sonKenneth joining himself with aband of determined smugglers, thegood old gentleman was viewedwith a jealous eye. Kenneth was notlong associated with this lawlessband when he had the boldness tobring them with him to his father’sCastle of Redcastle, and there, forsafety, deposit their contrabandgoods.

The worthy Laird his father, whowas residing at his post inInverness, was not till then aware ofthe illegal and evil career his sonwas pursuing, although at the sametime his hopes were far from being

sanguine regarding him, as from hisyouth upwards he was of an over-rambling disposition. However,there was now no alternative forCollector Mackenzie, but to resignhis situation, a situation he filledwith honour and integrity. He wasmuch felt for and sympathised withby both high and low throughoutthe north, and particularly so by theinhabitants of Inverness. Kenneth,seeing what his folly brought hisvenerable parent to, like the prodi-gal son, immediately abandoned hisiniquitous career. A short time afterthis he commenced the drovingtrade - a more lawful occupation -but not being successful, he soongave it up for the more honourableone of fighting for his king andcountry, having got a commissionin the 78th, or Ross-shireHighlanders. So keen and eagerwas he in enlistment, that he forcedseveral poor fellows out of theirbeds on his father’s estate, toaccompany him to India’s shores.This work of compulsion he evenhad the boldness to carry on inInverness, where he trepanned not afew, among whom there was one ofthe name of Gunn, whose motherwas a reputed witch, and whoseawful imprecations were fearfullylevelled against him and his family,for tearing away her only child.Sometime after, while with his reg-iment in India, he was charged atthe instance of the Governmentwith fraud, for which he was calledhome and confined for the rest ofhis lifetime in the Tower of London.In the midst of grief and sorrow, hisvenerable parent calmly and meek-ly resigned his spirit into the handof his eternal Father, in whose man-sions the cares, toils, and disap-pointments of this world below arenot known. The estate subsequentlybecame much burdened, and as the

second son John, who was also inthe army, and was much belovedand respected by his brother offi-cers, and every one who had thepleasure of his acquaintance, wasnot in circumstances to redeem it, itwas put up for sale. Awealthy scionof the clan offered largely for it, andthe only impediment in the way ofgetting it was his being the son of atinker, (but he was a good and hon-est man although horn spoon-mak-ing, &c., was his calling.) It was,however, purchased by the Grants,then by Sir William Fettes, andafter his death by the present pro-prietor, Col. Baillie of Tarradale,the Lord-Lieutenant of the county.

The last of the family of theMackenzies of Redcastle, MissMary, or Molly, died at a veryadvanced age a few years ago, atLettoch, in a house which she hadoccupied there for many years. Shewas a stately dignified old maidenlady, but somewhat eccentric in herhabits, and if a story current of herin the neighbourhood be true, a lit-tle whimsical in her tastes. If thecooking of any dish did not please

her, she invariably exclaimed “verygood for servants, but don’t like itfor mysel’.” So frequently did shegive utterance to this expression,that for several years before herdeath the neighbours were in thehabit of calling her by the title of“very good for servants, but don’tlike it for mysel’.” MajorMackenzie of Kincraig is the linealdescendant and representative ofthe Mackenzies of Redcastle.

There is perhaps no property inScotland which has been so muchimproved as the estate at Redcastle.Eighty years ago [Ed: about 1768]the estate was a naked barren waste,scarcely yielding any corn, excepton what was called the mains. It isnow one of the best cultivated prop-erties in the kingdom, and so great-ly and so rapidly did the value ofthe property increase in conse-quence of planting the hills and cul-tivating the plains, that although theproperty was purchased by theGrants a few years before thebeginning of the present century,[the 19th century] for somewhere

about £20,000; it was in 1828 or1829 sold to Sir William Fettes forthe sum of £135,000 ! but the pre-sent proprietor purchased it for asmaller sum. One of its most valu-able farms is the ferry of Kessock,which pays a rent of about £1,000per annum, although not 60 yearsago the toll was principally paid inbannocks ! ! It is still more gratify-ing to record that the comfort, intel-ligence, and morals of the inhabi-tants have improved in a ratio cor-responding with the value of thesoil.

Until within a late period super-stition abounded in this and theneighbouring estate of Drynie.There is scarcely a bog, burn, orlonely spot, with which some taleof superstitious horror is not associ-ated; and in addition to the ordinarywitches, warlocks, ghosts, ben-shees, and benaives, the supersti-tious have called to their aid thewater horse and the water bull, -which are said to frequent LochDrynie and Linne a Bhuic Bhain.

A very singular story is told ofthe Patersons of Kessock. It is said

Redcastle as looked early on in the 20th century

Redcastle as it looked after some unspeakable owner took the roof offto save property taxes or death duties. Why didn’t the Mackenzie Clan

light a fiery cross to prevent this foul deed? Today such wantondestruction would never be allowed, but it has to be said that certainBritish governments after the war had little sympathy for “wealthy”

people who owned large heritage properties.

that one of them was fortunate andcourageous enough to secure andtake home a mermaid, which hekept for sometime in his house. Butthe nymph of the ocean, beingeager to regain her native element,supplicated her captor for herrelease, and said that she wouldgrant any three requests he wouldmake, if he would permit her todepart. He agreed to this, and one ofthe three which he asked was, “thatno Paterson would ever be drownedin the ferry of Kessock.” The peo-ple of Kessock, Craigton, andRedcastle, firmly believe in thisstory, and their belief is stronglyconfirmed by the singular fact, thatalthough many persons of the nameof Paterson have for centuries beenengaged on the ferry, such a cir-cumstance as one being drownedwas never known, and what is per-haps yet more singular is, that whilethe ferry was in their possession, noperson was drowned in it.

Besides the above annoyance tothe peaceable parishioners ofRedcastle, they were often trou-bled, especially in their sojourningsunder cover of night with other andstill more wicked demons, particu-larly whilst passing a burn about amile to the east of Redcastle, forscarcely one could pass or repass itwithout being in danger of theirlife. The last individual who wasattacked at this unhallowed spot,was a worthy man of the name ofPaterson, reader and catechist of theparish. Episcopacy was then theentire creed of the district. He beingat the time on a catechising missionin the west, and returning rather lateto his own house at easter Kessock,was attacked whilst passing the saidburn by a huge monster, and were itnot for the repeated interposition ofa faithful mastiff, he would neverreturn to tell his tale. However,

after a severe struggle the poor manproceeded homewards, when thereappeared as it were, a lighted torchor candle, as an emblem of thefiendish spirit being overcome,which light stuck by him until hearrived at his own house, a distanceof four miles. He ordered his wifeto give plenty of food to his faithfulcompanion the dog, but next morn-ing the poor animal was founddead, and the inference was, thatalthough the evil spirit did not getpower over the honest catechist, itassuredly got it over his compan-ion. Nothing daunted, the worthyman repaired next night to the burn,travelling the long whole night upand down from one end to the other,carrying in his hand an open bible,and constantly engaged in prayer.From that time henceforward, thepoor traveller was never known tomeet with any impediment at thisill-fated spot.

“The prayer of the righteous availethmuch.”

However, the march of civilisa-tion, religious and moral, has now,we may say, entirely banished allideas of such supernatural beingsout of our land.

MCKENZIE REUNION

We have received an advicethat there will be the 22nd

McKenzie Reunion on July 23,2005 at the Dromore Park from 2 -7 p.m. Apot luck picnic supper is tobe held and all are invited. We haveno other details.

Contact is Jean Schiever, RR#3,Durham, ON N0G 1R0

CANADIAN CENSUS 1881

We have picked up the follow-ing article from the Mormons

Family Search web pages, (whichare very interesting in their ownright - see http://www.family-search.org/):

1881 Canadian Census on com-pact disc can now be purchased online. This four-disc resource fileincludes a viewer disc that allowsusers to quickly search the databaseof approximately 4.3 million indi-viduals. The discs contain a tran-scription of the original 1881Canadian census, enumerated on 4April 1881. Information from thefollowing fields was extracted:name, age, gender, location at thetime of the census, birthplace, eth-nic origin, occupation, religiousaffiliation, marital status, and nota-tions.

The census records enumerateindividuals, grouped within house-holds and institutions, for theProvinces of British Columbia,Manitoba, New Brunswick, NovaScotia, Ontario, Prince EdwardIsland, and Quebec, and theNorthwest Territories. (TheNorthwest Territories in 1881 con-tained the current provinces ofAlberta and Saskatchewan andparts of historical Manitoba,Quebec, and Ontario, plus theTerritory of Yukon and the westernpart of the Territory of Nunavut.)

MACKENZIE DNA PROJECT

We now have 66 Mackenzieswho have signed up to have

their yDNA chromosomes ana-lyzed. The results which have comein so far can be seen on our webpage by going to www.electricscot-land.com/mackenzie and click on“DNA results”. It will be seen thatthere are groups of Mackenzies(McKenzies) around the world whoare showing some very closematches indicating a common male

ancestor.So far my own DNAhad shown no match at all with

anyone so I contacted a 4th cousin in New Zealand. Weboth claim descent from a McKenzie living in Easterross born around 1780. This cousin agreed to do aDNAtest and the result showed us to be very close andsufficiently so for us to confirm our 4th cousin rela-tionship - one of the useful aspect of DNA testing - ithelps to prove (or disprove) relationships in the maleline.

Many of those who have found a relationshipthrough their DNA have started a process of communi-cation with each other and sometimes I am copied onthese emails, which I find very interesting. We are alsogetting emails from projects for other surnames wherethey are finding a similar groupings with Mackenzies.Here is one received quite recently from the ProjectCoordinator of the surname Taggart:

“My name is Patrick Tagert & I am the project coor-dinator for the newly formed Taggart DNA surnameproject. In reviewing clan histories, I recently discov-ered the remote connections between our ancestors. Asyou may know, the first Earls of Ross, of the O’Beollanline shared common ancestors with the MacKenzies.With that in mind, I did a quick comparison with ourfirst few Tagert results to the MacKenzie project &couldn’t help but notice the similarities in the haplo-types. The Tagert results are all from a single lineage,with at most seven generations of separations betweenparticipants. We all have a strongly documented papertrail, so in effect we are presenting a single modal hap-lotype with a few mutations over 4-7 generations. I didnot include another participant who is an exact matchfor myself with 7 generations of separation.

I think that the variations that are obvious in com-paring Tagert to MacKenzie results are about whatwould be predicted for the span of about 900-1,000years which separate the two ancestral lines, accordingto the old genealogies. I just thought that I might pre-sent it to you for your thoughts, with a view to contin-ued correspondence as our projects grow. I am confi-dent that new haplotypes that will be added in thefuture will continue to support these findings. I amattaching a PDF file for your review. It is simply asnapshot that I created from Ysearch.”

He sent an analysis which showed a group of threeTagerts with close DNA results to a group ofMackenzies.

I did mention in an earlier Newsletter that it is

unfortunate that surnames were very late in coming tothe Highlands. Most of the Mackenzie ancestors ofours adopted the name of Mackenzie very late in thesurname system - much later than the English who hadsurnames in existence for around one thousand years.The Highlanders had Gaelic names which were likeminiature family trees and these were dropped and sur-names adopted in more recent centuries. This makes itharder for Highlanders to connect to common maleancestors. The earliest Mackenzie chiefs bearing thename of Mackenzie go back to the 14th century andmost of the land owning families of Mackenzies weredirectly related to each other. We have two suchdescendants in our project and their identity mustremain confidential, of course. In due course we maydiscover if there are any other Mackenzies who mightrelate to these two chiefs-related families. That wouldbe interesting. So far we do not have these two per-sons’ DNA results in yet.

I shall be taking some DNA kits with me toStrathpeffer and will try to add some more candidatesfor DNA tests. The more Mac/McKenzies we get, theeasier it will be to find common grouping of familiesshowing a definite recent common ancestry.

If there are any male Mac/McKenzies who wouldlike to join the project please contact me at my addressat the bottom of page 1. You must be on email as thatis the means of communication for the project. Cost fora 12-marker DNA kit is US$99 plus US$4 postage.Costs are higher for 25 or 37 markers but these can beadded at a later date if you find an exact DNA matchwith 12 markers. An exact DNA match with 37 mark-ers means that there is a 50% chance that you aredirectly related within only FIVE generations.

Mismatches are caused by mutations in the DNA.Since we all descend from a common ancestor thenumber of mutations will be very large between our-selves and that common ancestor who lived two mil-lion years ago. The fewer the mutations, the closer therelationship between two people.

OBITUARY

IAIN MACKENZIE-GRAY

We are very sad to report the death of IainMackenzie-Gray of Applecross. He was the

direct descendant of the Mackenzies of Applecross andserved briefly on our Ontario Committee with enthusi-

asm.The following information came from his daughters

Heather and Catriona:“Dad was born Iain Donald MacKenzie-Gray

September 6th, 1924, in Applecross, Scotland. He wasthe son of Robert James Gray and Mairie Mackenzie[the eldest daughter of Mackenzie of Applecross - hehad no sons]. Dad spent his youth in Scotland beforemoving to Datchet, England. He entered The RoyalMilitary College (Sandhurst) at age 18 and upon com-pletion joined the Seaforth Highlanders (Infantry).During the Second World War he served with theSeaforths, the West African Frontier Force.

“During his tenure in West Africa he learned how tomake a delicious West African curry. Dad would haveannual curry parties that were very well attended. Dadwas a good cook, when it suited him.

“After the war (1949) he was travelling throughCanada on his way to Australia. However, he met ourmother Barbara. Dad never did make it to Australia. Itwas always on his ‘to do’list. Mom and Dad had a ter-rific marriage until Mom’s death in 1998.

“Once in Canada he moved up north, did some sur-vey work and then went to work for Ontario Hydro asan electrical engineer. ( He retired in 1979).

“Dad was an avid outdoorsman and shared his loveof the outdoors with many Scouts (many of whombecame leaders themselves). Catriona was made thescout mascot when she was four years old and wastaken along and expected to keep up with the boys.

“He loved geared locomotives and had an awesomemodel scale layout with miniature buildings. We spentmany summer vacations chasing locomotives all overCanada and the US. Every Victoria day weekend wasspent in West Virginia at Cass Scenic railroad. Catrionaand I managed to take father-daughter trips with Dadeven after we were married. We have many wonderfulmemories of our times together.

“In 2000 Dad met a wonderful woman with whomhe was totally besotted. Their meeting was serendipi-tous. Ada was the nurse that took care of Dad after a hesuffered a stroke. They were married in 2003.

“He leaves his wife Ada Chung, daughters Heather(husband Brian) and Catriona (husband John).Catriona has two daughters (Dad’s grandchildren)Amelia and Alison. Amelia carries on the nameMacKenzie.

“Dad loved to attend Scottish Games, Fairs, and thelike. We have ended up at Highland Games inGlasgow, Kentucky, while Maxville and Fergus werefavourites of his. Dad was a reg-ular attendee at the Scottish festi-val in Trenton.

“Dad shared his love ofScotland with us. We travelledand visited several times. Hemade sure we understood andappreciated the history of theland.”

I first met Iain at a St.Andrews Ball dance rehearsalabout ten years ago. He cameover to me and asked if I was inthe Seaforth Highlanders, as Iwas wearing a Seaforth badge inmy bonnet. We got into conversa-tion and I found out that he wasthe legitimate Mackenzie ofApplecross. He told me that thelands were all gone now and allthat was left of the original vastestate in Wester Ross was the thecemetery of Applecross.

Toronto Commissioner Norman S. MacKenzie, Zoe McKenzie and IainMackenzie-Gray at a recent Highland Games.

Iain served as major in the Seaforth Highlanders,though, like me, he spoke with a decidedly Englishaccent. I tried very hard to get him to join the ClanMacKenzie Society but he refused saying he was not“a joiner”. He did, however, pay for memberships inthe Society for his two daughters. Many years later Iran into him again at a Highland Games. I told him Iremembered him well as being the Mackenzie ofApplecross who was not a joiner! He laughed and said,“give me an application form!” From that time he tookan active interest in the Clan MacKenzie Society andattended some of the Highland Games and committeemeetings, accompanied by his very young and delight-ful wife, Ada Chung.

Iain was a courteous delightful and dignified gen-tleman, almost, I would say, of the old-fashionedschool. He will be sadly missed by his friends in theClan MacKenzie and we pass on our sympathies to hiswidow Ada and his two married daughters, HeatherJane and Wendy Catriona.

Alan McKenzie

RODDY MACKENZIE’S REPORT FROM HOLLANDRoddy writes of his visit to Holland with the SeaforthHighlanders of Canada to celebrate the 60thAnniversary of the Relief of Holland in WWII.

No country has paid Canada greater honour, orshown Canadians a deeper level of affection and

gratitude, that the Dutch poured out for us in their hun-

dreds of thousands in person and millions morethrough watching Dutch television in the first ten daysof May 2005. This commenced with Queen Beatrix atthe Canadian Military Cemetery at Groesbeek. It wasfollowed by a series of major moving events includingwith Crown Prince Willem-Alexander at theWageningen March Past and the March intoAmsterdam. And it concluded with this truly extraor-dinary grand climax with Princess Margriet at theApeldoorn March Past.

First, the setting. The main boulevard of Apeldoorn,on which was located the reviewing stand for PrincessMargriet and our Governor General, is calledCanadastraat (in English, Canada Street). For thelength of the parade route, four or five times eachblock, ropes were strung across the width of each streetused for the parade. Each rope had pinned to it the twotop ends of Canadian flags. Three flags per rope effec-tively covered the whole width of each street like agiant welcoming arch of red maple leaves. The effectof so many such ropes, each with three flags, was a seaof huge Canadian flags the length of the route. As well,many homes and other building flew Canadian flags,so our flag flew everywhere.

About 150,000 Dutch descended on this town ofwhat appeared to be about 30,000 people. So both sidesof the road for the duration of the parade route werefilled with eager and enthusiastic spectators. There wasan atmosphere of great expectation, and great joy, inspite of the appalling weather. The weather during theMarch Past featured periods of sunshine punctuated bytwo hailstorms, about five cloudbursts of heavy rain,and cold winds. But none of this dampened the enthu-siasm of the Dutch welcoming Canada’s veterans, northe tremendous joy on the faces of Canada’s veteransas they rode or marched though this sea of appreciationand love by the Dutch.

The parade lasted far longer than the organizers hadplanned. This was for two reasons. First, a significant-ly larger number of Canadian veterans participatedthan the Dutch organizers had dared hope would come.Second, so many veterans paused, or even stopped, infront of Princess Margriet’s reviewing stand to saluteher more formally, to wave at her, and sometimes tophotograph her. The Dutch provided WWII militaryvehicles to carry all veterans who did not wish tomarch, or were unable to march. To accommodateeveryone, it took 400 vehicles. I had no idea the Allieshad such a remarkable variety of vehicles in WWII.

page 15

Member Eleanor Thomson with three other Canadian veterans billetedon a farm outside of Bathman - which is a suburb of Deventer.

My friend Eric and I began the day with theSeaforth Highlanders and other Canadian military trav-elling in a convoy of military buses from the Royal

Dutch Military Barracks at Harskamp to beautiful HetLoo Palace on the outskirts of Apeldoorn. Het LooPalace belongs to Holland’s Royal Family and is livedin by HRH Princess Margriet. It is so beautiful that Imistakenly thought its stables were the palace - I dis-covered after I’d been there over an hour that the actu-al palace is a considerable distance beyond the stables.The whole site is surrounded by magnificent gardenskept open for the enjoyment of the public.

Dutch Scouts were everywhere. In the actualparade, they marched with the veterans carrying signsintroducing each new unit of the parade. At Het LooPalace they were our hosts and our guides. A Scoutnamed Tom got fantastic coffee and the best apple pieI’ve ever tasted to entertain our Seaforth CO, his adju-tant, Eric and me at pleasant seating on the grounds ofHet Loo Palace. Tom stayed with us while we were atthe Palace, and so we got to know him. He’s a CostaRican who was adopted by a Dutch couple and broughtto Holland when he was four years old.

Eric and I were seated for the March Past in the VIP

page 16

Advertisement

BURNETT’S & STRUTH SCOTTISH REGALIA LTD,570 BRYNE DRIVE, BARRIE, ONTARIO L4N 9P6

Phone (705) 728-3232; Fax: (705) 728-2962; email: [email protected]

Come and visit us in our 9,000 sq.ft. building featuring a large selection of ClanTartans readily available, Highland Wear and accessories. We specialise in the art ofKilt Making and Military Tailoring, Ladies Kilted Skirts and Hostess Skirts. We carry a

large selection of pipe band, piping and drumming accessories. Our store offers alarge selection of Celtic jewellery, fine china, linens, glassware and knitwear. We

offer Highland rentals for your Special Occasion. “A Little Bit of Scotland Right in theHeart of Barrie, Ontario, Canada”. Clan MacKenzie members can also find

MacKenzie Clan Crest Mugs, Glasses and Baseball Caps all of which show thecrest and the tartan.

If you cannot visit us because of the distance involved and you can still go on lineand order a kilt from us. There is a measuring form on our website. The web

address is www.burnetts-struth.com

“Margaret Struth, who made HRH Prince Charles’ kilt recently, made my kilt for theMackenzie Gathering in Scotland in 1995. It is still as good as new despite constant

wear. Alan McKenzie ”

OMS Band in Diepenveen, Holland. This Canadian band composed of26 Pipers and 16 Drummers plus one Drum Major was formed just for

the trip. It was called the OMS Pipes and Drums - i.e. Ontario,Manitoba and Saskatchewan Pipes & Drums.

stand directly to the left of the reviewing stand, just aswe had been for the Day of Liberation March PastCrown Prince Willem-Alexander in Wageningen, soagain we had a perfect view. The Seaforth bus left theSeaforths on the grounds of Het Loo Palace and droveEric and me to the far end of the parade route where thebus was then parked. This ride gave Eric and me agreat tour of Apeldoorn (the bus driver got lost) andwhere it was finally parked gave us the remarkableopportunity of walking along the middle of the streetfor pretty much the duration of the route, in order to getto our seating. This gave us a real taste of the atmos-phere and what those marching in the parade would seeand experience during the parade.

Early in the parade itself was the “CanadianContingent” of marching soldiers and a massed bandof military personnel from every Army regiment, AirForce squadron and Naval unit in Canada. Veryimpressive. The British Columbia Regiment was alsoimpressive, including its great regimental band. Apipeband from Halifax wore the Nova Scotian tartan, andour Air Force pipe band wore the Canadian Air Forcetartan. The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada yet againstole the show with their tremendous pipes and drums,and their super-smart marching contingent, all resplen-dent in MacKenzie tartan and insignia.

A wide range of Royal Dutch Armed Forces mili-tary units also participated. Lots of soldiers, lots ofmagnificent bands, lots of flags and lots of enthusiasmby both the marchers and the spectators. But it was themarching veterans, and the 400 WWII military vehi-cles filled with veterans, that won the hearts of theDutch, and a massive outpouring of appreciation andaffection by a tidal wave of enthusiastic spectators.

I asked several Seaforths what it was like for thempersonally marching in the Wageningen and ApeldoornMarch Pasts. In each case, I got the same answer.These soldiers told me they felt swept along the dura-tion of the parade route in both March Pasts in a stateof euphoria created by the continuous applause andshouts of encouragement by a sea of Dutch spectators.They said the feelings that washed over them by theenthusiastic warmth of the huge crowds of Dutch wereoverwhelming. And one could see in the incredible joyin the faces of the Canadian veterans that our veteransfelt all of this, and even more.

This incredible parade for the Apeldoorn MarchPast Princess Margriet also had a poignant finale. Thesecond last group in this extraordinarily long parade

was a marching band of 190 teenagers from BurlingtonOntario. All were beautifully dressed in red and whiteCanadian maple leaf uniforms. The final group wasparticularly touching. It was a huge choir of youngCanadian preteens who were so swept up in the pow-erful emotions of the event that they spontaneouslystopped in front the of reviewing stand and sang forPrincess Margriet and our Governor General Canada'sNational Anthem.

And so ended a massive national outpouring ofDutch gratitude and affection for Canada, and espe-cially for the Canadian veterans of WWII.

In another message from Roddy we noted especial-ly a comment he had concerning one of the MarchPasts involving the Seaforth Highlanders which is par-ticular interest:

. . . our Seaforths were joined in this March Past bythe Seaforths of Holland. They wear our MacKenziekilts with WWII Seaforth military jackets. They areDutch who so love the Seaforths they’ve formed aSeaforth Holland Regiment. They are incredibly finepeople who have helped us so much all week. After theMarch Past, they were thrilled. They us they could notbelieve they could ever have played so well. Playingwith our Seaforths inspired them to musical greatnessthey did not know was inside them. They saidMarching Past the Crown Prince while playing pipesand drums with the Seaforth Highlanders of Canadawas one of the happiest and most powerful moments oftheir lives.

Thanks to Roddy for his messages, of which thisextract was just a small portion from his enthusiasticreports. Ontario Clan MacKenzie Committee Member,Eleanor Thomson, who is a Canadian veteran, alsotravelled to Holland for the same celebrations in whichshe took part in a pipe band. Thanks to Eleanor for thephotographs.

MCKENZIE GETS THE ACTING BUG - AGAINBY ALAN MCKENZIE

Not many people know that I once was very activein amateur dramatics. That was in England and

Hong Kong where I appeared in 28 plays and directedtwo others. My son Duncan and his wife AmyMcKenzie have taken up the same interest and they areboth successful professional actors, writers and, inDuncan’s case, a television producer. Duncan and Amywere both script writers and performers in the success-

page 17

ful History Television series, “History Bites”. Duncanhas since become even more successful as ExecutiveProducer for the Global Television series “Train 48” which recently celebrated its 300th episode.This series holds the Canadian record for mostepisodes in a drama or comedy series. Even my otherson Ian produced graphics and special effects for“History Bites” and was instrumental in getting theseries their only Gemini award for the ChristopherColumbus episode. Incidentally, Ian was the filmmaker who filmed and made the two videos for the1995 and 2000 Gatherings in Strathpeffer. Well,Duncan’s dad has not turned professional but he hasreturned to the stage with the Mississauga Playersplaying five acting roles in three consecutive plays.Indeed, in April 2006 I will be returning to directingonce more with Canadian playwright Norm Foster’svery funny play, “Office Hours”. Luckily most of thesedistractions from Clan MacKenzie business occur dur-ing the winter months, though it has been necessary toask other commissioners to take on some of theOntario Highland Games where there is a conflict.

Opposite are a couple of photos taken from recentperformances.

LETTER FROM GRACE GIBBON

Here is a newsy letter from Grace Gibbon inPenticton, B.C. which I thought might be interest-

ing to others doing genealogical research in to theirMackenzie ancestors.

Ihave been enjoying reading “The History of theMacKenzies”, and have painstakingly transferred

the names from the chapter “Mackenzies of Ord” and“Mackenzies of Cromarty” onto Family Group Sheetsfor genealogy purposes. Being as I am 91 and my ener-gy diminishes fast, I get a bit blurry in the head as I fig-ure out some of the descendancies.

I was wondering if there are available any printedout pedigree charts on genealogies for these families. Irealise that as I go through the book there would beinformation from other areas connecting up with thoseof Ord, etc.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day SaintsGenealogical Society, from their family history libraryin Salt Lake City, tell me that from 1500 back, most ofthe genealogies are recorded in their MedievalAncestry Department, but I need to show a connectionfrom my MacKenzie line to whatever one I want to

see. Recently, on my late husband’s line through hismother’s TRAVIS line, we were able to get a direct lineback to 849 A.D. through William the Conqueror. Thiswas quite exciting, and it piqued my interest to get fur-ther of my dad’s MacKenzie line. I have cousins inScotland who I am trying to interest in their roots butthey don’t get very fired up. But I will keep trying.

We have a picture of Hector MacKenzie with hiswife, and son & daughter, which my daughter hastaped to her computer screen. His baleful eye looks outand goads her on to keep working at this task.

page 18

Scene from “Whose Wives Are They Anyway?”

Alan as Archbishop of Reims in “Joan of Arc”

continues on page 19

100TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONA big birthday celebration was held in Georgetown

for the 100th birthday of our oldest Clan MacKenzieSociety member, Jessie Mackenzie Dalziel Glynn.Almost 150 friends and relations attended and the ClanMacKenzie Society sent in a letter of Greetings andreferred to her long support of the Clan MacKenzie andthe Castle Leod Project. The Earl of Cromartie alsosent a message which was included in a binder of mes-sages.

The Clan was represented at the celebration by RonMcKenzie, the local committee member and his wifeMargaret, who is also a nurse who looks after Jessie.Ron and Margaret presented a Mackenzie plaque withan engraved message from the Clan.

Clan member Kathy Gastle was the main organizerfor this event and she reported: “Last minute details forspecial events always keeps one on edge. Well weweren’t sure that the guest of honour, Jessie wouldmake her party.......but I convinced her to travel in awheelchair and enjoy! Enjoy she did! Jessie comesalive with the stimulation of people. All went very welland Ron and Margaret did an excellent job . . . .”

In reading “The History” I was intrigued at the wayin which our forebears dealt with their brethren andenemies, and the horrible ways in which some of themdied. (Burning a church full of wedding guests, andbeheadings willy-nilly!) My dad used to regale us askids with some of the bits of history passed down in thefamily and taught us the Luceo Non Uro and theTullach Ard war cry, but didn’t tell us the bloody andhorrible bits!

Now, I understand that there is the possibility of thefamily name having been used because of perhapsbeing part of a landowner’s company of crofters orworkers. Is there any way that some where along theline we find that is the case, by some notation in a birthcertificate or other document, or do we never know?My grandfather, Alexander MacKenzie, is listed as afarmer and Hector, great grandfather, as a crofter.

Margaret and Ron McKenzie present the Clan MacKenzie plaque toJessie Mackenzie Glynn

The Clan MacKenzie Plaqueand dedication on the

reverse.

Continued from page 18

continues on page 20

This is just a part of this thoughtful letter from GraceGibbon, but she raises several interesting questions togenealogists.

Firstly the reference to printed pedigree charts.There are 14 of these and they do include theMackenzies of Ord and of Cromartie. We have copiedthese in the past together with a booklet which goeswith them and we used to sell these. Candidly I hatecopying them as they are huge and one has to find aprinting shop that can handle such large copies. Ifthere is enough demand we will sell a set for $75 andindividual sheets for $10 with the proceeds going toClan funds.

On the issue of the adoption of the MacKenzie name

I have never seen any reference to the adoption of thename, though there are several instances of the nameMackenzie being given in parish records but alsorecording an alias, usually an unusual surname whichhas generally disappeared. It is difficult to know whythese aliases occur but it does appear to happen veryfrequently in the 18th century. I like to think that suchname changes occur because the family in questionfeels they have a link to the main Mackenzie linesthrough some descent or other. However it may meanthat they are living on Clan Mackenzie lands. This is apuzzle. I wish someone could find some reference tothis. If anyone out there has an explanation, please letus know.

Congratulations to Kevin and Andrea Mackenzie of Mississauga on the birth of their son, Calum Stuart Andrew, on May 18th. He weighed in at astraight seven pounds.

clan mackenzie society in the americas · the results which have come ... alan mckenzie roddy...

Documents