Kenneth was born on 16th October 1771 at Inchoraig, Acheilidh, Rogart, son of Colin Mackenzie and Barbara Gordon (OPR/DC).
Mary was born in Ireland in 1784, daughter of William Jeanison or Jenny, an innkeeper, and his wife Helen (NC/DC).
How did Kenneth meet Mary? Was he a soldier?
The Sutherland Fencibles lists include two men named Kenneth Mackenzie who joined after 1793. During the 1790s when Ireland was in a state of unrest, which culminated in the rebellion of 1798, the 3rd Sutherland Fencibles had been stationed at a number of places throughout the island The Sutherland Fencible Regiment was in Ireland 25th May 1798 till around Christmas that year. The Fencibles (942 of them) moved around Ireland during their time there - “Ireland was extremely restless ….. several of the Scottish Fencible regiments were sent to Ireland to help to suppress the Irish rebels but it was not until the main insurrection of May 1798 that the Sutherland men were called on to join in this work. The newspapers reported that on the 13th June, General Sir Ralph Abercrombie, Commander-in-Chief, arrived in Ayr from Edinburgh, inspected the Sutherland regiment and addressed them in an animating speech on the importance of speedy and efficient reinforcement being sent to the North of Ireland. The Sutherland men unanimously and with that enthusiastic zeal and loyalty which so peculiarly marks the character of their country, declared their readiness to march for Ireland on an hour’s warning, though their terms of enlistment confined their services to within Scotland ………. By the 19th June they were in Belfast, 1100 strong and commanded by Colonel Wemyss.” This Irish rising was defeated. A few Fencible regiments remained in Ireland on garrison duties till as late as 1803. Did Kenneth go to Belfast? Did he meet Mary there and bring her back to Sutherland? She was very young but so were many brides in those days.
There has been confusion over Mary’s name – on some certificates she is Jeanison, on others Jenny, on at least one she is Jennison – however her son Peter signed her death certificate and he used the name Jenny.
In 1814 a Summons of Removal issued by the Countess to tenants in the parish of Rogart states that Kenneth Mackenzie was in Ardachu and that his mother, Barbara Gordon, was also there (Sutherland Papers, NAS).
In 1825 the Land Rental records for Rogart show that Kenneth Mackenzie was in Ardchue. He was a lotter at this time. We know from the births of his children that Kenneth Mackenzie was in Ardachu at the time the 1824 Militia List for the parish of Rogart was created. There is no Mackenzie at Ardachu or Achevelly on this list. Presumably Kenneth was considered too old for the list and young William would have been barely 16 years of age.
In 1834 Kenneth Mackenzie, Ardchue, paid the sum of two shillings to the Duke of Sutherland’s statue fund.
In 1851 at Ardchow, Kenneth was aged 71, a lotter of six acres, and gave his parish of birth as Reay! His wife Mary was also at home.
In 1859 Mary Jenny died at Ardchue on 21st February (DC).
In 1861 Kenneth was at Ardchue with his son Angus, a railway contractor.
In 1862 Kenneth died at Ardchue on 16th May. His death certificate tells that he died of old age and confirms that he is the son of Colin Mackenzie and Barbara Gordon. His son Angus took over the croft at Ardchue.
Kenneth and Mary had the following children:
HELEN MACKENZIE (Nelly or Ellen), born 25 February 1803 Rogart - married Alexander Mackay
COLIN MACKENZIE born 19 March 1808 Achevely, Rogart (OPR)
WILLIAM MACKENZIE born 19 March 1808 Achevely, Rogart (OPR) - married Elspat Mackay
JANE MACKENZIE born 13 November 1810 Ardachu, Rogart (OPR)
BARBARA MACKENZIE born 1811 Ardachu, Rogart (OPR) – 1841 census at home – 1851 census a house servant with Robert Innes, a widower, at Inchcape, Rogart - in 1860 died 13 February, Ardchue, spinster aged 56 years – her brother, Peter, signed her death certificate (DC)
ANGUS MACKENZIE born 1 February 1813 Achevely, Ardachu, Rogart (OPR) – 1851 census at home – 1861 census at home, railway contractor – 1871 census at the family home in Ardachu where he was now shown as the tenant – his niece, Ann Mackay, daughter of sister Elizabeth, was with him and his sister Susanna – the 1881 census in Rogart shows Angus Mackenzie as tenant of ten acres at Ardochie (Ardachu) - living with him was his sister, Susanna, a spinster, and his nephew William Mackenzie, son of his brother, John - in 1902 died 30 May, Ardochue – bachelor, crofter – his nephew William Mackenzie signed the death certificate (DC)
SUSANNA MACKENZIE born 17 September 1818 Ardachu, Rogart (OPR) – 1841 & 1851 census at home - 1861 and 1871 census living at home with her brother Angus – still at Ardachu in 1881 – in 1901 Susanna was living at Lochside, Lairg, with her recently widowed brother in law, Robert Mackay, husband of her sister Elizabeth - in 1908 died 22 February, Ardachue, pauper, formerly housekeeper, spinster – nephew William Mackenzie signed her death certificate (DC)
JOHN MACKENZIE born 14th June 1822 Ardachu, Rogart (OPR) – 1841 census at home - married Janet Dunnet
PATRICK MACKENZIE (Peter), born 9 July 1823 Ardachu, Rogart (OPR) – 1841 census at home – signed mother’s death certificate in 1859 – signed father’s death certificate in 1862 - married Christina Macdonald
ELIZABETH MACKENZIE (Betsy), born circa 1826 Ardachu, Rogart – 1841 & 1851 census at home - in 1852 married Robert Mackay (OPR)
updated 18/03/2016
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