THE MELNESS MACKAYS

See Pedigree Table G

I. Angus Mackay, son of the 1st Lord Reay by his wife, Lady Mackenzie, was lieut.-col. of a Scots regiment in the service of Denmark (Spalding Memorials).
He married (contract 1 May 1659) Catherine, daughter of Alexander Gunn of Killearnan by his wife, Dame Mary Mackay, Dowager Lady Fowlis and daughter of XIII Huistean Du of Strathnaver, to whom he gave sasine in life-rent of the lands of Froskil, 26 Dec 1665. He was alive in 1699, but died before 1703, and had known issue a son, John

II. John of Melness, married (contract 26 Jul 1699) Isobel, daughter of Captain William Mackay of Borley,and on 27 Jul 1699, gave her sasine of Froskil. As an elder of the Kirk he took a prominent part in the religious work and life of his day (Presbytery Record of Tongue). According to the Ben Reay Notes, he had two sons and two daughters: -

1. William
2. John, Strathan-Tongue, of whom afterwards as IIIb.
3. Isabella and Marion, one of whom married James Mackay of Hope (See Excursus below).

1. George
2. John

V. William, who died in London, 1820, married Mary Mackenzie, issue five sons and one daughter: -

1. Daniel Langton
2. John
3. William
4. George, married Christina Mackenzie
5. Robert
6. Elizabeth

VI. Daniel Langton Mackay, who died in London, 1832, marrried Elizabeth Briggs, and had a son George Daniel

VII. George D. Mackay, who inherited a large fortune from his uncle, George Mackay, died at Brighton without issue, 2 Jan 1880, and his estate is in Chancery {Ben Reay Notes).

IVa. John Mackay, son of William III, a lieut. of the old Sutherland regiment, purchased the wadset of Melness from his brother George, and married Esther, daughter of Kenneth Sutherland of Torbol, who bore him two sons: -

1. Kenneth
2. Major William, of the 92nd Highlanders, married Elizabeth, daughter of the Rev. Æneas Macleod, Rogart, and died at Golspie leaving four sons and two daughters: -
   1. William, married Ann, daughter of Magnus Omond, and died in 1856 leaving an only son William Kenneth, who died unmarried at Stromness, 1884.
   2. John, died unmarried in Trinidad
   3. James, died unmarried in Trinidad
   4. Aeneas, died unmarried in Australia
   5. Esther, died unmarried
   6. Jane, married Roderick Noble, Professor of Physical Science, Cape Town, and has issue.

1. George, died unmarried in the West Indies
2. John, died unmarried in London
3. Robert, British Consul at Maricabo, married Romano Teresa Trocomis, and died in 1853 leaving two daughters: -
   1. Williamina Mackay, married Adolphe Jules d'Empaire, Consul at Maricabo, with issue
   2. Maria Mackay, married first, Edmund Reick, and secondly, Rudolfo Hernandez, with issue
4. Eric, a surgeon in Birmingham, married Hannah Fowler, and had one son, who died unmarried.
5. Ebenezer, married Louisa Macdonald, and had two sons who both died young.
6. Esther, married William Murray of Pitcalzean as his second wife, but had no surviving issue.
7. Jane, married William Murray younger of Pitcalzean, and had six children: -
   1. William H. Murray, Sheriff-Substitute of Ross, died unmarried
   2. Kenneth Mackay Murray of Geanies, married Ann, daughter of Thomas Middleton, and left the following issue: -
      1. William Hugh Eric, now (1905) lieut.-col. of the Royal Scots, married Jessie, daughter of Capel Hanbury, with issue;
      2. Thomas M., W.S., Edinburgh, married Caroline, daughter of Walter Ross Macdonald, with issue;
      3. Kenneth S.
      4. George
      5. Sutherland
      6. Anne
      7. Elizabeth, married Captain Reginald Boys, R.E., D.S O.
   3. Sutherland Murray, Kirkton, married Alexandra, daughter of Dr. Ross; Tain, who bore him two sons and three daughters.
   4. George J. Murray, W.S , died unmarried
   5. Captain Hugh Murray, of 3rd Bat. Seaforth Highlanders, died unmarried.
   6. Georgina Murray, died unmarried
8. Williamina, married Rev. A. Noble, London, and died in 1884 leaving issue: - Kenneth; Eric; and Margaret.
9. Mary, married Major Pope of Navidale, and had issue: -
   1. Jessie
   2. Robert
   3. Kenneth
   4. William
   5. Jessie Sutherland, married Charles J.C. Wahab with issue
   6. Roberta, now (1905) living in London

1. Alexander
2. George, who served in Col. Hugh Mackay's regiment of Scots in Holland,
   married Barbara, daughter of Roderick Macleod, Assynt, and had a family who settled in Holland
3. Hugh
4. Lieut.-Col. Iye, in the Dutch service in 1778, married Barbara Gordon, and had issue: -
   1. Iye, adjutant of the 2nd Battalion Orange regiment, Holland
   2. George
   3. Robert
   4. Aeneas
   5. Joseph
   6. Isabel
   7. Barbara
   8. Elizabeth
   9. Anna
   All these settled in Holland.

1. Iye
2. George, served in the Reay Fencibles, married a Miss Wallace, and emigrating to Canada is lost trace of
3. Hugh, served in the Reay Fencibles, died unmarried
4. Thomas, married in Lanark, where he had an interest in some mills. No known issue
5. Mrs. Captain Mackenzie
6. Isobel died unmarried in London
7. Henrietta died unmarried in London

1. John, who died at Leith in 1865, married Margaret, daughter of George Swan, Elie, and had six children: -
   1. Iye, served in the 42nd Highlanders, and died in India, 1861
   2. John, known as "Ben Reay", author of An old Scots Brigade and of various papers bearing upon the history of our Highland regiments. He was twice married, but died 14 Nov 1896, leaving no surviving issue.
   3. Jessie, married Rev. James Pullar, minister at Toledo, Ontario, 1894, and has surviving issue: - Edith; and Thomas Reay.
   4. Mary; Elizabeth; and Margaret
2. Alexander, who died at Richmond, Australia, 1876, married Helen, daughter of Anthony Laird, Leith, but no surviving issue.
3. Isaac
4. Robert, died unmarried
5. Helen, married a Colonel Grant, and died without issue in 1839;
6. Marion, died unmarried

1. Isaac
2. Alexander, has extensive Flour Mills in St. Iago, Chille, to which he migrated in 1886. He married Jane Brunton, and has issue: - George; Frederick; Alexander; and Elizabeth.
3. Mary, married David Bell, Edinburgh, issue two daughters
4. Angus

VIIb. Isaac, a merchant in Liverpool, died at Birkenhead in 1877. He married Jane, daughter of Thomas Reed, and left issue: - William; Crichton; and Hector.

IVc. Hugh Mackay, son of John IIIb, Strathan-Tongue. He is identified as Hugh, a Melness Mackay, who went to Tain and thence passed to Dunfermline,
where he married Alison Mudie, about 1748, having issue four sons and three daughters, one of whom was Dr. Andrew.

Vc. Andrew, LL.D., F.R.S.E., etc., became superintendent of the Astronomical Observatory, Aberdeen, and author of numerous mathematical works, of which the best known are "Mackay's Complete Navigator" and "Mackay on the Longitude". In 1804 he removed to London, where he became examiner for Trinity House, the H.E.I.C., etc. (See Dictionary of National Biography for further particulars). He married Margaret Younger, and died in 1809, leaving the following nine children: -

1. Andrew, died 1820
2. Alison, died 1820
3. Margaret, married James Brooks, and died in 1860
4. Martha, married Andrew Milne, and died in 1832
5. William, died 1827
6. Jane, married John Dawson, and died 1886
7. Isabella, died 1805
8. John Selby Mackay
9. George Gray Mackay, coalmaster in Grangemouth, who died 1890, married Elizabeth, daughter. of Rev. Professor William Taylor, Original Secession Church, Perth, with issue three sons and two daughters: -
   1. Andrew Younger Mackay, Provost of Grangemouth, married Dorothea, daughter of Rev. Alexander Munro, U.F. Church, Alness, Ross.
   2. William Taylor Mackay, Middlesbro, married Lilian Wilson and has issue: - George; Ann; Florence; Jessie; and Kenneth.
   3. George G. Mackay, drysalter, Liverpool, married Mary, daughter of. Captain Broadfoot of the Mercantile Marine and lieut. of the R.N.R, by whom he has surviving issue a daughter Elizabeth.
   4. Elizabeth, married Rev. John Sinclair, late of Free St. Bernard's, Edinburgh, and has issue one daughter: - Elizabeth, married Christopher Cuthbert Curwen.
   5. Margaret

1. Andrew
2. Joseph, in Helensburgh, married Jessie Melville, and has issue: - Evelyn; Margaret; Hugh; Thomas; Francis; Joseph; Eric; Richard; Allan; Hilda; and Clare
3. John; Marion; Margaret; and Isabella
4. William George, married Christina Harrison, and has issue: - Jane; Margaret; John; and William

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