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Hi from Western Australia,

I have a McKenzie/Mackenzie family who were in Onich near Ballachulish, and would welcome suggestions about where to proceed further to find information about family members, or their ancestors. I visited the Archives in Fort William a couple of years ago and found records of the family as tenants of Lochiel.

Angus McKenzie: possibly born in 1786 to William McKenzie and Kate McDonald. He died between 1844 and 1845 at Onich acc. to the Lochiel Estate records, which show that his eldest son Donald has taken over the tenancy of Tor Castle Farm "as heir of Angus McKenzie." Estate Records also show that Angus leased lands in several locations besides Tor Castle/Torcastle, including Salachill, as well as croft 9 at "Oanich" from about 1820. The 1841 Census has him as a 60 yo farmer, not born in the county. He is married to Betsy [Elisabeth McPherson: b 3 Jan 1793 Crathy Croy, Laggan to Alexander McPherson and Mary McDonald] who is 55 yo and not born in the County.

Angus and Betsy's children are:
1) Margaret McKenzie: b 1816, m John Campbell 1829-1830, migrated with him, their nine children, and two of her sisters to Australia 1855 on the Storm Cloud, d. Lilydale, Tasmania, Australia 4 Oct 1892.

2) Donald McKenzie: b abt 1818, 1841 - he is Ag Lab, not born in County, at Torcastle, 1844/5 - he is "heir of Angus McKenzie", d. 1852 - Tor Castle is handed to Thomas Paterson because Duncan McKenzie, heir of Donald McKenzie has "gone abroad".

3) Elisabeth McKenzie: b 7 Jun 1819 Strathmashie Laggan, 1841 - she is independent and living with her eldest sister, Margaret and family, at Loch Laggan Inn [Kinlochlaggan], 1855 - she migrated to Tasmania with two of her sisters, including Margaret, on the Storm Cloud.

4) Duncan McKenzie: b abt 1821, 1841 - he is a 20 yo Ag Lab, not born in the County, between 1841 and 1852 he goes "abroad". [Not found in Australian records]

5) Catherine McKenzie: b abt 1822, 1841 - she is a female servant, not born in the County, d abt 1886 Undated and unnamed newspaper clipping found among other family papers in Tasmania reads: McKENZIE-On the 23rd inst., Catherine, the daughter of the late Angus and Betsy McKenzie, of Torcastle, Argyleshire, Scotland, aged 65 years.

6) Isabella McKenzie: b 2 Jun 1825 Strathmashie Laggan, 1841 - she is a 15 yo servant at Wilton Melton or Milton, 1855 - she migrated to Australia with her two sisters on the Storm Cloud, d 4 Apr 1879 in Melbourne Australia.

7) John McKenzie: b abt 1820, 1845 - he takes over his fathers croft at Oanich "John McKenzie, son of Angus McKenzie, deceased." until 1865 [records for Lochiel Estate are not available after that date].

I have reliable sources for the information above, and have traced most of the descendants of Margaret and John Campbell's family, but would welcome more information and or advice, especially about Donald, John or Duncan's family. I have searched for their deaths using Scotland's People but have not found any conclusive data.

William Campbell was in Oanich at Martinmas 1786 when he and 5 other tenants [3 were Camerons, 1 Macmartin, 1 Mach--t] agreed on a yearly rent payable to Donald Cameron of Lochiel, so it is highly probably that William was the father of Angus McKenzie. BTW, not until after 1855 does Oanich become Onich in the Estate Records.

In case it helps others: in a written report I received from the Lochaber Archives in Fort William in 2010:
"In 1750, four MacKenzies possessed land in North Ballachulish; two at Onich; one in Glenshellach; two in Corriechurrachan, and one at Coruanan...
In the Lochiel Report for 1774 there were five MacKenzie tenants at North Ballachulish and their names are given as follows: "Donald McKenzie, Duncan roy McKenzie, John <cKenzie, Duncan McKenzie, and Donald McKenzie, ferryman." All paid 1 pound in rent with the exception of the ferryman, who had to pay 2.10/-. Each person appears to have had a lease for 21 years, which was up in 1777.'
In the baptismal register for North Ballachulish, 14 McKenzie males and 6 McKenzie females were baptised between 1774 and 1789."

I do have the Bygone Lochabor book, but it does not have information about my McKenzie family.

Many thanks for reading this,
Elizabeth

Elizabeth,
I am most interested in the information you have here, as I believe the John MacKenzie in the 1774 report of 5 MacKenzie tenants may be the father of one Ewen MacKenzie who was born in Onich, but lived Blarmachfoldach. I would very much appreciate knowing whether you have found any more information on these 5 tenants at this time.
Thank you
Liz