Hi and welcome to the list. I am a great, great granddaughter of William Mackenzie and Elspat Mackay of Torbreck. I have been researching this family for many, many years and have a pretty full story. I wish you could know how happy I was to see their names come up on the list! Briefly William was born 19 March 1808 at Achevely, Rogart. son of Kenneth Mackenzie, blacksmith, and Mary Jeanison or Jenny. William was the second born of twins, his brother being Colin. He married Elspet Mackay, daughter of David Mackay and Christina Anderson of Torbreck. William took over the croft and the blacksmith business at Torbreck from David Mackay. He and Elspet had the following children born in Torbreck: MARY, born 15 September 1835; DAVID, born 1 August 1838 [died 25 November 1921 New Zealand] [married Catherine Anderson and Mary Jane Carpenter]; KENNETH, born 29 January 1840; JANE, born 1841 [married Alexander Murray - my great grandparents]; CHRISTY, born 8 January 1842 [died 17 January 1887]; HUGH, born 1843 [died infant]; ANNIE, born 1844 [died infant]; COLIN, born 1847 [married Margaret Robertson]; HANNAH (Susanna), born 1849 [married Murdoch Mackay]; CATHERINE, born 1850; HELLEN, born 20 January 1857 [married Joseph Sutherland] and ELSPETH, born 20 January 1857. William died at his home in Torbreck, aged 63 years in 1873. He had suffered from a disease of the kidneys for several months. His son Colin signed the death certificate. I also have a great deal of information on both William's parents and Elspat's parents and their siblings and children. David Mackenzie left his home at Torbreck when he was 18 years old and headed for Australia. By the time he was 21 years old he was in New Zealand. He was a blacksmith to trade, as his father and both his grandfather's were. He went gold mining in the south of South Island, New Zealand before he went back to his trade at Milton, South Otago. It was at Milton he met his first wife, Catherine Anderson. The story goes that Catherine had lost the key to her chest (kist as it was called then) and came to David to get help. David went to her aid and a friendship developed. David left Milton and bought farmland at Waiwera South. He built a sod hut, which was still waiting for doors and windows when he and Catherine married in 1864 at Dunedin. Catherine was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, daughter of Richard Anderson, a shoemaker, and Euphemia Williamson. The Andersons had left Edinburgh in August 1862 arriving at Port Chalmers, New Zealand that November. Catherine was one of a family of seven children. David and Catherine had five children. Catherine was expecting her sixth child, when she died tragically in childbirth on 26 July 1873. The baby also died. David later married Jane Alice Carpenter, known as Alice, in 1877 and had four further children. David once returned to his home in Torbreck but could not settle and returned to New Zealand where he died. I correspond regularly with a granddaughter of his in New Zealand and between us we have built up quite a picture of this family. I am looking forward to hearing from you and your partner. Best wishes Christine chris@northants26.freeserve.co.uk Highland Hearts http://www.highlandhearts.com/ -----Original Message----- From: phil.becs [mailto:phil.becs@xtra.co.nz] Sent: Saturday, March 17, 2001 6:08 AM To: SCT-SUTHERLAND-L@rootsweb.com Subject: MACKENZIE, Rogart Hi everyone I have just joined this list in an effort to trace my partner's ancestor. David MACKENZIE b 1838 Rogart. He left Scotland in about 1846 and headed to Australia then about 1849 came to New Zealand. His parents were William (blacksmith) and Elspeth (maiden name probably MACKAY). He was apparently one of ten children but I have only managed to find the following children registered to the above couple on the IGI: Mary chr 1835 Christy chr 1842 Kenneth chr 1840 Does anyone on the list have a connection to this family? Or possibly the 1841 Rogart census for a look up of them? Thank you all for your time. Sincerely Becs, Invercargill, NZ ==== SCT-SUTHERLAND Mailing List ==== You may, at times, wish to check out previous messages to this list. You can do this at http://archiver.rootsweb.com/SCT-SUTHERLAND-L/ ============================== Shop Ancestry - Everything you need to Discover, Preserve & Celebrate your heritage! http://shop.myfamily.com/ancestrycatalog --- Incoming mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.237 / Virus Database: 115 - Release Date: 3/7/01 --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.237 / Virus Database: 115 - Release Date: 3/7/01