Sir Alexander had also a natural son, Charles Mackenzie, ancestor of the later Mackenzies of Sand, and two natural daughters, one of whom, Annabella, by a daughter of Maolmuire, or Miles Macrae, of the family of Inverinate, married John Ban Mackenzie, by whom she had a daughter, Marsali or Marjory, who married John Mor Og Mackenzie (Ian Mor Aireach), son of John Mor Mackenzie, grandson of Alexander Cam Mac-kenzie, fourth son of Alexander, V. of Gairloch, in whose favour Sir Alexander granted the lease of North Erradale, already referred to. The other daughter, known as "Kate Gairloch," who lived to a very old age, unmarried, was provided for in comfortable lodgings and with a suitable allowance by the heads of the family.
He died in 1766, in the 66th year of his age, was buried with his ancestors in Gairloch, [The old chapel and the burying place of the Lairds of Gairloch appear to have been roofed almost up to this date; for in the Tutorial accounts of 1704 there is an item of 30 merks for "harling, pinning, and thatching Gairloch's burial place."] and succeeded by his eldest son,
X. SIR ALEXANDER MACKENZIE, third Baronet, designated "An Tighearna Ruadh," or the Red-haired Laird. He built Conon House between 1758 and 1760, during his father's lifetime.
Lady Mackenzie, who continued to reside at Kinkell, where she lived separated from her husband, on Sir Alexander's decease claimed the new mansion at Conon built by her son eight years before on the ground that it was situated on her jointure lands; but Sir Alexander resisted her pretensions, and ultimately the matter was arranged by the award of John Forbes of New, Government factor on the forfeited estates of Lovat, who then resided at Beaufort, and to whom the question in dispute was submitted as arbitrator. Forbes compromised it by requiring Sir Alexander to expend ?00 in making Kinkell Castle more comfortable, by taking off the top storey, re-rooting it, rebuilding an addition at the side, and re-flooring, plastering, and papering all the rooms.
Sir Alexander, in addition to the debts of the entailed estates, contracted other liabilities on his own account, and finding himself much hampered in consequence, he tried, but failed, to break the entail, although a flaw has been discovered in it since, and Sir Kenneth, the present Baronet, having called the attention of the Court to it, the entail was judicially declared invalid. Sir Alexander had entered into an agreement to sell the Strathpeffer and Ardnagrask lands, in anticipation of which Henry Davidson of Tulloch bought the greater part of the debts of the entailed estates, with the view of securing the consent of the Court to the sale of Davochcairn and Davochpollo afterwards to himself. But on the 15th of April, 1770, before the transaction could be completed, Sir Alexander died suddenly from the effects of a fall from his horse. His financial affairs were seriously involved, but having been placed in the hands of an Edinburgh accountant, his creditors ultimately received nineteen shillings in the pound.
He married, first, on the 29th of November, 1755, Margaret, eldest daughter of Roderick Mackenzie, VII. of Redcastle, with issue--
1. Hector, his heir and successor.
She died on the 1st of December, 1759.