Family Tree (Bruce, Denison, Douglas, Harvey, Helmcken, Mackenzie, Maclean, Maclennan, McTavish, Stewart)

Roderick Maclean (18 May 1829-4 July 1894), known as ‘Rorie of the Highlands’, is the eldest son of Hector Maclean and Isabella Mackenzie. He married Isabella McLennan (4 January 1830-19 July 1873), daughter to John McLennan and Mary Munro, in 1857. They had seven children:

• Hector (1859-18 March 1894)
• John (1861-)
• Roderick (1863-)
• Mary (1865-)
• Isabella (1866-)
• William (30 September 1868-15 October 1951)
• Donald (1877-14 November 1957)

In 1861 Roderick ‘Rorie of the Highlands’ Maclean was about 30 years old. His wife, Isabella McLennan, was 29. The family lived just a few miles north of Alness, which is located in the county of Ross and Cromarty.

Census data between 1861 and 1881 show that they lived in the rural community of Easter Ardross and lists Roderick’s occupation as a Land Agent’s Clerk.

According to the 1871 census, Roderick and his family were still living in Easter Ardross. William Andrew Mackenzie was now 2 years old, being born in 1868, and the household grew in that period from 2 children to 7. At that time, Roderick and his wife, Isabella, had her sister, Margaret McLennan, 27 years old, living with them and registered as a housekeeper. There were 2 additional servants as well. Roderick was listed as a Factor’s Clerk, which suggests he was a land manager for property holders.
Sadly, Roderick’s wife Isabella died on 19 July 1873 from pulmonary phthisis (tuberculosis) at the young age of 43. Her son, William Andrew Mackenzie, would have been around 4 years old when she passed away. The census data shows that her unmarried sister, Margaret, stayed to live with them for many years following Isabella’s death. Roderick and Isabella, and their eldest son Hector, and their youngest son Donald and his wife Winifred Grace Maclean (nee Dudley), are buried together at Rosskeen Cemetery, Scotland.

In the 1881 census, they were still in Easter Ardross. William Andrew Mackenzie was about 12 at this time.

The 1891 census states that they resided in Inverness on Old Edinburgh Road and that Roderick was a retired Estate Factor. The exact year the family moved to Inverness is unknown, but Roderick was about 62 years of age in 1891. The 1891 census shows that he still had four children at home, as well as his sister-in-law Margaret, including a niece, one granddaughter and four servants: a silk nurse (Ellen K S Fraser), a cook (Sophia Munro), and nurse (Catherine Campbell), and a housemaid (Christina MacLeod). His son, William Andrew Mackenzie, is not registered as living with them in the 1891 census so it appears he moved away from the household before he was 21-22 years of age.

Roderick was an active member of the Gaelic Society of Inverness from 1873-18909, and served as a Council member in 1890 as one of the three Chieftains.(1) Roderick was a true scholar and was fluent in the Gaelic language, and had a deep knowledge of the land and its history. He wrote and presented three papers for the Society, which have been transcribed in the following pages:

• The Parish of Rosskeen, 7 April 1886
• Notes on the Parish of Alness, 28 March 1888
• Notes on the Parish of Kiltearn, 8 May 1889

Roderick's employer was Sir Alexander Matheson, 1st Baronet (16 January 1805 – 26 July 1886). On pages 110-111 of the Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness Vol X 1881-1883, under the heading ELEVENTH ANNUAL ASSEMBLY, Roderick Maclean is listed as, "Mr Roderick Maclean, factor for Sir Alex. Matheson, Bart, of Lochalsh". This proves, as do the multiple Ordnance Records entires from that time, that Roderick was employed by Sir Alexander Matheson. Roderick, his father Hector, and Alexander were indeed well acquanted with each other. Not only did Roderick work for Sir Matheson, but Matheson also leased his Dalmore distillery to Hector's wife's nephews, the Mackenzie brothers, in 1866, and Hector was an investor in that enterprise. And in The History and Genealogy of the Mathesons, by Alexander Mackenzie, F. S. A. Scot. – which can be found at https://deriv.nls.uk/dcn23/9556/95561804.23.pdf – Roderick is listed on page vii as a subscriber: Maclean, Rodk., Esq., Factor for Lochalsh and Ardross. Interestingly, a Maclean descendent (Barrie Maclean) from Ardross wrote the following to Alan Toft in January 2002:

I'VE JUST FINISHED READING A BOOK ON ROSS & CROMARTY IN WHICH THE AUTHOR SAYS THAT THE MATHESONS BOUGHT THE ARDROSS ESTATES OFF THE MUNROS IN 1846, & I HAVE A WATCH PRESENTED TO GREAT-GRANDFATHER RODERICK MACLEAN IN 1852 AT ARDROSS CASTLE "BY A FEW FRIENDS & WORKMATES", BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE REASON FOR IT WAS. I'D ALSO LIKE TO GO BACK TO HECTOR MACLEAN, ON THE BLACK ISLE, & TRY TO FIND OUT HOW HE GOT THERE & MARRIED ONE OF THE MACKENZIES.

It would appear that watch was a gift from Sir Matheson to Roderick for his work and services.

Source:
1. Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness, Volume XVI, 1889-1890

Headstone transcription at Rosskeen Cemetery (see media): Rosskeen - Erected/by RODERICK MACLEAN/Easter Ardross/in memory of his beloved wife/ISABELLA MACLENNAN/who died 19th July 1873/aged 43 years. "Thy maker is thy husband." Also the said/RODERICK MACLEAN/died 4th July 1894/and his eldest son HECTOR/died 18 March 1894/also W.G.DUDLEY/died 11 Aug. 1952/wife of D. MACLEAN/also the said/D. MACLEAN/who died 14 Nov. 1957 aged 80 years.

Census Data

1861 - Rosskeen - Easter Ardross
RoderickMclean, 20 Head, Land Agent
Isabella Mclean, 29 Wife
Hector Mclean, 2 Son
John McLean, 1 month, Son
Christina Menzies, 23 Servant
Isabella Mcdonald, 50 Visitor

1871 - Rosskeen - Easter Ardross
Roderick MacLean, 41 Head, Married, Factor's Clerk
Isabella MacLean, 38 Wife, Married, Factor's Clerk Wife
Hector MacLean, 12 Son, Scholar
John MacLean, 10 Son, Scholar
Roderick MacLean, 8 Son, Scholar
Mary MacLean, 7 Daughter, Scholar
Isabella MacLean, 5 Daughter, Scholar
William MacLean, 2 Son
Donald A MacLean, 0 Son
Margaret MacLennan, 27 Sister-In-Law, Unmarried, Housekeeper
Catherine McKenzie, 33 Servant, Unmarried, Domestic Servant
Ann Ross, 18 Servant, Unmarried, Domestic Servant

1891 - Inverness - Ardgour Court, Old Edinburgh Road
Roderick MacLean, 61 Head, Formerly Estate Factor
Hector MacLean, 32 Son, Clerk
Mary MacLean, 27 Dau
Isabella MacLean, 25 Dau
Donald A MacLean, 20 Son, Clerk
Margaret McLennan, 48 Sister-in-Law
Jessie D Scott, 10 Niece, Scholar
Isabel E MacLean, 2 Grand Dau
Ellen K S Fraser, 45 Servant, Silk [Milk] Nurse Domestic Servant
Sophia Munro, 28 Servant, Cook Domestic Servant
Catherine Campbell, 26 Servant, Nurse Domestic Servandt
Christina MacLeod, 16 Servant, Housemaid Domestiv Servant