Morag MacKenzie is the wife of William Buccleigh MacKenzie, and direct ancestor of Roger MacKenzie.
Personal History
Morag grew up the only daughter of a farming family. She had fallen in love with Donald McAllister, a farmer from Daviot. In the wake of Donald being caught with another woman, Morag was comforted by William Buccleigh MacKenzie, a solicitor who had been madly in love with her but she had not loved. After discovering she was with child they were forced to wed by her father and brothers. They welcomed a son naming him Jeremiah Buccleigh MacKenzie. Wishing for her to avoid the sight of the man she was still in love with, Donald, Buck moved their family to North Carolina.
Events of the Novels
Drums of Autumn
When Roger MacKenzie is traveling from Scotland to America aboard the Gloriana in 1769, he encounters a young mother who turns out to be his four-times great-grandmother, Morag MacKenzie. After the crew has thrown several poxed children overboard, Roger discovers his ancestor hiding below-decks with her infant son, Jeremiah (Roger's three-times great-grandfather), after a confused and desperate plea from William Buccleigh MacKenzie to Roger that he not reveal his wife and child's hiding place.
The Fiery Cross
Roger encounters Buck MacKenzie once more at the Battle of Alamance during the War of the Regulation in North Carolina, 1771. Sent by Jamie across the line between the governor's men and the Regulators to entreaty their leader to a peaceful resolution, Roger runs into Morag, and feels compelled to speak to her, she being one of the few blood relatives Roger has ever known and whom he protected onboard the Gloriana a few years earlier. This peculiar affinity further impels Roger to kiss her; Buccleigh witnesses this, and becomes enraged and bent on retribution. Taking Roger by force, Buccleigh assures his wife that no harm will come to Roger, but once he has gotten Roger away from her, Buccleigh and his men beat up, bind and gag Roger and take him to the governor's camp, where they claim to be part of the governor's militia and hand over Roger as their Regulator captive. Roger, floating in and out of consciousness and unable to speak for himself, is hanged to set an example to the defeated Regulators.
An Echo in the Bone
After Buck is discovered near Lallybroch he explains to Roger and Brianna that he and his wife, Morag, along with their son Jeremiah, had returned to Scotland from North Carolina and stopped for a respite near the standing stones on Craigh na Dun in 1782, and he, Buck, accidentally threw himself almost 200 years into the future.
Written in My Own Heart's Blood
While in 1739 looking for Jem, Buck explains to Roger why he believes his family would be happier without him. He reveals that he'd met Morag just after he had started reading law with a solicitor in Inverness. He had been smitten with her upon sight, and she liked him well enough but was in love with a Donald McAllister from Daviot. He continued the story telling how he had come for Hogmanany and at a party Donald had been caught with another woman and he'd gone to comfort Morag who was obviously heartbroken. He claims he didn't exactly force himself on her, but he hadn't been willing to take no for an answer either. Then two months later he found Morag's father and three brothers waiting for him and found himself married.
Then knowing she was still in love with Donald despite how the man had been caught with another, Buck moved their small family to North Carolina so she'd not be able to see Donald again. Things had gone badly for the family as he'd failed to establish a new practice and money was tight and they had no land or kin to turn to. All those factors led to their return to Scotland. But of course Donald was still there and unwed. So when Buck went through the stones he'd made his mind up he'd not go back so then Morag would be called a widow and either marry Donald as she'd always wanted or her father would at least take her and the children in.
Personality
Strong and determined, she would do anything to protect her children.
Physical Appearance
Morag has brown hair and brown eyes, and is naturally slender. After living in North Carolina for several years, she has browned skin from sun exposure.
Relationships
Donald McAllister
Morag had been in love with Donald and wanted to marry him. However, one Hogmanany he was caught with another woman and it broke Morag's heart. In spite of this she still loved him, even after she married William Buccleigh MacKenzie.
William Buccleigh MacKenzie
Morag met William Buccleigh MacKenzie while he was in her town for writing a will. He had fallen madly in love with her but the feelings weren't fully returned. She liked him well enough but her heart was set on Donald McAllister. In the wake of Donald being caught with another woman, and a bit worse for the drink herself, Morag gave up saying no and let Buck bed her.
After realizing she was with child her father and three brothers forced her and Buck to wed. To prevent her from still seeing and longing for Donald Buck took her and their son Jeremiah to North Carolina. Buck continued to exhibit his jealousy even when there was nothing to be jealous of, such as the innocent meeting between her and Roger MacKenzie - the man who had saved Jeremiah's life during their journey to the colonies - that resulted in Roger being falsely hanged.
When Buck had still been unable to establish his practice and money was tight they came back to Scotland. By 1782 they had expanded their family having three more children when Buck went missing through the stones at Craigh na Dun.
Name
- Morag is a diminutive of Mór,[3] meaning "great" in Gaelic.[4]
- Gunn a modern form of Gunnr,[5] from the Old Norse word gunnr meaning "war".[6]
- MacKenzie is the anglicized form of MacCoinnich, a Gaelic patronymic name meaning "son of Coinneach". The personal name Coinneach means "handsome" or "comely".[7][8]
Trivia
References
- ↑ Drums of Autumn, chapter 38. Morag tells Roger MacKenzie she is 22.
- ↑ Age as of the end of Written in My Own Heart's Blood.
- ↑ Behind the Name: Morag - accessed 09 July 2016
- ↑ Behind the Name: Mór - accessed 09 July 2016
- ↑ Behind the Name: Gunn - accessed 09 July 2016
- ↑ Behind the Name: Gunnr - accessed 09 July 2016
- ↑ Behind the Name: Coinneach
- ↑ Ancestry.com: MacKenzie