William Alexander McKenzie

Brief Life History of William Alexander

When William Alexander McKenzie was born on 5 April 1861, in Minnesota, United States, his father, Alexander M McKenzie, was 47 and his mother, Sarah Ann Gilhousen, was 22. He married Polly May Smith on 26 May 1885, in Smithland, Woodbury, Iowa, United States. They were the parents of at least 3 sons and 1 daughter. He lived in Salubria, Washington, Idaho, United States in 1900 and Cambridge, Washington, Idaho, United States for about 20 years. He died on 31 December 1942, in Weiser, Washington, Idaho, United States, at the age of 81, and was buried in Hillcrest Cemetery, Weiser, Washington, Idaho, United States.

Photos and Memories (6)

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Family Time Line

William Alexander McKenzie
1861–1942
Polly May Smith
1867–1936
Marriage: 26 May 1885
William Glenn McKenzie
1887–1960
Arba Alfred McKenzie
1888–1957
James Guy McKenzie
1892–1962
Grace May McKenzie
1894–1977

Sources (18)

  • William Mckenzie, "United States Census, 1930"
  • Wm. A. Mckenzie, "Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934"
  • William A McKenzie, "Oregon, Oregon State Archives, Death Records, 1864-1967"

World Events (8)

1862 · The Dakota Conflict/War

The Dakota War was an armed conflict between the United States and several bands of Dakota Native Americans. It began along the Minnesota River four years after Minnesota was admitted as a state. The Dakota made attacks on hundreds of settlers, which resulted in their deaths. A military tribunal sentenced 303 Dakota men to death for their crimes but 264 of them were exonerated. The remaining 38 were apart of a mass hanging on December 26 that same year. It was the largest mass execution in United States history.

1863

Abraham Lincoln issues Emancipation Proclamation, declaring slaves in Confederate states to be free.

1884 · Iron Mining starts in Minnesota

After discovering iron ore in the Vermilion Range in North-East of Minnesota, iron mining companies began to come to the area and caused an economic boom to the area of Duluth and to the state as a whole.

Name Meaning

Scottish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Coinnich, a patronymic from the personal name Coinneach meaning ‘comely’, Anglicized as Kenneth. Compare the Irish form McKinney 2. The Scottish spelling with -z- indicates palatalization of the -n- (compare Menzies ).

History: This is the name of a Scottish Highland clan, historically associated with the mountainous district of Kintail in nortwestern Scotland, with Cromarty, and with Loch Seaforth (Loch Shiphoirt) on the Island of Harris.

Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.

Possible Related Names

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