Buried in the Peacock Section of the Mayville Cemetery

DONALD MacKenzie

Originally educated for the ministry but upon his arrival in Montreal, Canada in March 1801 was employed by the North West Fur Company. In 1810 He joined John Jacob Astors overland expedition to found Astoria on the Columbia River in Oregon. The MacKenzie Pass and the MacKenzie River in Oregon are named for him. The partnership with Astor was dissolved in 1814 and in 1816 he returned to the Pacific coast with the North West Fur Company. In 1821 he returned to command the Red River Post (Winnipeg, Canada) for the Hudson Bay Company and was High Constable of the Northwest Territory. In 1833 he retired to Mayville, Chautauqua New York. He was killed when his neck was broken after being thrown from a horse. He was 6' 8" tall and weighed 337 pounds, The armhole of his vest having a girth of 45 inches, the hero of several Indian uprisings and half-breed rebellions, He was an outstanding figure in a day when "Men were Men."

(Source: The Historic Annals of Southwestern New York)

Donald McKENZIE Was among the most prominent citizens of Chautauqua Co. He became a citizen, not by accident of birth, but of his own choice; renouncing all other allegiance, he made this "Our Country" his, and on its altars swore fidelity to its Constitution. He was born in Scotland, June 16, 1783, and his ancestry among the noblest in the Kingdom; His lineage traced back through lairds, sirs, baronets, and earls, for many generations. The tombstone of a remote ancestor is yet standing, bearing an inscription in Irish or GAelic characters, translated read; Here lies Murdock MacKENZIE, son of the Baron of Kentail who died the 12th of January, MCCCLXXXI (1381).

In March, 1801, MacKENZIE left his scottish home and went to Canada, where he had relatives living, and was there engaged in the fur trade for 8 years, with the Northwest Fur Co.

In 1809, he became one of John Jacob ASTOR'S partners in the fur trade he was establishing at the mouth of the Columbia River on the Pacific.MacKenzie, Wilson P. Hunt, and party took the overland route from St. Louis to that point, where MacKenzie stayed until after the War of 1812, and the treacherous surrender of the post by McDOUGALL. By his influence, everything possible was saved to the company, and converted into money. Having obtained through his Canadian relatives, a pass through the then hostile territory of Canada, he conveyed his treasures safely through the long and savage wilderness, and by way of Canada, to New York and delivered them in person to Mr. Astor.

Donald married first a Native American woman (whose name is not known), and they had four children together, all born in the far west.

In March of 1821 he joined the Hudson Bay Company and was appointed one of the council and chief factor, and had his headquarters at Fort Garry, on the Red River settlement. Here on the 18th of August, 1825 he married his 2nd wife Adelgonda Humbert Droz, whose father, Alphonso Humbert Droz had lately arrived in the settlement with his family from the Canton, Berne, in Switzerland. Soon after his marriage, McKenzie was appointed governor of the Hudson Bay Co. by the British Crown, and retained that position until he left Ft. Garry in 1832. In 1833 he came to Mayville, Chautauqua Co NY where he lived until his death in January 20, 1851. His widow and a large family survive him. Mr. MacKenzie had six sons seven daughters.

Sons:

Roderick McKenzie, born Aug 25, 1830, Red River Colony, Winnepeg, died after 1900 (in 1900, he lived in Mayville with his brother Henry and sister Catherine, all single)

Noel Simpson McKenzie Dec 25 1831 Red River Colony (now Winnepeg, Canada; lived in Leavenworth , Kansas, in 1900 where he worked as a French tutor and was single; he is no longer there by 1910)

Alexander McKENZIE b Jan 16, 1836 Red River Colony (now Winnepeg), died Aug 22, 1889 (married Celestia Ellsworth, 29 Mar 1865 in Corry, Pennsylvania)

Henry McKenzie, born Sept 25 1839 in Mayville, d after 1930 in Mayville (single)

William Peacock McKenzie, born June 16, 1841 in Mayville, died Aug 27, 1917 in Corry Erie County, Pennsylvania; married Locadia Ida Barnhart on Jan 31, 1878)

Humbertson McKenzie, 26 Mar 1849 Mayville, died Dec 6, 1886 in Mayville

Daughters:

Rachael MacKenzie, born ca. 1818 in the Old Oregon Country, died 12 Feb 1844 "in 26th year of her age" (married Thomas R. Peacock)

Jamima or Jemima McKenzie, born 9 Jul 1827, Red River Colony, Winnepeg (married Donald McDonald)

Catherine, b. Feb 27, 1829, died after 1930 in Mayville, single

Fenella McKenzie, born July 29, 1834, died Jan 22, 1896 Brighton Ohio (married Ernest G. Pupikofer)

Alice E. McKenzie, born Nov 14, 1837, Mayville, died 1917, buried Mayville (married Byron Ellseworth)

Donalda McKenzie, born June 24, 1843, died Feb 27, 1900 (Married Oakman Sprague Paine, ca.1866 in Mayville)

Adelgonde McKenzie, born Dec 22, 1844 (married Arthur Smith)

Celestia McKenzie, born Jan 24, 1847, died Feb 17, 1852 in Mayville

WILL:

Donald McKenzie of Mayville, Chautauqua County, New York, signed 14 Dec 1847.

Use and income from homestead to wife Adelgunda, over and above her dower, while she remains my widow. Everything else to my children.

Codicil, signed 14 Aug 1848: Land just purchased of Thomas B. Osborn is to be included in the homestead named in my will.

Executors: Wife Adelgunda

Witnesses to will: E. G. Spaulding, mayor of Buffalo, and Napoleon B. Barrows of Buffalo

Witnesses to codicil: E. G. Spaulding and C. Metz Jr., both of Buffalo

(Source: Andrew W. Young, History of Chautauqua County, New York (1875), p. 169)