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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: stebo on Friday 11 September 09 03:04 BST (UK)
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I am looking for information about John Mackenzie, born approx 1867 in Inverness. He became one of the first documentary film cameramen, working for Charles Urban from around 1903. He went to America in later years.
Stephen: (*)
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Hi Stephen
ELLIS ISLAND
http://www.ellisisland.org/
1913: SS OCeanic: Dep Southampton, Arr NY 26 Feb 1913
John MacKENZIE 45, married, photographer,
Last permanent resident of London, Destination NY
UK contact: Ida MacKENZIE, of 36 Pomings?? Road, Highgate, London
Previously been to US in 1910
Going to : 180 Crystal St, Brooklyn NY
Born Inverness
5'8" tall, fair complexion, brown hair, grey eyes.
(The manifest does not state Ida is a wife - I can't find any marriage UK or Scotland to an Ida - which may have been a middle name. But nor can I find an Ida MacKENZIE travelling ever to US thru Ellis Island - though she could have entered the states via a differnt port).
1923: SS Homeric: Dep Southampton 26 Sep 1923, Arr NY 4 Oct 1923
John MacKENZIE 56, married, Film Agent,
Last permanent resident of Sherman, California
UK Contact: Sister, Mrs A G SMITH, 43, Slbert (Albert?) Road, Glasgow
Had been to US prior in 1912 and 1923, in Los Angeles
Going to: 428 Hilldale Avenue, Sherman, CA - Home - Wife.
Staying permanently (indefinitely)
Born Inverness
5'8" tall, fresh complexion, brown hair, grey hair.
According to convention at the time (and still, at times!) , it is quite likely that in "Mrs AG SMITH, the AG refers to her husband........the following looks very, very possible:
SCOTLANDS PEOPLE
http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk
MARRIAGE: 1877 - Inverness - Andrew G SMITH and Margaret MacKENZIE
CENSUS 1881 - 11 Annfield Road - St Peter, Angus
Parish: 282 - , ED: 31 - Page: 6 - HS 34
Head: Andrew G SMITH 30, Railway Guard, b Wamphray Dumfries-shire
Wife: Margaret SMITH 25, b Inverness, Inverness-shire
Son: James SMITH 3, b Inverness
Dau: Elizabeth F SMITH 2, b Dundee Forfarshire
Son: William M SMITH 1 month, b Dundee Forfarshire
CENSUS 1891: 13 Garturk?? St - Gorbals, Glasgow Govan - Lanarkshire
Parish: 644/12 - ED: 85 - Page: 16 - HS 74
Head: Andrew G SMITH 40, Railway Guard, b Wamphray Dumfries-shire
Wife: Margaret SMITH 35, b Inverness, Inverness-shire
Son: James SMITH 15, Scholar, b Inverness, Inverness-shire (possibly really age 13)
Dau: Lizzie F SMITH 12, Scholar, b Dundee Forfarshire
Dau: Maggie G SMITH 8, Scholar, b Dundee Forfarshire
Son: Robert G SMITH 4, b Dundee Forfarshire
Dau: Edith M SMITH 2, b Dundee Forfarshire
Son: James (sic) M SMITH 2, b Dundee Forfarshire (probably meant to be John M SMITH)
Dau: Susan B SMITH 2months, b Dundee Forfarshire
CENSUS 1901: Springkell? Avenue Station House - Kinning Park Burgh, Glasgow Govan, Lanarkshire
Parish 644/14 - ED: 28 - Page: 35 - HS 134
Head: Andrew G SMITH 50, Railway Station Master , b Wamphray Dumfries-shire
Wife: Margaret SMITH 45, b Inverness, Inverness-shire
Son: James SMITH 23, Draper's Traveller, b Inverness, Inverness-shire
Dau: Elizabeth F SMITH 21, b Dundee Forfarshire
Dau: Margaret G SMITH 18, b Dundee Forfarshire
Son: Robert G SMITH 14, Clerk (apprentice) , b Dundee Forfarshire
Dau: Edith M SMITH 12, Scholar, b Dundee Forfarshire
Son: John M SMITH 12, Scholar, b Dundee Forfarshire
Dau: Susan B SMITH 10, Scholar, b Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Dau: Mary I SMITH 7, Scholar, b Glasgow, Lanarkshire
The marriage of Andrew G and Margaret, should hopefully name her parents which will in turn help us find if she had a sibling named John MacKENZIE b abt 1867/68.
Cheers
AMBLY
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Have followed a chain of thought and events - and think I have it worked out.....
In SUMMARY - I believe:
Cameraman John MacKENZIE was the son of William MacKENZIE a shoemaker and Elizabeth FERGUSON.
He began his working life as a Watchmaker & Jeweller
He was actually born 29 or 30 October 1861 in Inverness and for whatever reason, came to shave approx 6 or 7 years off his age. He died 5 April 1944 in Orange County, California age 82 years - his true age.
He was married to Euphemia CALLUM and had a number of children, one of whom I think may also have been a cinematographer and actor.
I'll post up the evidence presently....
Cheers
AMBLY
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Starting with
Andrew G SMITH & Margaret MacKENZIE who married 1877 (believing Margaret to be the Mrs AG SMITH referred to in the 1923 Ship manifest for John MacKENZIE):
Their 9 children from the Census:
1) James abt abt 1878
2) Elizabeth F abt 1879
3) William M 1881
4) Margaret G abt 1883
5) Robert G abt 1887
6) Edith M abt 1889 (Twin of John)
7) John M abt 1889 (Twin of Edith)
8. ) Susan B 1891
9) Mary I abt 1894
The 1851 & 1861 Census shows Andrew was probably the son of:
James SMITH, a Shepherd b Wamphray Dumfries abt 1822 and Margaret b Mousewald, Dumfries abt 1822.
Combining IGI searching, and the names of their children found on the Census (can post Census details if required)I think the mother's maiden name was or was something like, GILLISON and this was Andrew's middle name. Can't find a birth entry for Andrew on IGI though (Some Dumfries parish records are patchy)
Scottish naming pattern (often strongly adhered to in Scotland):
If Andrew G SMITH & Margaret MacKENZIE followed the pattern it would go like this:
1st son after Andrew's father
2nd son after Margaret's father
3rd son after Andrew
1st dau after Margaret's mother
2nd daughter after Andrew's mother
3rd daughter after Margaret
Based on Andrew being the son of James and Margaret the pattern fits in Andrew's children in the 1st son and 2nd Daughter, James & Margaret. I suspect that a 3rd born son named Andrew jnr was born between 1883 and 1887 - where there is a noticeable wider gap in the children's ages - and died before 1891 . Andrew's wife and mother were both named Margaret and so this name covers both the 2nd & 3rd dau in pattern (and thrfore the 3rd born daughter is not named after his wife)
Because the child Margaret G b abt 1883, is the the 2nd daughter born, named after Andrew's mother Margaret - we can deduce that the elder daughter Elizabeth F b abt 1878 is the 1st born daughter - and therefore is named after Margaret MacKENZIE's mother.
Can't be so positive which son is the child named after Margaret MacKENZIE's 's father (the 2nd SON spot)
I suspect that child William M b 1881 may be the one and that his middle name is MacKenzie. So saying:
IGI has a marriage 1854 Inverness of a William MacKENZIE and Elizabeth FERGUSON.
So according to the pattern of the children: I think:
Andrew G SMITH parents were
James SMITH and Margaret (GILLISON?)
Margaret MacKENZIE b abt 1856, parents were:
William MacKENZIE? and Elizabeth F...............?
IGI MARRIAGE (extracted)
William MacKENZIE and Elizabeth FERGUSON in Inverness, 1854.
Cheers
AMBLY
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IGI:
http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp
The IGI has the following children with parents named William MacKENZIE and Elizabeth FERGUSON
Margaret MacKENZIE b 1855 Inverness (a good year - her birth cert will state the date of marriage of her parents)
Isabella McKENZIE b 1857 Inverness
George Mac KENZIE b 1859 Inverness
John Mac KENZIE b 29 Oct 1861, Inverness
William Mac KENZIE 1865 Inverness
Elizabeth MacKENZIE 1871 Inverness
Margaret b 1855 is a good match for the Margaret MacKENZIE who became Mrs Andrew G SMITH.
John b 1861 - his age is 6 or so years out - the one we're looking at was born abt 1867/1868.
BUT: Recalling that John MacKENZIE on the 1923 Shipping manifest was heading to California:
The California Death Index has the following:
http://vitals.rootsweb.ancestry.com/ca/death/search.cgi
John MacKENZIE age 82, died Orange County, California
Date of birth: 30 Oct 1861
Date of death: 5 Apr 1944
Mother's maiden name: FERGUSON
Father's last name: MacKENZIE
So, the ship manifest for Photographer/Film Agent John MacKENZIE b abt 1867/1868 follows a trail via a married sister to a John MacKENZIE born in Inverness 29 Oct 1861 mms FERGUSON, who may have died in California 1944 with a recorded birth date 30 Oct 1861 and mms FERGUSON.
Next: Scotland Census for the MacKENZIE / FERGUSON family
Cheers
AMBLY
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MacKENZIE / FERGUSON family
1861: 15-16-17-------? - Inverness, Inverness-shire
Parish 98, Ed 2, pg 21, HS 124
Head: William MacKENZIE 30, Shoemaker & Leather Dealer, b Dingwall, Ross-shire
Wife: Elizabeth MacKENZIE 30, b Dingwall, Ross-shire
Dau: Margaret MacKENZIE 5, b Inverness
Dau: Isabella MacKENZIE 3, b Inverness
Son: George MacKENZIE 1, b Inverness
1871: 8 Ardconnel Terr, No 5 Tullochs Buildings - Inverness, Inverness-shire
Parish 98, Ed 5, pg 6, HS 34
Head: William McKENZIE 40, Shoemaker, b Inverness
Wife: Elizabeth McKENZIE 40, b Dingwall, Ross-shire
Dau: Margaret McKENZIE 15, b Inverness
Dau: Isabella McKENZIE 13, Scholar, b Inverness
Son: George McKENZIE 11, Scholar, b Inverness
Son: John McKENZIE 9, Scholar, b Inverness
Son: William G McKENZIE, Scholar, b Inverness
In 1881, William and Elizabeth are at seperate locations - at least on Census night.
Their eldest daughter Margaret has (I believe) married to Andrew G SMITH and is now living in Dumfries.
1881: Inverness, Inverness-shire
Parish 98, Ed 2, pg 25, HS 169
Head: William McKENZIE 50, Shoemaker, b Inverness
Dau: Elizabeth McKENZIE 9, Scholar, b Inverness
1881: 22 Denny Street, Inverness, Inverness-shire
Parish 98, Ed 5, pg 34, HS 207
Head: Elizabeth MacKENZIE 50, b Dingwall, Ross-shire
Dau: Isabella MacKENZIE 23, b Inverness
Son: George MacKENZIE 21, Telegraph Clerk, b Inverness
Son: John MacKENZIE 19, Watchmaker, b Inverness
Son: William MacKENZIE 15, Apprentice Bookseller , b Inverness
Lodger: James CREVIE 23, Commercial Traveller, b Newburgh, Aberdeenshire
In 1891, William & Elizabeth are again at seperate locations - indicating they have indeed seperated? Their sons George & John are also now both married, as probably is dau Isabella...
1891: School Lane - Inverness Inverness-shire
Parish 98, Ed 9, pg 9, HS 48
Head: William MacKENZIE 60, Shoemaker, b Inverness
1891: 23 Charles Street - Inverness, Inverness-shire
Parish 98, ED 5, pg 22, HS 135
Head: Elizabeth MacKENZIE 60, b Dingwall
Son: William McKENZIE 25, Watchmaker, b Inverness
Dau: Bessie McKENZIE 19, Elementary Teacher , b Inverness
Lodger: Peter DAVIDSON 40, Corn Factor, b O'Neill, Kincardine
Lodger: John C GORDON 39, Law Clerk, b Kilmorack, Inverness
1891: 62 Denny Street - Inverness, Inverness-shire
Parish 98, Ed 4, pg 45, HS 191
Head: John MacKENZIE 29, Watchmaker & Jeweller, b Inverness
Wife: Euphemia MacKENZIE 23, b MacDuff Banffshire
Son: Gerald W MacKENZIE, 2 months, b Inverness
1891: Ballefeary Rd - Inverness, Inverness-shire
Parish 98, Ed 12 , pg 22, HS 97
Head: George MacKENZIE 31, Cabel Service Supervising Clerk Telegraph Dept , b Inverness
Wife: Wilhelmina MacKENZIE 30, Edinburgh, Midlothian
Son: George A MacKENZIE 5, Scholar, b Inverness
Son: William R MacKENZIE 3, Scholar, b Inverness
Son: Allan M MacKENZIE 1, b Inverness
Servant: Jessie GREY 17, General Domestic Servant, b Glenmorrison, Inverness
In 1901, can't easily see Elizabeth - but William is still going strong. Son John is now showing a pleasing change of occupation but his age has lost a couple of years.
1901: 11 Huntly Street - Inverness, Inverness-shire
Parish 98, Ed 15, pg 16, HS 83
Head: William MacKENZIE 70, boot & Shoemaker, b Inverness
1901: Haugh Park, ?ork Drive No 3 - Inverness, Inverness-shire
Parish 98, Ed 1, pg 26, HS 161
Head: John McKENZIE 38, Cinematographer? & Optician?, b Inverness (abt 1863)
Wife: Euphemia McKENZIE 33, b MacDuff, Banffshire abt 1868
Children: All born Inverness
Son: Gerald 10 (abt 1891)
Son: Iain? 8 (abt 1893)
Son: Alexr Alick? 6 (abt 1895)
Dau: Effie 4 (abt 1897) twin of Lily
Dau: Lily 4 (abt 1897) twin of Effie
Son: Arthur 3 (abt 1898)
Son: Allan 2 (abt 1899)
Servant: Jemima McLEAY 18, General Domestic Servant, b Inverness
(remember, Margaret SMITH nee MacKENZIE, who I think is John's sister - also has a set of twins!)
Cheers
AMBLY
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And a nice round trip to another ship manifest - showing the wife & children of John in the above Census, going to New York in 1913, following their husband and father, John.
1913: SS Majestic, dep: Southampton 30 Apr 1913, arr NY 8 May 1913
Effie MacKENZIE 44, Housewife, Scottish,
Dau: Effie MacKENZIE 17
Dau: Lily MacKENZIE 17
Dau: Muriel MacKENZIE 11, Scholar
Son: Ian George MacKENZIE 20, Photographer,
Son: Arthur MacKENZIE 15, Scholar,
Son: Allan MacKENZIE 13, Scholar,
All have: Last residence London, All are born Inverness
All Have: Contact in UK: Father-in-Law: Wm MacKENZIE , West End Culeaback? Inverness Scotland
None of them have been to the US before.
Mother Effie with daughters twins Effie & Lily, and Muriel have: Destination : Los Angeles California
Sons Ian, Arthur and Allan have: Destination: New York
Mother Effie, and the girls are going to: Husband/Father: John MacKENZIE of 4500 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles.
Her 3 sons are going to: Aunt Mrs G MacKENZIE of 180 Crystal Street, Brooklyn NY.
(All of them have descriptions on the manifest re: height, complexion, hair & eyes - Effie snr is just 5', 1". Her son Ian is 5', 10")
Note - the sons are all heading to 180 Crystal Road, Brooklyn NewYork. The same address John (with his downsized age!) was going to in the earlier manifest for the "Oceanic" in Feb 1913. I also suspect, the Aunt they are going to there may be Wilhelmina MacKENZIE, wife of George - John's brother - will look into that next.
The California Death Index:
Euphemia MacKENZIE died 30 Jan 1957, Los Angeles age 89
Born: 6 May 1867
Father's last name CALLUM
Mother's maiden name: WEST
IGI: Euphemia CALLUM born 6 May 1867, Banff,
Parents: William CALLUM & Euphemia WEST
(the 1871 Census shows the family in Gamrie Banffshire, with Euphemia b MacDuff, though the father is at sea, )
From the above Manifest for Effie & the children, it appears John's father William b abt 1831, was still alive in early 1913.
Cheers
AMBLY
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Thanks very much. This is way more than I knew about John McK and his family. You are clearly a real expert in genealogical research.
I can add a few snippets which I have found:
Poynings Rd. is off Junction Rd, near Tufnell Park tube station.
4500 Sunset Boulevard is at the junction with Hollywood Boulevard in Silverlake. It was the address of the Kinemacolor studio from 1912 to 1914 and of DW Griffith's studio (and sometime home of the Mutual company) from 1914. DWG filmed 'Intolerance' there, and the vast ‘Babylon’ set, with its rearing elephants was left there for four years after filming, towering over east Hollywood until being dismantled in 1919.
John's son Jack (given name Ian), also became a cameraman, working in the US with many credits to his name (see http://us.imdb.com). Another brother, Gerald, had been in the business before him apparently. (From a biography of John Mackenzie in 'Moving Picture World' 9 Oct 1915, p.264).
I'd say that John's given address of Sherman, California (remote, north of San Francisco) is more likely to be Sherman Oaks (in LA).
There is no obit for him in the NY Times (April 1944).
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Hi Stephen
You're welcome :D every so often a really good 'case' comes along we can really roll with ! The "Mrs AG SMITH" clue and the scottish naming pattern was what helped this one going - though a Scottish certificate or two would help cement the proof.
Poynings road, aha! I couldn't work it out. Still can't find out who "Ida MacKENZIE" was.
The 4500 Sunset Blvd address - that's nice to know it was Kinemacolor - which was URBAN's connection.
I'd figured the "Jack MacKENZIE jnr, son of notable a cinematographer father, must have been Ian (or Iain). Not sure if you're aware, but Ian and John, are interchangeable in Scotland. My own brother on law is a Glaswegian, and is John to everyone except his mother, who will only call him Ian! ANd of course, Jack is the pet form of John.
From the California death indexes, I saw that siblings Gerald, Arthur and Lillian (Lily) all lived well into old age (all have mms CALLUM, seems Lily never married) .
I'm sure you already have all these snippets - but for the benefit of anyone following:
http://bioscopic.wordpress.com/category/travel-and-exploration/
"........author, journalist and adventurer Harry de Windt, took a motion picture cameraman with him. This was John Mackenzie of the Charles Urban Trading Company, to whom De Windt refers throughout: "My sole companion was Mr. Mackenzie, of the Urban Bioscope Company, a canny Scotsman from Aberdeen" "
Relatively little is said of Mackenzie’s actual work (he left before de Windt went on to Russia), but the interest is in his very presence, in the tie-up with a British newspaper (the Westminster Gazette), .........Mackenzie would go on to become a leading Kinemacolor cameraman, shooting many of the earlier productions demonstrating the colour process
http://www.charlesurban.com/chrono.htm
John Mackenzie films for Urban in the Balkan states with journalist Harry de Windt
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Urban_Trading_Company
Other notable cameramen working for Urban were ,,,,,,,,, John Mackenzie (the
Balkans
Jack (Ian) MacKENZIE:
http://people.theiapolis.com/name-1L1X/jack-mackenzie/
Jack MacKenzie was a British cinematographer, and actor.
Jack MacKenzie was born on Saturday, August 13th, 1892, in Scotland, United Kingdom. He died on Wednesday, December 19th, 1979 at the age of eighty-seven (87) in Los Angeles, California, United States. "I'm Still Alive"(1940). One website credits him as John MacKENZIE Jnr, role: Cameraman.
Jack MacKenzie, who like his well-known father had been an RKO cameraman
I found Charles URBAN's story very interesting. He was younger that John MacKENZIE too, I noted. Especially poignant, that after such a colorful life in this new media form, URBAN ended up bankrupt and died in relative obscurity in Brighton UK. I was somewhat interested though, to read Charles' 2nd wife was a Hungarian (I think?) named "Ada" living in London in & around 1913 - I wonder is she is the "Ida" of the manifest 1913 and the MacKENZIE bit was a mistake?
I wonder if, obits for John, Jack and even Effie, Gerald etc - might be found in Calfornian newspapers?
Perhaps you might want to post a query on the US board here at Rootschat quoting dates of death etc and see if anyone can come up with something?
One of my worries - lessened now by knowing Kinemacolor was loacated at 4500 Sunset Blvd - was: Harry de Windt wrote a book "Through Savage Europe" about his photo-journalist trip thru the Balkans pre-WW1, where his cameraman was John MacKENZIE. Trouble is, in this book - Windt refers to MacKENZIE as a teetotal Scot from Aberdeen, an Aberdonian, etc. You can download the pdf of the book, or read a text browser version here:
http://www.archive.org/details/throughsavageeur00dewiiala
Otherwise it all points to John MacKENZIE from Inverness b 1861. have you anything at all that categorically states our John was the one in the Balkans with Windt?
Cheers
AMBLY
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Gosh, they were a long-living family weren't they - so many of them well into 80's and 90's....
Loose end........tie up
John MacKENZIE's brother George didn't go to the US - he appears to have died between 1905 and 1912, possibly closer to 1911/12. By 1901 George had a new wife, indicating 1st wife Wilhelmina had died (or divorced but death more likely):
1901: Seaforth Lodge Ballifeary Rd - Inverness, Inverness-shire
Parish 98, Ed 12
Head: George MacKENZIE 41, Civil Service Asst Supt. Postal Teleg, b Inverness
Wife: Jane MacKENZIE 35, b England
Son: William Robert MacKENZIE 13, Scholar, b Inverness
Son: Allan Matthew MacKENZIE 11, b Inverness
Son: Randle MacKENZIE 1, b Inverness
In late 1912, his 2nd wife Jane was herself a widow and travelling to the US with her children and stepson Allan. They were going to Allan's older brother George Alex MacKENZIE already in New York. The ships manifest for that journey again brings Margaret, Mrs Andrew G SMITH, wife of a Railway Station Master in Glasgow, into the frame:
SS California - dep Glasgow 16 Nov 1912, arr NY 25 Nov 1912
Alan McKENZIE 23, single, Chemist
Jane McKENZIE 37, widow, Housewife
Randell McKENZIE 11 (female), Student
Ethel Beatrice McKENZIE 10, Student
Edward Horace McKENZIE 9, Student
Constance D McKENZIE 7, Student
Alfred D McKENZIE 11mths
All children, incl Allan, born Inverness
Jane born Liverpool, England
All, incl Jane say Nationality is Scotch
All last residence Inverness
Contact in UK: Aunt (of Allan and all other children), Sister in Law (of Jane):
Marg SMITH, Station House, Maxwell Park, Glasgow
All destined for : New York City.
Going to in US: Brother (of Allan and all other children), son (of Jane)
George Alex MaKENZIE , 480 Greenwich Str, New York
It's possible a year later, that Jane, widow Mrs G MacKENZIE, is living at 180 Crystal Road, Brooklyn - to where Allan goes, and later his sons go, in 1913 when they arrive in NY.
You mentioned "(From a biography of John Mackenzie in 'Moving Picture World' 9 Oct 1915, p.264") - Is that one on-line someplace - would love to read it!
If you don't have US Census for John etc, you could also put a lookup request on the US Boards for the 1920/1930 Census' - and perhaps a link back to this topic for reference.
Cheers
AMBLY
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Ambly, I don't think there is a single stone you have left unturned on this one - well done you ;D
Monica :)
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Wonderful work Ambly... ;D
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shucks ;D Thankyou ladies ;D
It's been one of those good ones we all really like to get out teeth into - happily, they thoughtfully left a nice set of clues!
A.
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Thanks again Ambly: further useful bits of info you've come up with.
In answer to your question, yes I'm sure it was MacKenzie who accompanied De Windt on a tour through the Balkans in 1905: this is mentioned in trade press sources which I'll publish eventually. (Scattered through my files at present, but they give JM's name for sure).
As for the 'Moving Picture World' article, I have scanned it specially and put it on a new blog which I've started: http://sbearlycinema.blogspot.com/ I didn't intend to get this blog up and running for some time, but your request seemed a good excuse.
I don't suppose I'll write anything on JM for some time (am aiming at a 2010 publication), but will keep this forum advised and might well need to come back for further help. I'll also take the advice and try to search for JM's obits through the US sites. The best thing would be if we could find living descendants of JM who might have any memorabilia about their illustrious forbear.
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HI
In the 1930 census Effie the wife of your John Mackenzie was at the house of their son Jack Mackenzie who was shown as being born in 1898 in Scotland
so we got living in Glendale Los Angeles
Jack Mackenzie 39 occ Cinematographer - Motion Picture Company bn Scotland
Elizabeth 32 bn Michigan
Jack 11 bn California
Gordon 9 bn California
Effie 69 bn Scotland Married
When Jack married he was 24 and partner was 19
Wendy
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Interesting. So our JM's grandsons, Gordon or Jack, born c1920, might still be alive, or their offspring (if any) might.
By the way, in answer to earlier post, I didn't realise that the names Ian and John are interchangeable in Scotland, so explaining why JM's son Ian was known in the film business as Jack.
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HI
1930 Glendale, LA CA find antoher son of JM
Gerald Wm 38 bn Scot' Occ Tecnichian Mtion Picture Company
Geraldine 35 bn Pennsylvania her dad the same her mum Illinios
Gerald W Jnr 7 bn California
Carol 4.5 bn California
When asked what age at marriage Gerald was 28 and Geraldine was 25.
Gerald Snr served in WW1 he passed in 1981 and his last known residence was 3041 Port Hueneme, Ventura, California, United States of America
In relation to 36 Poynings Road I have sent a Pm to Stebo as I can't post this info on Roots.
Wendy
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Thanks for your expertise on this. Again, that's more information I had, and I'm impressed that you can find this stuff when there are so many sites to choose from (I just looked at Cyndi's list fo California alone, and it goes on and on...) So we're now up to the 1980s.
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Hi everyone
Somehow my Rootschat has stopped notifying me of updates on this topic :'( so I'm catching up.
First of all, Stephen thank you so much for sharing the article on John - absolutely facinating to read. I felt really happy to see him being recognized in print, and the things it confirmed that we could only imagine from piecing together the Census. For me the part about him getting hooked on fiilm and following his dream despite a growing family and head-shaking elders - was the best part! I had wondered, once I found him on the Census with Effie & the children, changing occupations and charging off into the wide world with his bioscope etc, how it all went down with the family. If one puts that together with the mentions of his character in Harry de Windt's book - one gets quite a picture of John as a person. And for early publication of your blog (with it's Rootschat mention to boot) - we're honoured.
Make sure you tell us when your work is published!
And I've found a descendant - I hope.....follows
Cheers
AMBLY
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Have been doing some more digging - from the IGI worked out that John's mother Elizabeth FERGUSON: her mother was one Isabella BROTCHIE who was born in England abt 1810 and her father was a John FERGUSON.
Can find Isabella and children on the Census 1841 to 1881 - and she's living for the most part either with or next door to Elizabeth. I can post the Census here, if anyone wants or else I'll just send it to Stephen by PM
The most interesting thing to come out ot that is......at least 2 of Isabella's son's (Elizabeth's brothers, John's uncles) are Watchmakers and Jewellers in Inverness. One of them James, at age 26 was an employer of 5 men and 2 boys in his business. So that is obviously where our John MacKENZIE 'inherited' his first career - possibly apprenticed to one of his Uncles, probably James, Can't find out if his grandfather John FERGUSON was also in the same trade - think he was dead by 1851 and I can't find them on 1841 yet.
The MOST interesting thing is: I think James FERGUSON became notable in his trade and is the maker of a fine clock listed here, for sale :
http://www.ianburton.com/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=1&cat=Latest+Stock
http://www.antiques.co.uk/antique/Antique-Scottish-Longcase-Clock-2
"Antique Scottish Drumhead Longcase Clock.
James Ferguson, Inverness.
Circa 1880 - Rare, corinthian column mahogany case in nice original condition"
"James Ferguson is recorded as working from 1886-9 in Edinburgh and from 1872-81 in Inverness. He received a Royal appointment to Queen Victoria in 1872"
And , if you've got a spare 7500 quid, it can be yours!! ;D ;D
Also found Naturalisation records in the US for John's children:
Gerald, Ian/Jack, Allan, Arthur, Lillian so far - no doubt it's them, since they all reference their immigration into the US on the "Majestic" on 8 May 1913 with Mum, Effie (which we have found earlier in this topic).
As part of Ian's Petition for Naturalization, he requested his name be legally changed to "Jack MacKENZIE" this was granted when he swore the Oath of Allegiance and was Natturalised in 1927.
I also discovered, Lillian did marry - to a man also surnamed MacKENZIE. Not sure if she had children. In 1930 she was working as a Film Cutter in a Movie studio.
Arthur was not 'in the business' and was a Tax Agents assist.Clerk/Secretary in varying records.
Now after all that - I have found a tree on A* descended from Allan MacKENZIE, John's son. ( I checked A*s trees early in the piece when I still thought John was born abt 1867 and had a wife named Ida - and didn't look again till now). And Yay!
This tree, also places John as the son of William MacKENZIE & Elizabeth FERGUSON (and names Elizabeth's mother as Isabella BROTCHIE). It references some BDM dates, Soc Security records, Cal. Death records etc and takes the lines back beyond John a couple of generations in each case. Some of it may have come from extracted IGI records, but some of the death dates can surely only have come from a Scottish Certificate so I feel the tree is entirely accurate as presented. In each family on the tree only one child is named - ie: John FERGUSON & Isabella BROTCHIE - dau: Elizabeth, William MacKENZIE & Elizabeth FERGUSON: son John, John MacKENZIE & Euphemia CALLUM: son Allan. There is no biographical information, no Census have been quoted.
The tree descends to present day to someone - the tree owner - who is listed as 3x grandaughter of John.
Allan MacKENZIE, was unmarried & a Cameraman when he was Declared Intention for Naturalization in 1922. Assuming the tree is correct by 1930 he was married with a son and was no longer in the movie industry, he stated he was a Salesman in a Cotton Mill.
Given the propensity for living to old age, I would say there is a good chance some or all of Gerald's children or Jack's children are still living - for that reason, even though we can find them on the 1930 Census, we shouldn't really be naming them on here? :-\ Allan's son as named on the tree is deceased, in 1998 in Washington. But his son and grandchildren are living - the tree owner being one of those grandchildren.
I will PM you Stephen!
PS; According to the A* tree - there is a connection for John's family in Aberdeen (ref: Harry de Windt's book) - his wife Euphemia CALLUM's mother was born there, and her father before that.
Cheers
AMBLY
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Hi Ambly, This is all great. John's family background in watchmaking would indeed help to explain his own involvement, and then I'd suggest that this kind of accurate work would be good preparation for his later career as optician, photographer and cameraman. Your other findings show that most of John's children, like him, were in the film business for a while at least: he may have been a little proud that he started them off that way. Then the naturalisation material adds further details, including confirmation of the change of name of John's son to Jack. And then your finding the A* trail is excellent icing on the cake! Thanks very much.
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John Mackenzie was my great-grandfather. I do have a family tree and family history. John had 8 children with Euphemia, one of whom died in infancy. Lillian did marry, but she married a man whose last name was Mackenzie, so her name never changed. John’s eldest was my grandfather, Gerald. He worked for Technicolor for many years.
You can contact me if you need further info. How would we do this privately?