John Mackenzie, film cameraman

[AMBLY]

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

[MonicaL]

Ambly, I don't think there is a single stone you have left unturned on this one - well done you 

Monica 

[hepburn]

Wonderful work Ambly...

[AMBLY]

shucks  Thankyou ladies 
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.

[stebo]

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.

[winston]

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

[stebo]

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.

[winston]

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

[stebo]

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.