Our Scottish Ancestors
Peter McKenzie, son of Peter McKenzie and Agnes Kirkland, was born on 25 May 1798 in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland. Peter was apprenticed to his father and learnt the shoe-making trade. Also, like his father, he married a girl called Agnes. Peter married Agnes Connell, daughter of John Connell and Janet Morton on 6 March 1819 in the Parish of Loudoun, Ayrshire, Scotland. Agnes was born on 7 April 1796 in Newmilns, Ayrshire, Scotland.
Peter and Agnes began their married life in Loudoun at Galston, 8 miles east of Kilmarnock but by 1825 they had moved to nearby Newmilns. Situated at the narrowest part of the Irvine Valley, Newmilns lies between Darvel and Galston and was known for its muslin weaving and lace-making industries. The town prospered in the 19th century due to the light manufacturing industries and good road, and later rail, connections. |
Over the eighteen years following their marriage, Peter and Agnes had nine children: Janet, Peter, Robert, John Connell, Agnes, Mary, Hugh Connell, Alexander and Christina. They were an upright and pious family, holding regular family worship and attending Kirk twice on Sundays. In about 1834, the McKenzie's moved to the port city of Ayr, 15 miles south-west of Newmilns. The city lies at the mouth of the River Ayr and was known for metalwork and engineering, textiles and carpets, and the manufacture of boots and shoes.
By 1841 the family had moved again, this time north to Greenock. Located 20 miles north-west of Glasgow on the south shore of the Firth of Clyde, Greenock had grown from a small fishing village to a substantial port. By the time the McKenzie's moved there, it had an elaborate harbour and dry-docks and was also known for the manufacture of ships’ needs such as sails, ropes and casks.
Peter and Agnes, now in their early forties, lived in Regent Street, Greenock, on the south side of the town near the river. Opposite was a cotton mill, and several factories were sited on the river to make use of the water power. There were several other shoemakers in the area, but Peter did enough business to provide for the family.
Their eldest son Peter, in his late teens, was apprenticed to his father to learn the shoe-making trade. The front room would have been the workshop, where the two Peters in their leather aprons cut, shaped and stitched their handiwork, and chatted with the customers.
Peter and Agnes, now in their early forties, lived in Regent Street, Greenock, on the south side of the town near the river. Opposite was a cotton mill, and several factories were sited on the river to make use of the water power. There were several other shoemakers in the area, but Peter did enough business to provide for the family.
Their eldest son Peter, in his late teens, was apprenticed to his father to learn the shoe-making trade. The front room would have been the workshop, where the two Peters in their leather aprons cut, shaped and stitched their handiwork, and chatted with the customers.
The shoe-making provided a living, but expenditure must have been heavy at this time: John, their second son, was apprenticed to an upholsterer, but Robert, Agnes, Mary, Hugh and Alexander were all at school, and Christina was two years old. Eventually instead of making boots and shoes, Peter became a boot and shoe salesman at the warehouse of a Mr Ross in Cathcart Street, Greenock.
Peter McKenzie died on 5 October 1850 in Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland at age 52. In 1851, his widow, Agnes, was living at 68 Ann Street, West Greenock. The older children had grown and had either married or emigrated, only four were still at home: Agnes, a dressmaker; Hugh, a clerk; Alexander, an errand boy and Christina, still at school. |
Despite the loss of the main breadwinner, with three of the children earning, the financial situation for the widowed Agnes must have been manageable at that time.
A few years later, on 28 June 1855, twenty-one year old, Alexander McKenzie was tragically drowned in the River Clyde. Alexander, a clerk in the office of the Clyde Shipping Company, had taken a small boat out on to the river. His intention was to reach the Tail of the Bank, the anchorage in the upper Firth of Clyde marking the entrance to the estuary of the River Clyde. From there Alexander, who was unable to swim, planned to bathe in the shallows. Unfortunately he must have got out of his depth, and although a gentleman on the pier thought he spotted hands moving above the surface and a boat was immediately dispatched to the spot, Alexander’s body was not discovered until about an hour later. He was a smart, active young man and was very much respected by his friends according to the Greenock Advertiser of 29 June 1855. He was laid to rest with his father, Peter, in Greenock Cemetery.
A few years later, on 28 June 1855, twenty-one year old, Alexander McKenzie was tragically drowned in the River Clyde. Alexander, a clerk in the office of the Clyde Shipping Company, had taken a small boat out on to the river. His intention was to reach the Tail of the Bank, the anchorage in the upper Firth of Clyde marking the entrance to the estuary of the River Clyde. From there Alexander, who was unable to swim, planned to bathe in the shallows. Unfortunately he must have got out of his depth, and although a gentleman on the pier thought he spotted hands moving above the surface and a boat was immediately dispatched to the spot, Alexander’s body was not discovered until about an hour later. He was a smart, active young man and was very much respected by his friends according to the Greenock Advertiser of 29 June 1855. He was laid to rest with his father, Peter, in Greenock Cemetery.
By 1861, with only Christina left at home, Agnes was living at 5 Dellingburn Street, Greenock where she supported herself by taking in boarders. But when Christina married John Glen on 20 June 1861 and moved to Glasgow, Agnes left the home she had shared with her daughter and took a single room, boarding with a Mrs. Lang at 6 Chapel Street, Greenock.
Eventually Christina was able to take a house in Glasgow large enough to accommodate her mother and on the 28th May 1862, Agnes went to Glasgow to live with her daughter at 103 Crown Street for the next few years. In 1864, John Glen got a job as a foreman in Whiteinch, Glasgow. The Glen family, together with Agnes McKenzie, moved to 4 Orchard Street, Partick, Glasgow. A few years later and the family were once again on the move, this time across the River Clyde to 1 East View Place in Govan, Glasgow
Eventually Christina was able to take a house in Glasgow large enough to accommodate her mother and on the 28th May 1862, Agnes went to Glasgow to live with her daughter at 103 Crown Street for the next few years. In 1864, John Glen got a job as a foreman in Whiteinch, Glasgow. The Glen family, together with Agnes McKenzie, moved to 4 Orchard Street, Partick, Glasgow. A few years later and the family were once again on the move, this time across the River Clyde to 1 East View Place in Govan, Glasgow
Agnes endured ill health and suffered badly with asthma for many years. However, in 1866, she contracted hepatitis and, whilst also suffering from dropsy, Agnes died on 28 July 1867 at 1 East View Place, Govan, Glasgow, Lanarkshire at age 71. She was buried at the Greenock Cemetery, Inverkip Road, Greenock, with her late husband, Peter and their son, Alexander.
Descendants of Peter McKenzie
Peter McKenzie was born on 25 May 1798 in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire and died on 5 October 1850 in Greenock, Renfrewshire at age 52 years. Peter married Agnes Connell on 6 March 1819 in Loudoun, Ayrshire, Scotland. Agnes was born on 7 April 1796 in Newmilns, Ayrshire, Scotland and died on 28 July 1867 in Glasgow, Lanarkshire at age 71 years. They had nine children: Janet, Peter, Robert, John Connell, Agnes, Mary, Hugh Connell, Alexander and Christina.
- Janet McKenzie was born in about 1820 in Galston, Ayrshire, Scotland and died on 29 May 1886 in Greenock, Renfrewshire at age 66 years. Janet married William Manson on 16 February 1841 in Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland. William, a ships carpenter, was born in about 1820 in Prestwick, Ayrshire, Scotland and died on 11 May 1897 in Renfrew, Renfrewshire at age 77 years. They had 12 children: Robert, Peter, William, John, David, Thomas, Agnes, John Duncan, Mary, Alexander and James.
- Peter McKenzie was born in about 1824 in Scotland and died in February 1903 in Kansas City, Wyandotte County, Kansas, United States of America at age 79 years. Peter was apprenticed to his father as a shoemaker. In about 1859, Peter immigrated to Detroit, Michigan, United States of America. He later moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin where he worked as a boilermaker. Peter married Mary in about 1849 in America. Mary was born in about 1833 and died in April 1912 in Kansas City, Wyandotte County, Kansas, United States of America. They had seven children including Christina who married Reed G Stone and had two children: Minnie and Eva Janet.
- Robert McKenzie was born on 20 August 1825 in Newmilns, Ayrshire, Scotland and died on 30 January 1904 in Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland at age 78 years. Robert married Elizabeth Campbell Gillies on 26 November 1850 in Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland. Elizabeth was born on 23 September 1826 in Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland and died on 2 August 1873 in Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland at age 46 years. They had 12 children: Elizabeth Campbell, Agnes Connel, Euphemia Gillies, Janet, Peter, Daniel Carmichael, Jacobina Gillies, Robert, Alexander and James Kerr and two others unnamed.
- John Connell McKenzie was born in about 1826 in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland and died in 1897 in Ballarat, Victoria at age 71 years. John married Janet Hunter on 25 September 1848 in Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland. Janet was born in about 1818 and died on 27 September 1878 in Ballarat, Victoria at age 60 years. They had three children: Janet, John Crombie and Agnes. John next married Elizabeth Jane Nicholas in 1881 in Victoria, Australia. Elizabeth was born in June quarter 1851 in Paul, Cornwall, England and died on 25 September 1931 in Hawthorn, Victoria at age 80 years. They had four children: Elizabeth, Agnes May, Mary and Elsie.
- Agnes McKenzie was born in about 1829 in Newmilns, Ayrshire, Scotland and died on 14 July 1891 in Renfrew, Renfrewshire, Scotland at age 62 years. Agnes never married and had no children. She lived with her widowed sister, Mary, in 1858. They kept a shop at 71 Govan Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland. The shop provided laundry and dressmaking services. The shop was sold on 1 August 1864 and in 1877 they set up another shop together selling tobacco and oil in a chandlery in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland.
- Mary McKenzie was born in about 1830 in Newmilns, Ayrshire, Scotland. Mary married William Young on 15 October 1850 in Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland. William was born on 5 June 1826 in Renfrew, Renfrewshire, Scotland and died in about 1857 in Scotland after more than three years of ill health. They had two children: Allan and Jeannie. Jeannie Young died in 1859 at age 3. Allan Young did very well in the mercantile trade in Scotland and England.
- Hugh Connell McKenzie was born on 1 December 1831 in Newmilns, Ayrshire, Scotland and died on 8 September 1904 in Ballarat, Victoria at age 72 years. Hugh married Elizabeth Salisbury on 27 December 1858 in Ballarat, Victoria. Elizabeth was born on 17 March 1842 in Melbourne, Victoria and died on 2 February 1878 in Deniliquin, New South Wales at age 35 years. They had eight children: Peter, Elizabeth, Agnes, Mary Young, Jessie Elizabeth, John Cail, William Manson and William Hugh. Hugh next married Ursella Edward Annear on 27 May 1879 in Melbourne, Victoria. Ursella was born on 24 July 1847 in Breage, Cornwall, England and died on 18 April 1921 in Ballarat, Victoria at age 73 years. They had four children: Hugh Annear Bell, Selina Lily, Ursella Rose and Enid Ethel.
- Alexander McKenzie was born on 10 May 1834 in Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland and died on 28 June 1855 in Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland at age 21 years. He was buried with his father in Greenock Cemetery, Inverkip Road, Greenock, Renfrewshire.
- Christina McKenzie was born in about 1837 in Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland. Christina married John Glen on 20 June 1861 in Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland. John, a ship’s carpenter, was born in about 1829 in Maybole, Ayrshire, Scotland. They had five children: Agnes Connel, Mary Mathie, Christina McKenzie, Margaret and Janet.