(Feb. 1817-25 Feb. 1900), prominent citizen of his community. (James R. McKenzie, J. R. McKenzie) Born in the isle of Skye, Scotland. Parents: John McKenzie and his wife Ann McDonald. James R. was a connection, perhaps a great-nephew, of the celebrated Scottish heroine, Flora Macdonald of the ‘45. He attended the local parish school before emigrating with his parents to Canada, the family arriving at Quebec in Sept. 1830 and settling the same month in Lancaster Township, GC. The family moved to the rear of GC in 1835. In his early years, J. R. McKenzie had much experience of pioneer land clearing. He served in the GC militia in the suppression of the Rebellion of 1837 and subsequent disturbances, being finally discharged 1839; he was a colour sergeant with the militia at the Battle of the Windmill, 1838. At some period, probably in his early years, he taught school in the Dunvegan area. In 1845, he took employment in the store of Donald Cattanach, at Laggan. Donald Cattanach had married McKenzie’s sister in 1839. In 1850 McKenzie married a widow, Mrs Isabella MacLeod, the daughter of Capt. D. Murray. McKenzie’s brother, Alexander, also married a daughter of Capt. Murray, in 1843.

     James R. McKenzie was in business on his own as a merchant for a few years, from 1852. He was postmaster of Skye, GC, from 1858 (date 1854 also found) till his death, the post office of the Skye name being for the first few years at the site of present-day Dunvegan village before being moved in 1862 a few miles north to his farm home in the community now known as Skye (there has never been a Skye village). He was an elder in the Kenyon Presbyterian Church, Dunvegan, over a period of nearly half a century, from June 1854 till his death. From 1855 to 1884 he was the Kenyon Township clerk. When he resigned as clerk for reasons of health, he was replaced by James Fraser. (Cornwall Freeholder 1 Feb. 1884, cited DTL Standard Freeholder 29 Jan. 1949) In 1859, he bought 50 acres in the North 1/2 of Lot 21 in the 9th Concession of Kenyon Township, in the Skye community (at least as neighbourhoods were later defined), between Skye and Dunvegan. Though perhaps on a small scale, he farmed. He was appointed JP, 1870.

     His house at Skye (at “Skye Post Office”) burned on 14 Dec. 1878 (Cornwall Reporter, 28 Dec. 1878) Valuable early records of the Kenyon Presbyterian Church were lost in this fire. In an event at McRae’s Hall, Dunvegan, on 29 Jan. 1886, he was presented with an address and a gold locket and chain, Patrick Purcell being among those attending. In 1887, McKenzie read a paper on “The Settlement of the Highlanders in Glengarry” at a meeting of the Celtic Society of Montreal, but it is not known to have been published (as similar papers presented to this society by other authors sometimes were) and no copies are known to survive. He was appointed clerk of the Division Court, 1880. “He did conveyancing and other legal work for the country round.” (Glengarry News obituary) An 1891 article explains, “He had considerable knowledge of law and conveyancing, which he acquired while studying for some time with his brother, a barrister-at-law in the County of Prescott.“ The brother, William K. McKenzie, died at Vankleek Hill, 19 April 1865, aged 49.

     The 1891 article said, “By prudence and good business management he [James R. McKenzie] is believed to have acquired a fair portion of the good things of this life, with which he is very liberal towards every good and charitable cause, so that, in all likelihood, he has a sufficiency to maintain him comfortably during his declining years.” In politics, he was a Liberal. He was a Sunday school worker. J. R. McKenzie died at his home in Skye. There were no surviving children. He is buried close to the church, in the Dunvegan Cemetery. In Dunvegan, forty years after his death, “he was still remembered as a man of strong conviction, disliked by some people, especially the young with whom he was thought to be rather severe.” (MacMillan, 50)

Glengarry News 2 March 1900, repr. Fraser Obits. 225 * article on him subtitled “Sketch of a Well -known and Esteemed Canadian Highlander,” The Scottish Canadian 26 Feb. 1891; has interesting biog. detail * Lochinvar to Skye, 25-26, 334-338, 375 * MacMillan, Kenyon Presbyterian Church, 7, 45-50, 54, 58, 112 * Whyte (for James R., parents, siblings), i, 189, 258, ii, 217, 220, 223, 413 * marriage of bro. Alexander: Whyte as cited; The Ontario Register. ed. Thomas B. Wilson. Vol. 2 (1969, 1980) 176 * gold locket: Cornwall Freeholder 5 Feb. 1886, cited DTL Standard Freeholder 2 Feb. 1957 * Celtic Society paper: CF 4 March 1887, cited DTL SFH 1 March 1947, & Bibliography of Glengarry 17 * MacGillivray & Ross 337 (post office) * Fraser (1959) 212 (?) * W. K. McKenzie, lawyer: Lovell 1857 396; Whyte, ii, 223; dies: Witness 13 May 1865 & MacMillan diary for 19 April 1865 * John [sic] R. McKenzie, of Skye, attends Presbyterian General Assembly, Winnipeg, visits Vancouver, CF 2 Sept. 1887, cited DTL SFH 1 Sept. 1945 * “Squire Mackenzie, of Skye,” passes through Alexandria, Glengarrian 14 March 1890 * see also entry for Col. Angus Macdonell (d. 1842)