Mary Anna McKenzie

Notes:

Birth recorded in Western Maryland Catholics, Koch and Davidson, page 88.

May Anna McKenzie was baptized on March 11, 1827.

Mary married Charles Grant on 22 Feb 1847 in Allegany County, Maryland. Charles was born about 1819 in Montgomery County, Maryland; died in 1860 in Allegany County, Maryland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. James Moses Grant was born on 18 Feb 1847 in Cresaptown, Allegany County, Maryland; died on 25 Dec 1917 in Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa.
2. John Daniel Grant was born on 10 Jul 1852 in Cresaptown, Allegany County, Maryland; died on 11 Jun 1928 in Cresaptown, Allegany County, Maryland.
3. Charles William Grant was born on 10 Jul 1852 in Cresaptown, Allegany County, Maryland; died on 3 Mar 1893.
4. Joseph Thornton Grant was born on 4 Sep 1853 in Cresaptown, Allegany County, Maryland; died on 13 Jan 1935 in Cresaptown, Allegany County, Maryland.

Mary married Henry A. Adkins on 11 Jun 1860. Henry was born in 1814 in Virginia; died on 1 Nov 1861 in Allegany County, Maryland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Per the research of Col. Gabriel T. MacKenzie James Moses McKenzie and Margaret Agnes Porter McKenzie's tombstones had no lettering on them as they were red soft ferrous rectangular stones and time had obliterated all marking on them when he saw them in 1953 in the old Moses McKenzie Cemetary in Cresaptown, Maryland. A Mr. Sanford Robinette, 114 Winchester Road, Cresaptown showed Col. MacKenzie the above mentioned tombstones. Mr. Robinette is the husband of Lena Grant Robinette, daughter of Joseph F. Grant, deceased 1931, a grandson of James Moses and Margaret.

The (James) Moses McKenzie cemetery is located off McKenzie Tower Road, south of Cresaptown, Maryland. Take the Winchester Road Extension, turn left on McKenzie Tower Road. Go about .8 mile and the cemetery is on the right.

Moses McKenzie was listed in the 1860 Allegany County, Maryland Census as living in Disr=trict 6, page 193. His age was listed as being 65 years old. His wife, Margaret, was still alive and her age was listed as being 55.

They had the following children residing with them: Richard, age 22, Emily, age 19, Elizabeth, age 17, Ann, age 13, Charles, age 10 and Marian, age 3.

From the archives of Col. G.T. Mackenzie (Ret.) comes the following:

"there is a family record filed with the estate and will of the above Moses (James Moses) MacKenzie in the Allegany COunty Courthouse in Cumberland, Maryland where, I. Col. Gabriel T. MacKenzie, U.S. Army, retired, great grandson of the said Moses filed said family record with Moses' will but mistakenly said Daniel, father of Moses, was the son of Daniel instead of correctly stating that (James) Moses was the son of Daniel, son of Gabriel, son of John and Katherine."

Last Will & Testament of Moses McKinzie decd filed Jany 21st 1873
Test Elijah Fuller Regr.
Sworn to as to Custody by Daniel R. McKinzie the Executor therein named and also by John C. Brady John A. Smith & John B. Hudson the subscribing witnesses thereto and admitted to probate & record this 28th day of January 1873
Test Elijah Fuller Regr
Recorded

I Moses McKenzie of Allegany County in the State of Maryland do make this my last will and testament in maner[sic] following that is to say
I give and devise to my son Charles M. McKenzie the mare Moll and colt also the cow that he now claims. I give and devise to my three daughters Elisabeth McKenzie Ann McKenzie and Emily McKenzie one horse and one cow each.
I give and devise to my son Daniel R. McKenzie three hundred dollars to be paid to him as soon after the death of my wife Margaret McKenzie, as condition of my Estate will permit. The said amt being for sevices[sic] rendered after he became twenty one years of age.
All my Real Estate and all my Personal Property not herein before devised I give and devise to my dear wife Margaret McKenzie during her natural life and at her death I direct my Executor herein after named or the survivor of them to sell at such times upon such terms as they or the survivor of them may deem most benificial[sic] and advantagous to my Estate and they or the survivor of them are hereby authorized and empowered to make all nessessary[sic] conveyances of Title to the purchasors[sic] thereof and the proceeds of sales of my Real Estate and of my personal property I hereby will and direct to be equally divided in equal Portion share and share alike amongst my children vis Josiah P. McKenzie, Gabriel T. McKenzie, Daniel R. McKenzie, Charles M. McKenzie, Rebecca Laferty, Mary Ann Grant, Eliza J. Miller, Emily McKenzie, Elisabeth McKenzie and Ann McKenzie
and lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my wife Margaret McKenzie and my son Daniel R. McKenzie Executors of this my last will and testament revoking and annulling all former wills by me heretofore made ratifying and confirming this and none other to be my last will and testament
In testimony where of I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this twentieth day of March in the year Eighteen Hundred and Seventy on

Moses (his X mark) McKenzie (seal)

Signed sealed published declared by Moses McKenzie the above named testator as and for his last will and testament in the presence of us who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as witnesses thereto

John C. Brady
John A. Smith
John B. Hudson

~Genie
Posted May 11, 2013

Moses Mckenzie
United States Census, 1870
Name:Moses Mckenzie
Event Type:Census
Event Year:1870
Event Place:Maryland, United States
Gender:Male
Age:75
Race:White
Race (Original):W
Birth Year (Estimated):1794-1795
Birthplace:Maryland
Page Number:96
HouseholdRoleGenderAgeBirthplace
Moses MckenzieM75Maryland
Margaret MckenzieF66Maryland
Daniel MckenzieM30Maryland
Emily MckenzieF27Maryland
Elizabeth MckenzieF23Maryland
Ann MckenzieF20Maryland
Charles MckenzieM17Maryland
William MckenzieM18Maryland
John MckenzieM18Maryland
Joseph MckenzieM15Maryland
Household ID: 690 , Line Number: 34 , Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) , Affiliate Publication Number: M593 , GS Film number: 000552065 , Digital Folder Number: 004269448 , Image Number: 00484

Moses Mckenzie
United States Census, 1850
Name:Moses Mckenzie
Event Type:Census
Event Year:1850
Event Place:Allegany county, part of, Allegany, Maryland, United States
Gender:Male
Age:54
Race:White
Birth Year (Estimated):1796
Birthplace:Maryland
House Number:2073
HouseholdRoleGenderAgeBirthplace
Moses MckenzieM54Maryland
Margaret MckenzieF44Maryland
Thornton MckenzieM19Maryland
Eliza MckenzieF18Maryland
Daniel MckenzieM13Maryland
Emily MckenzieF10Maryland
Elizabeth MckenzieF8Maryland
Ann MckenzieF4Maryland
Chas MckenzieMMaryland
Household ID: 2103 , Line Number: 35 , Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) , Affiliate Publication Number: M432 , Affiliate Film Number: 277 , GS Film Number: 13194 , Digital Folder Number: 004193973 , Image Number: 00307

James married Margaret Agnes Porter on 6 May 1823 in Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland. Margaret (daughter of Gabriel McKenzie Porter and Rebecca Frost) was born on 10 Jan 1804 in Allegany County, Maryland; died on 31 Oct 1890 in Cresaptown, Allegany County, Maryland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Margaret's obituary appeared in the Cumberland times and read, as follows: McKenzie, 04 Nov 1890, Mrs. Margaret McKenzie, wife of Moses McKenzie (ed. note: James Moses McKenzie) and the daughter of Gabriel M. Porter, and sister of Joseph Porter, died last Friday (31 Oct) at her home in Cresaptown, age 85. She leaves the following children: Thornton, Joseph, Charles and Richard McKenzie and Mrs. Issac lafferty and s single daughters at home. The funeral is at the Catholic Church at Cresaptown with interment at the home farm near that place.

irth: Jan. 10, 1804
Allegany County
Maryland, USA
Death: Oct. 31, 1890
Cresaptown
Allegany County
Maryland, USA


Family links:
Spouse:
James Moses McKenzie (1795 - 1873)

Children:
Gabriel Thornton McKenzie (1829 - 1892)*

*Calculated relationship


Burial:
McKenzie Cemetery
Pinto
Allegany County
Maryland, USA

Created by: Doug Oltmanns
Record added: Jul 23, 2012
Find A Grave Memorial# 94070652

Notes:

The marriage license was issued in Allegany County, Maryland on May 3, 1823. Research of Ray Leidinger. According to the research of J. Albert Smith, they were married in the Catholic Church in Frostburg, Maryland.

Notes:

Daniel McKenzie

Daniel McKenzie (1) was born in Frederick County, Maryland about 1752. He married Mary Ann Chapman 2 DEC 1779 in Washington County, Maryland. Together they had seven children:

1.William McKenzie (2)
Born 1782
Had children George, Edward, Taylor, Perry, Walter and John

2.Richard McKenzie
Born 1784
Married Elizabeth Spealman 16 JUN 1810
Had children William, Dennis and Levi

3.Samuel McKenzie
Born 1785
Married Rachel Durbin
Had children Henry, Grant, Aaron and Albert

4.Mary Ann McKenzie
Born 1787
Married William Myers

5.Daniel McKenzie
Born 1790
Married Elizabeth Hackrette

6.Aaron (Aron) (3) McKenzie
Born 1792
Married Hannah Johnson 10 MAR 1819
Had children Daniel, Silas, Aaron W., John Ephriam and Samuel (4)

7.James Moses McKenzie
Born 1795
Married Margaret Agnes Porter 3 May 1823
Had children Mary Ann, Josiah, Gabriel Thornton, Eliza Jane, Daniel Richard, Margaret Amelia, Elizabeth, Anna Mary and Charles Moses
Died 10 JAN 1873

Daniel McKenzie and Mary Ann Chapman moved to Allegany County before 1792 and settled on land south of Cumberland. Daniel received a Patent for the land from the State of Maryland (5) in 1795. According to information contained in the Patent, he was able to purchase the land from the State at that time because he had originally settled on it. Pursuant to an Act of the General Assembly, he was given a preference to purchase the land before it was offered for sale to anyone else. Ultimately, he purchased Lots No. 3552, 3554 and 3569. Michael McKenzie of Mt. Savage, Maryland provided the author with more information concerning Daniel’s patent in November, 2010. There is a compilation of Military Lot Patents on record in the Maryland State Archives. (5.1) Daniel’s patents are set forth on pages 0348 and 0349. There also is a map that reflects all of the Military Lots, Tracts and Escheats that were awarded or sold to individuals in the late 1700’s and which contains Daniel’s patented lots 3552, 3554 and 3569. located south of Cresaptown. Daniel sold some of his land (50 acres) to William Shaw (6) in 1797.(7) On January 26, 1805, John Logsdon and Daniel McKinsy sold portions of lots 3568 and 3569 to Emanual Custer. (8) Then, in 1810, Daniel McKinzie reacquired from William Shaw the same parcel of land Daniel had sold to him in 1797 (50 acres). (9)

The Cumberland area was sparsely populated at the time Daniel McKenzie moved there. There were settlements in an area called Old Town as well as in Cumberland. (10) Daniel McKenzie along with Gabriel McKenzie, Josiah McKenzie, Moses McKenzie and Samuel McKenzie were listed as being some of the settlers living on land lying West of Fort Cumberland. (11)

Per information supplied to the author by Michael McKenzie of Mt. Savage, Maryland in November, 2010, Daniel McKenzie was quite active in the years immediately after his relocation to the area west of Cumberland. According to a 1974 issue of the Heritage Press newsletter, the following was the bond contract for replacing a bridge in the Cumberland area: ?”Pursuant to an order of the Levy Court the following bond as recorded this 2nd August 1796: Know all men by these presents that we, William Logsdon, John Logsdon, Ralph Logsdon and Daniel McKinzy are bound unto David Huffman, John Graham and Patrick Murdock for 747 pounds current money of the State. The condition: William Logsdon shall do and will and truly build and finish on or before 1st September, next, a good and sufficient wagon bridge over Wills Creektown of Cumberland at the place where the bridge lately stood, the said Bridge to be at least five feet higher than the late bridge, 16 feet wide with railing three feet high; he also to keep the same in good and sufficient repair for term of seven years and to rebuilt the same if carried away or destroyed, at his own cost except he not to replace, if the water rises over the bridge.” The Daniel McKinzy referenced was the son of Gabriel McKenzie (b. abt. 1715) . Gabriel lived in the Bald Knob area near Mount Savage, Maryland, where Earl Lepley’s property/residence currently is located as of November, 2010. Per the various maps referenced earlier, the Leplays currently live on the same 50 acres which Gabriel McKenzie owned in the 1790’s.

The 1800 census lists (12) Daniel McKinzie living in the Upper Old Town, (13) Georges Creek section of the county. His age was recorded as being in excess of 45 years as was his wife. There were three males at home under the age of ten, two males between ten and sixteen, one female between ten and sixteen and another female between the age of sixteen and twenty-six. (14)

The 1810 census lists Daniel McKinsey still living in the Upper Old Town, Georges Creek area. His age once again is listed as being in excess of 45. His wife was still alive. There was one male under the age of ten living with him, two males between ten and sixteen and one male between sixteen and twenty-six. There was one female between the age of sixteen and twenty-six residing in his household. (15)

The 1820 census lists Daniel McKinsey and his wife and two males, ages between sixteen and twenty-six residing in the Election District Number 6. (16) There is no record of Daniel in the 1830 census, which coincides with the fact he died in 1825. There also is no mention of his wife, Mary, as being a head of household at the time that census was taken. (17)

On June 9, 1812 Thomas Pollard conveyed 45 acres of property to Daniel McKenzie, which was referenced on plats at the time as “Allegany Republican”. That property later became the subject of an Equity Case in Allegany County after Daniel died without leaving a will. (18) The property was later sold by order of the Court sitting in Equity and was acquired by (James) Moses McKenzie, Daniel’s youngest son. (19) It remained in the (James) Moses McKenzie branch of the family until approximately 1900 when it was sold to Daniel Annan and later became a dairy. Unfortunately, on approximately December 8, 1935 a fire destroyed the log cabin situated on the property that was constructed by Daniel McKenzie in the early 1800's. An article about the fire and the history surrounding the cabin appeared in the Cumberland Times on December 15, 1935. (20)

In 1819, Daniel McKenzie and his wife, Ann McKenzie, were the sponsors at the Baptism of William McKenzie, born February 15, 1818 to parents, Samuel McKenzie and Rachel Durbin. The Baptism was held at St. Ignatius, the Roman Catholic Church in the Mt. Savage area, West of Cumberland, Maryland. (21) According to material compiled by Col. Gabriel T. McKenzie, the first McKenzies to emigrate to America were Catholic and came from Scotland. Maryland was a perfect choice for their new home since following the passage of the Act of Toleration in 1649, Maryland eventually became known as being a safe haven for Catholics.

Daniel McKenzie died without a will in 1825. His estate was submitted for administration shortly thereafter. The administrator was his eldest son, William. The Inventory of the personal property of Daniel McKinzie was filed on 13 SEPT 1825. (22) The First Account reflects the names of the individuals who were owed money by Daniel at the time of his death. (23) The Second and Final Account reflects that the following individuals received money from the estate after the personal property was sold: Ann McKinsey, her one third (24) share totalling $29.17, and dividends of $8.33 were paid to Richard McKinsey, Samuel McKinsey, Daniel McKinsey, Aaron McKinsey, Moses McKinsey, William McKinsey and Mary Myers, wife of William Myers. (25) Interestingly, the shares were not precisely divisable. One share for $8.34 (one cent more) was given to the eldest son, William, who was serving as the administrator. Seven children were listed as having received dividends.

Daniel McKenzie died before 7 SEPT 1825. Both he and Mary Ann Chapman were buried in the cemetery of St. Michael’s Church. (26)

Endnotes

1. In the handwritten notes of Col. Gabriel T. McKenzie, U.S. Army, Retired, he states on a page relating to James Moses McKenzie “There is a family record filed with the estate and will of the above, James Moses McKenzie, in the Allegheny Courthouse in Cumberland, Maryland. Col. Gabriel T. McKenzie U.S. Army retired, great grandson of Moses filed said family record with Moses’ will but mistakenly said Daniel, father of Moses, was son of Daniel, instead of correctly stating Moses was son of Daniel, son of Gabriel, son of John of AA County.” (Ed. Note: This passage appears on page 221 of the notes of Gabriel T. McKenzie, U.S. Army Retired in Volume 3 of the author, Michael A. McKenzie’s genealogical source documents). (Ed. Note: James Moses was one of Daniel McKenzie’s sons, see supra).

2. The children of Daniel from this point through the end of the list were referenced in Equity Case #292, Allegany County Chancery Court records.

3. In the 1820 census Aaron McKenzie was listed as "Aron McKinsey". It's quite possible the census taker did not know how to spell.

4. In the Col. Gabriel T. MacKenzie genealogical research, a letter was written by J. F. Grant to Col. MacKenzie on December 13, 1929. In that letter J.F. Grant (who was born in 1854) recounts for Col. MacKenzie the names of the various sons of Daniel McKenzie (b. 1752). He starts by stating that the sons of Daniel (Ed. Note, b. 1752) were Aaron, Samuel, Richard, William, Moses (Ed.Note, actually James Moses) and Daniel, Jr.. He then lists the sons of each of the aforementioned individuals, as follows: “Aaron’s (our Aaron McKenzie b. 1792) sons were: Daniel, (Ed.Note This Daniel is in our family’s line. This Daniel is referred to as Daniel IV in Col. MacKenzie’s notes so as to distinguish him from other Daniels born during the preceding and succeeding generations) William, Silas (sic), Samuel and John Ephriam. Samuel’s sons were Henry, Grant, Aaron and Albert. Richard’s sons were William, Dennis and Levi. William’s sons were George, Edward, Taylor, Perry, Walter and John. Moses’ sons were Josiah, Thornton, Richard and Charles. Daniel, Jr. only had one son that I know of and his name was Henry.” The census records reflect that Aaron had two daughters. The author has not yet been able to determine their identity.

In addition to the foregoing letter, J.F. Grant wrote another letter to Col. McKenzie on October 7, 1929, wherein he states: (James) Moses McKenzie, your great-grandfather, was not the son of Moses the revolutionary soldier but was a son of Daniel McKenzie.”


5. Patent from the State of Maryland to Daniel McKinsey dated November 14, 1792. Maryland State Archives. Volume IC #L, page 72. A partial transcription of the patent follows:

Daniel McKinsey, his patent)The State of Maryland know ye that
Lots No. 3552, 3554 & 3569)Whereas there were laid out and
Each containing 50 acres)surveyed amongst the lots in Allegany

County to the westward of Fort Cumberland pursuant to a resolution of the General Assembly passed at April session in the year seventeen hundred and eighty seven, the following lying contiguous to each other Lots No. 3552, 3554 & 3569 each containing fifty acres. And Whereas the said lots were by the Commissioners appointed in virtue of an Act passed at November session seventeen hundred and eighty eight "to dispose of the referenced lands westward of Fort Cumberland allotted and awarded to Daniel McKinsey as settler on and having a preference in the purchase of same and it appearing by the account of the transferor of the western acres that the purchase money hath been fully paid, the State of Maryland doth hereby grant unto him the said Daniel McKinsey the said lots No. 3552, 3554 & 3569 lying in Allegany County aforesaid
. . .
(legal descriptions follow)
. . .

according to the record ______to, and now remaining in the land office: together with all rights, profits, benefits and privileges thereunto belonging. To have and to hold the same unto him the said Daniel McKinsey, his heirs and assigns forever. Given under the Great Seal of the State of Maryland this fourteenth day of November seventeen hundred and ninety two.

Witness the Honorable Alexander Hanson, Esquire, Chancellor

I.T.G. StoneGreatA.C. Hanson
SealChancellor

5.1. Maryland State Archives, MSA SE1-1, Images 020745-0001 to 020745-0409.

5.2 Map of 1874 Military Lots, Tracts and Escheats, see Land Patent Location Daniel McKenzie (b. 1752) in the “Media” section of the www.mckenziesofearlymaryland.com web site.

6 The Reverend William Shaw was a Methodist minister who settled on the site of Barton, Maryland in 1794. He amassed an estate of 1200 acres before he died. Allegany County, A History, Stegmaier, Dean, Kershaw and Wiseman, McClain Printing Company (1976)

7. Deed from Daniel McKinsey to William Shaw dated March 16, 1797 recorded in Deed Book "B", page 300, Allegany County records.

8. Deed from Daniel McKinsy and John Logsdon to Emanual Custer dated January 26, 1805 recorded in Deed Book "D", page 285, Allegany County records.

9. Deed from William Shaw to Daniel McKinzie dated July 17, 1810 recorded in Deed Book "F", page 129, Allegany County records.

10. Daniel McKenzie was taxed on his property in the early 1800's after the legislature passed the enabling legislation for the tax to be levied.
The legislature . . . passed an act appointing Andrew Bruce, Even Gywnn and Joseph Cresap a board of commissioners for Allegany County, and directed the commissioners of Washington County to transmit to them a list of all the real and personal properties in the new county. (1789).
The distance to Cumberland, the only voting place provided for in the Act constituting Allegany County, from Sideling Hill Creek on the east, and the Fairfax Stone on the west, was too great for the convenience of the people residing in those remote sections, and in 1799 the General Assembly passed an Act for laying Allegany County off into districts. The commissioners appointed were John B. Baell, David Hoffman, Thomas Stewart, William Shaw, George Robinette and Jesse Tomlinson, and the county was divided into six election districts, known as Glades, Selbyport, Westernport, Musselanes, Cumberland and Old Town.
The levy court was composed of the justices of the peace of the county. Those who signed the first levy made for Allegany County, 1791, were Daniel Cresap, Jr., Thomas Beall of Samuel, James Prather, Samuel Barritt and John Bayard, . . . the total amount of the levy was 286 pounds, 7 shillings, 7 pence. The rate of taxation was fixed at 7 shillings, 3 pence on every 100 pounds of property in the county . . . In 1804 the levy was 22 s. 11 pence per hundred pounds of property . . . It is also worthy of note that this was the last instance in which the old English money designation was used in the levy court of Allegany County. From that time on the new order of dollars and cents was followed. Thomas and Williams, History of Allegany County, V.1, page 3-8.

11. History of Allegany County, Maryland by Thomas & Wilson page 3; Scharf’s History of Western Maryland, Volume 2, page 1343.

12. The author wishes to acknowledge and thank Joy Rowe, 5386 Glenda Street, West Palm Beach, Florida 33417-1072 for the immense amount of work she performed in gathering the census information on the branch of the McKenzies currently being discussed.

13. Upper Old Town was located thirteen miles south of Cumberland on the Potomac River.

14. 1800 Federal Census, LDS film number 0,193,662, page 33, Maryland, Allegany County, Upper Old Town, Georges Creek.

15. 1810 Federal Census, LDS film number 0,193,667, page 38, Maryland, Allegany County, Georges Creek.

16. 1820 Federal Census, LDS film number 0,193,702, page 39, Maryland, Allegany County, Election District 6.

17. Census research of Joy Rowe, 5386 Glenda Street, West Palm Beach, Florida 33417-1072.

18. Equity Case # 292, Allegany Court Records.

19. Deed from Thomas Perry, Trustee, to (James) Moses McKinsie dated December 4, 1851 recorded in Deed Book 6, page 580, Allegany County records. The property included land located in lot 3552, 3554 and 3569 in Allegany County. These lots "being the same lots described and mentioned in a Patent to Daniel McKinsey bearing date on the 14th day of November, 1795". It also included that tract or parcel of land known as Allegany Republican containing 45 acres described in a deed from Thomas Pollard to Daniel McKinsey.dated June 9, 1812.

20. The article read as follows:
Settler Log Home Prey to Flames
The above is a picture of the McKenzie log house on Winchester Road, near Annan Knolls, destroyed a week ago by fire. It is known that the building was erected before 1800 by Daniel McKenzie, a pioneer settler. The county land records show that the large tract now comprises the former Daniel Annan Farm was patented to McKenzie in 1795 by the State of Maryland.
McKenzie, it is thought, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War and received military lots, as large tracts in the county were shown on the rough surveys. The farm was earlier known as the Moses McKenzie farm and comprised 435 acres from Cresaptown to the present Winchester railroad bridge. Moses McKenzie was a noted fox hunter and maintained a large pack of hunting dogs.
The land records show one part of the acreage termed as “Allegany Republican”, and two others, “Contest” and “Timberland”. Great stands of white pine and oak covered it. Josiah P. McKenzie, a grandson of Moses McKenzie, held title to the property until 1900 when the late Daniel Annan purchased it and improved the property and established a dairy. It was later laid out as a realty development.

21. Davidson, Phyllis and Koch, Richard, St. Ignatius (now St. Patrick), Mt. Savage, MD, St. Mary, Cumberland, Maryland Parishioners, Marriages, Baptisms, and Deaths 1819-1844, (apparently self-published) at page 16. St. Ignatius Roman Catholic Church (now St. Patrick’s) was the original Catholic Church in the Mt. Savage area, west of Cumberland, Maryland. The records of St. Ignatius were compiled by Phyllis Davidson and Richard T. Koch. Their task was made easier since the records were maintained in English and not Latin, as were the records of St. Luke’s. Mr. Gary E. Hindes of Wilmington, Delaware had hired a professional genealogist, Ms. Jane W. McWilliams (Annapolis, MD) to do research on his Logsdon ancestors. Material from the Maryland State Archives (MSA) that she sent Hindes identified the source as MSA M3461-St. Patrick Church, 201 North Centre Street, Cumberland, Maryland, but included only pages with Logsdon entries. Gary shared those pages with other Logsdon researchers, including Mr. Jim Logsdon of Columbus, Ohio who forwarded copies to Davidson and Koch. Subsequently, additional pages were obtained from the MSA to complete the first 50 pages, and some selected additional pages. The compilers advise in the forward that they have not exhausted the material at the MSA. They hoped that someday this particular manuscript would be expanded through 1863, when the cornerstone for the current church was laid and St. Ignatius was renamed St. Patrick (of Mt. Savage, MD).

The compliers drew partially drew from A Century of Growth, Volume 1, the history of the Roman Catholic Church in Western Maryland, a book by Rev. Thomas J. Stanton. A copy of this book allegedly is available in the Frostburg Branch of the Allegany County, MD library. The Family History Center (LDS) in Salt Lake City also has a copy of the book. According to the compilers, because St. Mary’s Church in Cumberland was served co-jointly with St. Ignatius in Mt. Savage, they could not separate the history of the two churches. A quote from the Stanton’s book appears in the introduction of the compilation, as follows: “St. Mary’s Church of Cumberland may truthfully be called the mother of all Churches of Allegany County. It is historically certain that Catholicity had an existence in Cumberland, although very shadowy at the beginning, as far back as the French and Indian War. . . . As far back as 1770, Joseph [Josiah] Frost must be added to the pioneer Catholics; and ten years later the Arnolds, the Porters and the Logsdons were dwelling at what became Arnold’s Settlement (later called Mt. Savage). . . . It was not until 1819 that the first resident pastor, Rev. James Redmond, was appointed to Cumberland. “ Various other pastors followed thereafter. Their initials appear next to many of the entries.

22. Inventories, Allegany County Probate Records, filed 13 SEPT 1825. The total value of his personal property came to $185.14. The appraisers were Joseph P. Hillsay and George Seass. The appraisal was conducted on 7 SEPT 1825. Items mentioned in the Inventory include: one auld (old) wagon, $25.00, one bee hive, $1.25, one brown mare, $12.00, 5 hoggs (sic), $11.00, 5 shoates, $5.00, one 2 year auld steer, $4.50, wheat in the straw supposed to be 25 bushels, $15.62, rye in the stack, $3.00, one acre of buckwheat, $1.00, one stack of hay, $4.50, one feather bead, beadsted and furniture, $10.00, one shot gunn and shot pouch, $6.00, etc.

23. Inventories, Estate Book No. 1, page 335, November 14, 1826, Allegany County, Maryland.

24. It was the law of the State of Maryland at the time of this distribution that the surviving wife receive one third of the estate.

25. Second and Final Return, Estate Book No. 1, page 343, Allegany County, Maryland, filed 13 MAR 1827.

26. In a letter from Col. Gabriel MacKenzie to Mrs. Richard M. White dated August 28, 1961 (contained on Col. MacKenzie microfilm), Col. MacKenzie states: "Joseph P. Grant, deceased 1931, said in 1929 when I started the family research that Daniel was buried in the old Catholic Church cemetery in Frostburg, in walking distance of Mt. Savage. I went to Frostburg in 1957 and was told by the priest that the old church with all records had been destroyed or lost; a new church had been erected and the old graveyard had been cleared away for a playground for the church parochial school children. I could learn nothing relative to Daniel’s grave.

Additional information from Allegany County Probate Records:

McKINSEY, Daniel (distribution)

Amount due estate $106.79 3/4
Debts paid $ 19.52
_________
Balance $ 87.52 3/4
To Mary McKinsey her third $ 29.17
To: Richard, Samuel Daniel, Aaron, Moses, WilliamMcKinsey, & Mary Myer wife of Wm. Myer (each) $8.33

March 10th 1827
Test: C. Heck Reg.

Daniel married Mary Ann Chapman on 2 Dec 1779 in Washington County, Maryland. Mary was born on 16 Feb 1754; died in UNKNOWN in Allegany County, Maryland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Per research of Don Kagle in October 2013, he located a document (linked to Mary Ann Chapman on the McKenzies of Early Maryland web site) that reflects the birthdates of Mary Ann Chapman and her siblings. The information gleaned from Ancestry by Don stated "William [Chapman] added this record of his sibling's births to a page in the book "Heavens Opened" of 1665.

Notes:

This is from Sheryl Kelso:

The information for Gabriel's line comes from Phyllis Roslay, with this note attached, dated September 5, 2012:
"I forgot that years ago that Phyllis Davidson in Ohio had sent me a lot of her research on the Porter family. It is much more reliable than the Porter book. Phyllis Davidson co-authored the book "Western Maryland Catholics", with Dick Koch."

This information was forwarded to Michael A. McKenzie by Scott Carter Williams in August 2018:

The name "Gabriel McKenzie Porter" appears as early as 1889 in the book entitled "Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of fayette County, Pennsylvania" by Samuel T. Wiley. The original viewed by ths writer reflects that it is in the Cornell University Library and also is available through Google Books. The page number is 396 in the electronic version and 374 in the actual book.

He is buried in the Porter Cemetery.

The followig information was sent to the writer, Michael A. McKenzie in August, 2018, by Alan Williams:

To the best of my knowledge we have no document of John Porter’s (b. 1737) marriage to Nancy McKenzie, but there is the clear indication of a family interaction in the name of our 3xGreat Grandfather Gabriel McKenzie Porter. He was John (and Nancys?) fourth son. Its possible he’s named for his grandfather, or for a Porter neighbor, as the ‘old country naming traditions’ certainly broke down at some point.

For a while we were confused by Gabriel Porter McKenzie’s residence in Allegany County and death in PA. What we learned is this: His move to PA was preceded by his son Moses (b. 1804), who moved to present day Fayette County PA, apparent home of his wife’s family, the Wades. The Wades are also related by marriage to the Lindley’s and Gabriel McKenzie Porter’s estate showed he did in fact owe end of life Doctor’s bills for services of Dr. Lutellus Lindley. One of Moses children is named for that doctor, and another child attended medical school under Dr. Lindley’s guidance.

Tracking this, I found Moses Porter’s grave (1804-1880) in what is now an abandoned graveyard in PA, called “Owensdale” but which had locally been called the “Stickler/Porter burying ground”. Moses is one of the final burials there, and we think it’s likely that also marks Gabriel Mckenzie Porters resting place. https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2234359/owensdale-cemetery

Neither Moses, nor so far as we could find, his father Gabriel McKenzie Porter, owned slaves, although Gabe’s brother Squire Jack, did. That may have been part of the decision to move to PA, we cannot know for certain.

From what I’ve gleaned in other emails this past few days, a number of McKenzie’s (including Catherine Winters husband Jesse) seem to be recorded as PA birth. My brother, Scott Williams, is far advanced in understanding the Porter brothers movements back and forth across the MD/PA border, which will hopefully help us narrow down the point at which the two families ‘hooked up’, whether at Hobsons, McKenzie’s Discovery, or some later point.

Alan

Alan Williams sent the following to the writer, Michael A. McKenzie in August 2018. The subject deals with Gabriel McKenzie Porter's middle name and whether there were/are any source documents which corroborate the "McKenzie" portion of the name.

Alan wrote:

In all Instances of documents included in Gabriel Porter’s probate, he is given either as G.M. Porter or Gabriel M. Porter. The only instances I recall of him without his middle initial are listings in census. For whatever reason, the “M” seems to be important to his name! And to the best of my knowledge, we had no other Gabriel Porters around the landscape for him to distinguish himself from.

Scott Williams sent the followig to the writer, Michael A. McKenzie concerning the same subject also in August 2018:

See attached reprint from an 1889 book of Biographical Sketches of Fayette County PA. He is the only one of John Porter Jr's children to have a middle name in SDP's book and it is "McKenzie".

Here is the link:

Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Fayette County, Pennsylvania

Biographical and portrait cyclopedia of Fayette County, Pennsylvania

Writer's note: this book states at the beginning that it is located in the library at Cornell University. Scott obtained it via Google Books and sent it to the writer.

Per Nathan Williams September, 2018:

To the question of Gabriel McKenzie Porter, I found two things in Western Maryland Catholics by Koch and Davidson. Number 1 is a reference to a person in the book called "Kenzie Porter" who sponsored the baptism of Josiah [Price] McKenzie, son of Moses and Margaret McKenzie in 1828. P. 89. The authors of the book amended the record to read as follows [Gabriel Mc]Kenzie Porter. I would consider this (as well as the communion record captured below) as record primary source evidence that Gabe Porter's middle name was McKenzie.

Gabriel McKenzie Porter only appears in the church records twice. Once is the first communion record, the other is sponsoring the baptism listed above. His marriage record to Rebecca Frost by Father Galitzen is included as well, that date is recorded as May 10, 1797.

Gabriel married Rebecca Frost on 11 May 1797 in Mt. Savage, Allegany County, Maryland. Rebecca (daughter of Josiah Frost and Elizabeth Parsell) was born in 1774 in Frostburg, Allegany County, Maryland; died about 1813 in Eckhart, Allegany County, Maryland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Thoughts from Scott Williams to the author. August 14, 2018:

I will share with you the reader's digest version of one of my avenues of research. There are no original source records that positively link the Porters with the McKenzies before settlement in Western Maryland. If you believe tradition and family lore, they must have been in close proximity to each other in the generation of Daniel, Gabriel, and Daniel McKenzie down in the Patapsco/Baltimore Co/Frederick County area. We have reported intermarriage between Henry Porter and a Durbin as well as the reported Porter/McKenzie intermarriages. Yet no one (including the Colonel) has found proof in the traditional resources like deeds, patents, etc. We have a few other MD Porters thereabouts, but we have all but eliminated them as suspects. There are a ton of Porters along the PA/MD border, and they are not so easily eliminated, but they all seem to be Scots-Irish Protestants - again, not fully disqualifying, but not too promising either.

This I do know (or propose as a thesis). The first positive connection in the record appears in Bedford County, PA. Sam and John McKenzie appear there in 1773, Gabriel and Sam in 1774 and again in 1775. John Porter appears on the next page from them in 1775 as a "renter". In 1776 Gabriel McKenzie and John Porter appear - and Sam appears as an "inmate" (uh-oh :)). The PA records appear to be non-existent for a few years then pick up again in 1779, when all I have is John Porter and no McKenzies. Do note, however that Gabriel, Aaron, Sam, and Daniel McKenzie take the loyalty oath over in Washington (now Allegany) County in 1778.

So my thesis is that Gabriel and sons moved westward to Bedford County PA beginning in 1772 and that this move appears to coincide with the sale of three properties in Frederick County. Gabriel and sons stay on the Bedford side of the line until 1777 or 78 when they move across the line into Maryland. John Porter appears adjacent to them in the record from 1775 to 1778 when they move - he stays in PA until around 1784 and eventually resettles in Maryland. John Porter is reported to have lived near Wellersburg PA with is 'just across the line' from the Mount Savage area - and if you have been there, you will know that it is pretty much "all the same place".

So, this puts John Porter in proximity to the McKenzies, but I need more in the way of kinship ties, etc. In the attached loyalty oath you will see all of our Catholic tribe in one place by 1778, including Henry Porter (brother of John and Moses Porter) who reportedly married a Durbin.

Here is a link to the source file for Bedford PA stuff:

https://archive.org/stream/3rdpennsylvaniaarch22harruoft#page/18/mode/2up/search/gabriel

Pages of interest:

1773: pg 19 and 20
1774: pg 60
1775: pg 92 and 93
1776: pg 125 and 127
1779: pg 161
1783: pg 211 and 264
1784: pg 278

1778 Loyalty Oath attached.

Feedback always welcome!!
Scott


Excerpt from author's book The McKenzies of early Maryland:

Gabriel McKenzie

Gabriel McKenzie (1) was born in Hopson’s Choice, Baltimore County, Maryland about 1715. He married Sarah Durbin in 1742 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Baltimore County, Maryland. (1.1) Together they had seven children:

1.Anne McKenzie

2.Michael McKenzie

3.Samuel McKenzie (2)
Born 1750
Married Abt. 1790 to Ellen _______
Had children Samuel F., John M., Gabriel, Sara Ann, Eleanor, Polly, Jane, Catherine, Elizabeth, Moses
Died 1837 in Allegany County, Maryland per Death Register for St. Patrick’s Church.

4.Daniel McKenzie
Born Abt. 1755
Married Mary Ann Chapman 2 DEC 1779 in Washington County, Maryland
Had children William, Richard, Samuel, Mary Ann, Daniel, Aaron and James Moses
Died 1825, Allegany County, Maryland

5.John McKenzie
Born 1765
Married Lindy (Melinda) Porter
Had children Aaron, John, Daniel, Henry, Gabriel, Samuel E., Sarah,
Mary, Marjery, and Margaret
Died 1852, Madison Co, KY

6.Aaron McKenzie
Born 1768

7.Joshua McKenzie
Born 1768

On 5 NOV 1743, Gabriel McKenzie had a survey recorded for “Gabriel’s Choice”. (4) This tract lay southwest of Westminster MD, on the west side of Mt. Airy Road, between the tracts of James and Thomas Wells. The operative words of the document stated that the land was located in Baltimore County, which given the date is consistent with the fact that Frederick County (where the land is situated today) was formed from Baltimore County and Prince George’s County in 1748. It further states that Gabriel MacKenzie (actual spelling) had received a common warrant for 100 acres of land from “His Lordship’s Land Office dated the 17 Day of March, 1742 and that Gabriel was a resident of Ann Arundell County (actual spelling). (5) The land patent itself was formally issued on the “1st Day of December 1743 by Thomas Bladen, Your Lieutenant General and Chief Governor of our said Province of Maryland, Chancellor & Keeper of the Great Seal thereof.” (6)

Per Thomas Scharf, Frederick County was not a safe place for Colonial settlers at the time Gabriel purchased and owned the property. (7) “In the French and Indian War which ensued after the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1749, between England and France, Maryland became involved mainly in self-defense, and though she was to share none of its spoils, her people were destined to suffer from many of the dangers and hardships it brought in its train. Even before Braddock’s defeat bands of Indians were making forays into Frederick County burning houses and slaughtering the inhabitants, but after his disastrous overthrow on the 9th of July, 1755, and the retreat of Col. Dunbar with the remainder of the British Army to Philadelphia, the whole northern and western frontier of the province was thrown open to the Indians. Measures of defense were almost immediately adopted, but even had they sufficed for the complete protection of the wide territory to be guarded, they would scarcely have allayed the terror which had taken possession of the frontier settlers. The alarm inspired by Braddock’s defeat and by the advance of the French and Indians was so great that many inhabitants of the western settlements fled to Baltimore, and preparations were even made by the people of that town to place the women and children on board the vessels in the harbor and send them to Virginia”.

In June 1750 Gabriel sued John White for cutting down the oak trees which marked the beginning of “Gabriel’s Choice.” (8)

On 18 JUN 1754, Gabriel purchased 50 acres “Small Addition” from James (a later deed for the same property refers to the seller as John White) and Margaret White of Frederick County (Frederick County having been formed six years earlier in 1748) (9). The land was located in Frederick County and per the legal description was situated near the head of the Little Pipe Creek. The reference to “Little Pipe Creek” in both the patent for Gabriel’s Choice and in the deed for “Small Addition” suggests that the parcels may have been contiguous.

On 14 JUL 1755, Gabriel McKenzie, planter of Frederick County, and his wife Sarah deeded to Nicholas Rodgers 200 acres, part of a “Resurvey of Gabriel’s Choice”.(10).

On October 6, 1764, Gabriel MacKenzie of Frederick County secured a patent for 19 acres of land in Frederick County called Addition to Gabriel’s Choice. The recitations at the beginning of the deed/patent state as follows: “By virtue of a Warrant granted out of his Lordship’s Land Office of the Province to Daniel MacKenzie and John Logsdon of Ann Arundel County for seventy five acres of land bearing date 17th of January, 1764, which said warrant is assigned to Gabriel MacKenzie of Frederick County, etc.” Since Daniel McKenzie is not known to have had a child by the name of Gabriel, the only conclusion that can be drawn from the assignment of this patent is that Daniel McKenzie and John Logsdon were assigning a portion of their seventy five acres to Daniel’s brother, Gabriel. (10.5) The Logsdon connection is an interesting fact in view of the information set forth below that Gabriel’s wife also had a Durbin connection, since she was the daughter of Samuel Durbin and Anne (Logsdon) Durbin.

On 28 Jun 1769, Gabriel McKinsey of Frederick County sold to William Buchanan 80 acres more or less of the property known as the “Resurvey of Gabriel’s Choice”. (11) The sale price was 66 Pounds. The deed reflects that the property consisted of a portion of the “Resurvey of Gabriel’s Choice” which was patented to Gabriel on the twenty third day of July, 1755. The deed further reflected that Sarah McKinsey, wife of Gabriel, had released her dower rights after having been examined out of the presence of her husband and did so “freely and voluntarily not being induced or compelled thereto by any threats of or ill usage from her said husband or fear of his displeasure.”

Sarah McKenzie apparently was the first child of Samuel and Ann (Logsdon) Durbin. She was born September 19, 1724 in a log cabin near Westminister, Maryland. (12)

On 7 APR 1772, Gabriel McKenzie sold three parcels of land in Frederick County totaling 147 acres to George Devilbess for the sum of 310 Pounds. (13) The three tracts included: (1) part of the original tract of “Gabriel’s Choice” and part of the “Resurvey of Gabriel’s Choice” (78 acres), (2) the “Small Addition” originally conveyed by John (sic) White to Gabriel in 1754 (50 acres) and which contains the reference to the “head of Little Pipe Creek” as referenced above and (3) a final tract entitled “Addition to Gabriel’s Choice”. Gabriel was listed as being a farmer residing in Frederick County, which coincides with the time line established by the Oath of Fidelity that Gabriel took in Washington County in 1778.

On 6 AUG 1785 Gabriel MacKinzie of Washington County (13.1) sold to Henry Hoover a parcel of property located in Frederick County called “Mount Pleasant” containing 47 acres. (14) The legal description reflected that the beginning of metes and bounds description began at the end of the “fifteenth line of Gabriel’s Choice” and ran from that location. The deed reflected that Sarah once again relinquished her dower rights. One of the Justices of the Peace who acknowledged the deed was Andrew Bruce, who during the Revolutionary War, administered the Oath of Fidelity (15) (16) to Gabriel MacKenzie. The oath was administered on 2 MAR 1778 in Washington County, Maryland.

On 25 April 1792, Gabriel McKinsey provided Leigh Master of Frederick County with a Release of Dower in connection with the previously discussed land transaction in June, 1769 between Gabriel and William Buchanan. Apparently, Sarah’s dower rights were not properly released at the time of the original transaction and the new owner wanted to obtain a clear title. The Release Deed reflected that Gabriel and Sarah were residents of Alleghany County, which is consistent with the fact that Alleghany County was carved from Washington County in 1789. The deed proves that both Gabriel and Sarah McKenzie were still alive as of April, 1792 and living in Alleghany County.

One of the last known land transactions involving Gabriel McKenzie occurred in connection with a patent he received for land west of Fort Cumberland on which he had settled. In November 2010, Michael McKenzie of Mt. Savage, Maryland provided the author with a copy of the patent issued by the State of Maryland to Gabriel McKenzie. According to Michael, the patent was difficult to locate because the property actually was patented to Peter Mayors (Majors) on May 23, 1803, although the patent itself reflects that the property was surveyed for Gabriel McKinsey..(18) Per the documents, Gabriel appeared before the Honorable Andrew Bruce, one of the Justices of the Peace of Allegany County, Maryland on May 16, 1792 and conveyed the fifty acres of land comprising lot number 3365 to Peter Mayors (Majors). The lot was described as being in the “reserved land west of Fort Cumberland”. Then on May 17, 1803, another document signed by Thomas Harwood, Jr. acknowledged and swore that “Gabriel Mckinsey, a settler westward of Fort Cumberland paid the purchase money for lot 3365”. Yet another unsigned document associated with this entire group of documents states that “Gabriel McKinney settler on Lot 3365 assigned to Peter Mayors (Majors) Patent to Peter Majors the 23rd May 1803”. This last document is a little confusing in that it could be interpreted that Gabriel was still alive in 1803 and was once again acknowledging that he was assigning lot 3365 to Majors so that he could obtain his patent. Since it is assumed by researchers that Gabriel was born abt. 1715, he would have been 88 years old in 1803 if he was still alive and capable of assigning the property to Peter Majors.

The same Michael McKenzie of Mt. Savage, Maryland has pinpointed the location of the Gabriel McKenzie land patent property. In these days of Google Maps, he did a fantastic job of locating the precise piece of property. The link to the Google Maps location for the property can be found at: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=15501+bear+camp+lane+mt+savage+md&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=27.423305,56.162109&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=15501+Bear+Camp+Ln+NW,+Mt+Savage,+Allegany,+Maryland+21545&ll=39.716595,-78.87424&spn=0.012973,0.027423&t=h&z=15

Paste that link into your browser and it will take you to the property. Michael also provided the author with a copy of the 1874 Map of Military Lots, Tracts, Escheats, etc. in Garrett County and Allegany County, Maryland. That map is located in the Media Section of the McKenzies of Early Maryland website. (19) If you locate that map and look directly under the "i & n " in PENNSYLVANIA at the top of the page, you will see a triangular lot # 3365 just above “Bear Camp”. That is the 50 acres of land that comprised the Gabriel McKenzie land patent. If you compare the 1874 map with the current Google map, the same triangular piece of property appears. Michael McKenzie of Mt. Savage, Maryland wrote to the author in November, 2010 and advised: “the lot is still the same shape and is still 50 acres owned by a nice couple, Earl Lepley and his wife, who by the way is a descendant of Gabriel. She was blown away when I told her she is living on her Grandpappys property.”

The author assumes Gabriel McKenzie died in Allegany County, Maryland after 1793 even though no will has ever been discovered, no any letters of administration, gravestone or church record.

Endnotes

1. From this point forward, the author has drawn partially upon the research of Col. Gabriel Thornton MacKenzie, Ret. Colonel MacKenzie researched the McKenzie Family from the late 1920’s until his death in the early 1960’s. He compiled over 1800 pages of handwritten notes from his research and travels. His descendant Joseph Edward McKenzie, P.O. Box 1671, Dunedin, Florida 34697 reduced all of Colonel McKenzie’s notes to microfilm obtainable from Dataplex Corporation 1502-A Joh Avenue Baltimore, Maryland 21227. Col. MacKenzie began corresponding with McKenzie relatives in 1929. Those early letters from elderly relatives (several of whom were born in the mid-1800’s) contain a great deal of information on the early generations of McKenzies from Western Maryland.

1.1 This information was gleaned from previous “research” of other McKenzie researchers. To date the author has not been able to find any documentation to substantiate it.

2. The information pertaining to Samuel McKenzie was provided by Debbie Harper. It has not been verified by the author. Although he was listed as being a settler on the lands west of Fort Cumberland, Samuel never bothered to obtain a proper patent on the land. On 10 SEP 1814, he sold part of lot 3369 to William Logsdon, Sr.. Samuel McKenzie, Sr. died intestate in March, 1837. As part of the procedure for settling the estate, Samuel's sons, Samuel F.(Jr.), Gabriel and John applied for and received a patent for the two lots Samuel, Sr. was living on (lots 3369 and 3370). The patents can be located on the Maryland State Archives at MSA SE 1-1 Image 020745-0329 and also on the www.mckenziesofearlymaryland web site in the Media section. The document is cross-referenced with Samuel McKenzie (b. abt. 1751). The sons immediately sold these lots. The settlement papers for his estate list all of his children except for Catherine and Elizabeth, who died before him without issue. Nowhere in the estate papers is a living widow of Samuel, Sr. mentioned. Yet, she must have been living, for in 1839, she executed a "make good" deed conveying her interest in the lots to her son, Samuel. (In fact, the boys selling the lots without her signature was illegal. She had to issue a retroactive deed to her son, Samuel, in order to clear the title on the property.) The deed in part reads: "Then came Ellen McKenzie . . . who sells to her son, Samuel McKenzie . . . for the sum of $1.00 and the natural affection of a mother toward her son . . . lots 3369 and 3370". This clearly shows that Samuel F. McKenzie (Jr's) mother was Ellen ____( and not Rachel Durbin as claimed by some researchers). The "make good" deed from "Ellen McKinzey" to "Samuel McKinzey" is recorded at Deed Book "W", page 535, Allegany County records.

3. (blank)

4. Liber LG 3E, folio 163; Liber E1 E0 #6, folio 634; Frederick County (Land Records) WR 6, pp. 209-210 Gabriel MacKenzie [MSA C-814-36] 1/38/6/35;

5. The legal description reads: “ I, Thomas White, Deputy Surveyor of Baltimore County have laid out for the said Gabriel MacKinzie (actual spelling) a Tract of Land lying in Baltimore County Beginning at the bounded white oaks standing on a plain near the Indian Road near a branch of the Little Pipe Creek . . . [followed by the degrees and perches] and laid out for 100 hundred acres more or less to be ___ of the Mannor of Baltimore by the name of Gabriel’s Choice.”

6. Land Office (Patent Record) E16, pp. 634-635 Gabriel McKenzie [MSA S11-71] 1/23/2/24;

7. J. Thomas Scharf, History of Baltimore City and County, p. 37, Louis H. Everts, Philadelphia 1881 (reprinted for Clearfield Company, Inc., by Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore Maryland, 1997.

8. Baltimore County Court Proceedings. Found in Maryland Historical Magazine, Vol. XVIII, No. 1, Mar 1923

9.. Frederick County (Land Records) E pp.452-453, Gabriel McKinzee [MSA C814-2] 1/38/6/1. The name reflected in the records is Gabriel MacKinzee, who was reflected as also being from Frederick County. He paid 14 Pounds Current Money for the property. The legal description begins: Beginning at two bounded red oaks near the head of the Little Pipe Creek . . . and laid out for 50 acres more or less.

10. Maryland Historical Magazine, Vol XV, p. 357

10.5.Maryland State Archives, MSA S1197-172, pages 1 to 3 From SL 21,569. A copy of the document is located at www.mckenziesofearlymaryland.com in the Media section and is linked to Gabriel McKenzie.

11. Frederick County (Land Records) M, pp. 437-438, Gabriel McKinsey, [MSA C814-16] 1/38/6/16;

12. Durbin/Logsdon Genealogy p. 61;

13. Frederick County (Land Records) P, pp. 32-33 Gabriel McKenzie [MSA C814-21] 1/38/6/21;

13.1. Washington County at the time comprised all of Western Maryland. Alleghany County was carved out of Washington County in 1789 and Garrett County was carved out in 1872.

14. Frederick County (Land Records) WR 6, pp. 209-210 Gabriel McKinzie [MSA C814-36] 1/38/6/35;

15. The Oath of Fidelity came into being during the Revolutionary War and was taken by those who swore their allegiance to the new republic. It read as follows:

OATH OF FIDELITY AND SUPPORT
I do swear I do not hold myself bound to yield any Allegience or obedience to the King of Great Britain his heirs or Successors and that I will be true and faithful to the State of Maryland and will to the utmost of my power, Support, maintain and defend the freedom and Independence thereof and the Government as now established against all open enemies and secret and traterous Consperaces and will use my utmost endeavours to disclose and make known to the Governor or some one of the judges or Justices thereof all Treasons or Traterous Consperaces, attempts or Combinations against this State or the Government thereof which may come to my Knowledge so help me God.

16. C.M. Brumbaugh and Margaret Robert Hodges, Revolutionary Records of Maryland, page 15. The actual record reads as follows:

The Worshipful Andrew Bruce Returns:

MacKenzie, Gabriel
MacKenzie, Aaron
MacKenzie, Samuel
MacKenzie, Daniel

Washington County, 2nd March, 1778. I certify to the Honorable the Governor and Council, that the within persons gave their affirmation to and subscribed the Oath of Fidelity to the State of Maryland according to the Act of Assembly and that this is a true Copy of the Book kept by me for that purpose and delivered to the Clerk of this County as ordered.

Andw. Bruce

Ed. Note: Given the similarity of names, the individuals who took the Oath of Fidelity to the State of Maryland most likely were Gabriel McKenzie and his sons, Samuel, Daniel and Aaron. Although the author does not have written proof that the individuals listed were father and sons, given the ages of Gabriel's children, the Oath of Fidelity information is consistent with Gabriel and his sons having migrated west to Washington County in the years preceding and/or during the Revolutionary War.

17.Maryland State Archives MSA #1188-1536, pages 1-5 From SL 40,162.

18.Maryland State Archives MSA #1188-1536, pages 1-5 From SL 40,162.

19.www.mckenziesofearlymaryland.com

Gabriel married Sarah Durbin in 1742 in St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Baltimore County, Md.. Sarah (daughter of Samuel Sr. Durbin and Anne Logsdon) was born on 19 Sep 1725 in Westminister, Baltimore County (now Carroll County) Md.; died about 1795. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Per the notes of Philip J. Dietz, Jr.

Sarah and Gabriel were married in St. Paul's Catholic Church in Baltimore, Maryland

Other Events and Attributes:

• Name: John Porter
• Death: 1810, , Allegany, Maryland

Notes:

See the notes asociated with John's alleged father, John Porter (b. abt. 1690) for the questions which exist as to whether John Thomas Porter, Jr. was the father of Gabriel McKenzie Porter.

Regarding Rose Meadows:

John Porter settled between Cumberland and Frostburg in 1792 on a farm known as Rose Meadows, from the profusion of wild roses which grew there. John built a substantial house on a south slope which remained in the family until about 1864. At that time, the owner, William R. Porter, sold it to a mining company who wanted it for the coal and tan-bark. The homestead came back into the family about 1916 when it was purchased by Walter and Celia Porter Engle. There is no trace of the house today, but a sketch painting thereof is in the possession of the Engle family. The Porter Cemetery, sometimes called the Rose Meadows Cemetery, is located a short distance north of the site. (From the book "A Genealogy of the Porter Family of Maryland, West Virginia, Michigan" by Samuel Doak Porter.

The John Porter and his brother Moses who helped survey the Mason-Dixon Line served in the Revolutionary War in Capt. Paxton's Bedford County militia (The John Porter and his brother Moses who helped survey the Mason-Dixon
Line served in the Revolutionary War in Capt. Paxton's Bedford County militia(Pa. Archives, 5th Series, Vol. V. page 116) (Pa. Archives, 5th Series, Vol. V. page 116)

The following email was sent to Don Kagle by Alan Williams on September 10, 2018. In essence the hunt for the parents of John, Moses and Henry Porter goes on as of September, 2018.

I do appreciate that info Dick, I was unaware of the Scritchfield effort.

We are cousins of the Scritchfields through Margaret Porter, born in Bedford County PA 1805 and died there in 1852, my 2nd Cousin 4 x removed. She married John Burley, and one of their children, Catherine, born 1838, married Samuel Scritchfield in 1863.

Margaret Porter was a child of William Porter and Mary Nelson and a granddaughter of Moses Porter and Margaret McKenzie.

John, Moses and Henry, Porter Brothers, are the oldest verifiable links in our line. Samuel Doak Porter (SDP) and Col. McKenzie (whose notes we hope will yield insight into their thinking) recounted the idea of the Singing Emigrant, John Porter, Catholic/Jacobite protester landing in Maryland @1715 and marrying the Huguenot of Swiss origin, Elinor Durier.

That story has been in dispute since it first saw print, and a Baltimore Sun article in 1912 that claimed John was an ‘Irish immigrant who landed in Boston’ got an angry rebuke in the next week’s letters to the editors from Glissan T. Porter, lawyer and newspaperman of Allegany County, who faithfully recounted the story SDP printed in the Bluebook.

Since then, based on a baptismal record for a John Porter 1697 found in England, people have ‘built trees’ going back to Charlemagne. (I don’t know why it’s always Charlemagne, apparently he was father to us all.)

We’ve got so many lines of investigation open into who Henry John and Moses parents were! But its far to early to burden you all with the possibilities. I am certain that

A. They had parents.
B. They are Brothers.
C. We have dug into many of the same ‘suspects’ that SDP and others have examined. So many, in fact, that I’ve become only too conversant with all the Porter/Portes/Borter lines of the Mid-Atlantic. I’ve had to build so many family trees to keep track of them so we can avoid running over old clues and thinking them to be fresh.

That said, we don’t think we’re at a brick wall. Now with DNA and better organized records, we’re able to fairly quickly rule a theory in or out of play. Part of the problem is that SDP claimed many children for our First John, quickly announced that ‘nothing more is known of them’ for 4, and then also passed Henry quickly out of view, so the bulk of his work revolves around (solely) John and Moses in Allegany County and their descendants.

People have long associated John Henry and Moses with the ‘Arnold Settlement’ and had assumed a bridge back to Carrollton. That’s where we are. Asserting anything back to the 15th Century is wishful thinking.

John married Nancy Ann McKenzie in 1767 in Carroll County, Maryland. Nancy (daughter of Moses Sr. McKenzie and Nancy Jane (Rachel) Porter) was born in Hopson's Choice, Maryland; died after 1789 in Allegany County, Maryland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The followig information was sent to the author in Augsut, 2018 by Phil Brode. As one will see after reviewing the information, the location of the grave of Nancy Ann Porter is in dispute. Michael A. McKenzie August 27, 2018

The Nancy Ann (McKenzie) Porter burial site has "wandered" a bit over the years for the 'assignment' in my records. For years I just assumed it was in a now unmarked grave at Porter Cemetery at Rose Meadow. Seemed reasonable when we thought the old story about John Porter's pioneer movements from Wellersburg Pa, to Mount Savage MD to ultimately getting Rose Meadow as Revolutionary War service payment, occurred much earlier than her death. Why not? (And, not unexpected that her marker would be 'lost' considering she died earlier than John & his marker is so small & primitive as well.)

But then two things challenged this idea and sent me on a search. Thanks to the superman abilities with deed searching by Scott et. al. of the Williams clan, we learned that the two 50 acre plots that were Rose Meadow proper, were not originally owned by John Porter as per the old story of his selection, BUT were purchased by John Porter from John Matthews in the mid to late 1790's. My wobbly records for Nancy Ann's death include dates of 1786 or 1788 or 1789 depending on the source, all before John bought and settled Rose Meadow. In addition, for some time, Find-A-Grave had her place of burial as Allegany County Cemetery, Cumberland MD. While visiting western Maryland one time, my mother & I took off to find this site. We found a well kept cemetery, with very few marked graves, but many many graves without markers; only to learn that this was the Potter's/Pauper's cemetery, hence unmarked graves. Suddenly this seemed to be a dead-end; no pun was intended or noticed until I typed those words. Why would someone as well off as John Porter be burying his wife there? And, why there instead of close to one of his western Maryland residences at the time of her death. I won't believe that source, until supported with cemetery records if they exist. So, she's most likely not at PC@RM if the deed records & her death dates are correct, but where is she?

The following information was sent to the writer, Michael A. Mckenzie by Scott Carter Williams in August, 2018:

All,

We have always been dependent on Samuel Doak Porters' (SDP) book for information about Nancy McKenzie (b. 1746, m 1767, d. no given). Phil Brode believes that her passing was in either 1786, 88, or 89. I am hopeful that the Colonel Gabriel T. MacKenzie’s microfilm will yield something more like source material. We know from SDP's book that he and the Colonel corresponded and the notes that I have seen so far support that. Attached is some of the Colonel’s notes regarding Nancy and John Porter Jr, plus a published page that he references in his notes regarding Gabriel McKenzie's early presence in Western Maryland - perhaps predating the end of the French and Indian War (1763). We see elsewhere that Gabriel is selling land on Pipe Creek, and this may (or may not) indicate a move in the making.

I am also attaching a resource written by SDP on the history of the Sloan family. The Sloans and the Percys were Scottish families who immigrated to WM in the 1830s and assisted the Porters in making the coal mines on Federal Hill (Rose Meadow) viable. The families soon intermarried (see a pattern?? :).

The hand written notes by the Colonel in the first attachment are from an informant named "Ann Sloan" who is referenced in the second document as a granddaughter of John M. Porter (Squire Jack). This makes her the grand-grand daughter of John Porter Jr. (b. 1737). The reason that I share this article is this quote from SDP:

"Several of his (John Porter Jr's) and Nancy's brothers came with him to Allegany County and settled near him."

Gabriel and sons may have been settled west of Fort Cumberland as early as the 1750s or 60s according the Century of Growth book. We know from Bedford Co Census documents that both John Porter and Gabriel McKenzie (and sons) were there just before the war broke out. We also know that the identified sons of Moses Sr (Moses Jr, Joshua, and Jessie) enlisted and served in Frederick County during the war (not near Fort Cumberland). Therefore, if Nancy came west with John Porter and her brothers at the same time (pre-war) it would follow that "Nancy's brothers" may have been Gabriel's sons, not Moses Sr's. The theory, however, could be negated if Moses Sr had older sons (closer to Nancy's age) that moved at the same time as Gabriel.

We have much to learn, and I am hopeful that the Colonel’ss notes will bear more fruit for us.

Best Regards,

Scott Williams

The writer, Michael A. Mckenzie responded to Scott with the following email. This information is being placed here so that current and future researchers will know and understand the thought processes that played out w/r/t to the topic of just whom was Nancy Ann McKenzie's father.

Here is the reply email:

Hi All:

So many emails, so much to think about.

I am still going through emails from the past few days and reflecting on what was written.

Scott stated below: "Several of his (John Porter Jr's) and Nancy's brothers came with him to Allegany County and settled near him."

Gabriel and sons may have been settled west of Fort Cumberland as early as the 1750s or 60s according the Century of Growth book. We know from Bedford Co Census documents that both John Porter and Gabriel (and sons) were there just before the war broke out. We also know that the identified sons of Moses Sr (Moses Jr, Joshua, and Jessie) enlisted and served in Frederick County during the war (not near Fort Cumberland). Therefore, if Nancy came west with John Porter and her brothers at the same time (pre-war) it would follow that "Nancy's brothers" may have been Gabriel's sons, not Moses Sr's. The theory, however, could be negated if Moses Sr had older sons (closer to Nancy's age) that moved at the same time as Gabriel.

I would like to explore this for a minute because I think Scott may have hit upon something that would cause me to put Nancy Ann McKenzie as the daughter of Gabriel and not Moses, Sr.

Here is my thinking: If SDP is correct and Nancy’s brothers travelled west with them, the ages of the respective brothers make me lean towards them being the sons of Gabriel.

Let’s pick a date, say 1772. Gabriel’s son’s, Samuel and Daniel, would be 21 and 20 respectively.

Picking the same date, 1772, Moses Sr.’s sons would be 12, 10 and 8.

If one is travelling west with their brothers, I tend to lean to the older brothers and not a group of youngsters aged 8-12. Also, men in their 20’s would be “settling near her”, whereas youngsters aged 8-12 would need to be taken care of by others. When we couple this analysis with Racheal (Rachill) McKenzie placing Joshua in indentureship in 1768, it seems to support the hypothesis that Nancy was the daughter of Gabriel and not of Moses, Sr.

Just food for thought as we continue our quest.

Thoughts anyone?

Regards

Mike McKenzie

And, just to make certain we were well grounded, Ann Stansbarger wrote in response:

Hi All,

I recommend caution when it comes to Nancy Ann and here is why. We have to think about what was happening with the two brothers, Gabriel McKenzie and Moses McKenzie Sr. Gabriel began selling his properties one by one in Frederick Co at about the time of the end of the French and Indian War (1763). He had plans to move his family to western MD, which we know he ultimately did. His brother Moses, according to legend, sold his farm and was robbed and killed on the road. This would have been sometime after Joshua was conceived 1763-64 and before Joshua went into indenture, 1768 — exactly the same time Gabriel was getting ready for his move.

When Moses Sr was killed his family was thrown into turmoil. Rachel pleaded for her widow’s share of Moses’ inheritance. She said in the petition she had small children to take care of and had no money. Any older children of Moses, if there had been any, must have had to find their own way.

Were there older children? There had to have been. I don’t have the reference handy but I know it is on the MOEM site. There was “old John” McKenzie who died in Allegany Co in the mid 1790s. His estate was administered by Moses McKenzie Jr. Old John could not have been a son of Gab’l because Gab’l already had a son John. This Old John was in all likelihood a brother of Moses Jr (b1760). Since he was “old” in the mid 1790s, that says he was probably born in the mid 1740’s - about the time of Nancy Ann’s birth.

After Moses Sr died I think there was work for the older children of Moses with their uncle Gabriel. He would have needed help to clear land on his new farm in western MD, and he would have needed help farming his old lands left behind in Frederick Co, until they were eventually all sold off.

Nancy Ann, if she was a daughter of Moses, would have gotten married as soon as possible after her father’s death.

Sorry it isn’t more concrete.

Best, Ann

Then Nathan Williams added:

Ann and all,

Very important facts to keep in mind concerning Moses and family structure. I have a few points of concern over Moses Sr. being daddy based on what we know, and don't know.

- Moses' wife was said to be a Porter, daughter of John Porter, emigrant. Like other myths, we can't confirm or refute it but if true, it would mean Nancy Ann McKenzie was the niece of her husband, John Porter of Bedford/Allegany. People married close relatives, we have our share, but marrying a niece would seem strange.

- As researchers, we struggle mightly with the reality we can't place ANY of our known Porters in Maryland before they show up in Bedford, PA. Their PA record is the first confirmed appearance of John and Moses Porter. Henry is in Maryland for the 1776 loyalty oath. I will let my Uncle Scott answer Allan specifically about John Porter, emigrant, but to be honest, he is a ghost. We have no records in the US to show he existed. Our paper trail starts with his alleged sons John, Moses, and Henry Porter on the frontier.

I think that is why Moses causes us some problems. We can't really place any Porters down near the McKenzies in downstate Maryland, despite the oral stories that they were multi-generational connections between them. We are more in our comfort zone with Gabe, since he was a known neighbor, and the relationship could have started in PA, not downstate Maryland.

Now, none of that means Nancy couldn't have been living with Gabe on the frontier, or that the Porter brothers did live near Hobson's Choice, but left no records. The lack of hard dates matter too. For instance, MOEM, speculates the Porter-McKenzie marriage took place before Moses Sr's death on the road. Although, I think all those dates are estimates.

https://mckenziesofearlymaryland.com/getperson.php?personID=I00129&tree=McKenzie1
Moses Sr. McKenzie b. Abt 1720 Hopson's Choice, Maryland d. Abt 1767: The McKenzies of Early Maryland
mckenziesofearlymaryland.com
Moses Sr. McKenzie b. Abt 1720 Hopson's Choice, Maryland d. Abt 1767: The McKenzies of Early Maryland


Nathan

And, to stir the pot one more time, Scott Williams added:

Ann,

As you can imagine, the "ick" factor of niece/uncle thing has probably been of more concern to our side of the tree than yours *smile*, but I have an (almost) elegant solution that solves several problems at once:

•Moses Sr has a first marriage (to a non-Porter :)) that produces Nancy McKenzie and *some* older brothers
•Moses Sr has a later marriage to a Porter (Nancy Jane Rachel?) that produces the younger brothers (Moses Jr, Jessie, and Joshua)

Problem solved - and all very speculative. BUT I have noted that something changed Col. GT Mack's mind from Gabe to Moses Sr as the father of Nancy during the course of his research - so (again) time for us (the ATL gang) to better review the Col's material and get it into a format where it can be useful in research.

What you have shown, however, in these first emails is your perception of a family in crisis due to the death of a father and documented responses to duress. So if the speculation above is accurate, and we have documented Porters (Philip and maybe an older Nancy) in proximity to the Moses Sr family in about 1768 acting as part of the solution, we have really moved the ball.

I ask one question - does Team McKenzie know the origin of the Moses Sr murder story, or have an "earliest source" record of it? In my newspaper searches I found a plaintive request from a reader to the weekly column of legendary Cumberland Md columnist J. William Hunt in the 1950s seeking information on the incident. The reader's name was included and if that adds some value, I could try to find the original item and share it with you. Mr. Hunt requested that responses go directly to the reader, and not to the newspaper - ARGH!

Beyond that, I am going to leave the topic for awhile, having sufficiently stirred the pot for now :)

Scott

On September 17, 2018 the writer, Michael A. McKenzie wrote to the Porter/McKenzie Research Group and asked if anyone was aware of any primary source documents concerning Nancy McKenzie Porter. The reply later that day from Alan Williams was as follows:

My short answer is that I am not (aware of any primary source documents). One thing that’s certain is that it’s in the naming of her children that we encounter the name confusion as we had last night. Assuming Nancy to be a McKenzie (a very safe bet, I think) she names children after her husband, her father, and her uncle. No Jessies or Joshua’s though. One of the results is that Porters and McKenzie’s are shot through for generations with Gabriel, Moses, Michael and Samuels.

Porters have no first name ‘Bennett’, Rachel and Harriet (as well as Eleanor and Mary and Sarah) are popular for girls.

Both Moses and John Porter also favored Samuel in their boys, and Moses line later introduces ‘Scott’ as a frequent middle name and well as Ellis. Scott appears at a time that it may reference General Winfield Scott, the Military hero (1812 through the Mexican War) and 1852 Presidential candidate.


Needless to say, the writer concludes after these great exchanges, that something "more" will need to be located/discovered before the answer to the question posed will be known once and for all. Was Nancy the daughter of Moses (b. abt. 1720) or was she the daughter of Gabriel (b. abt. 1715)? That remains the question. Michael A. McKenzie, September 18, 2018

Josiah + Elizabeth Parsell. Elizabeth was born in 1745 in New Providence, Essex County, New Jersey; died on 30 Mar 1813 in Frostburg, Allegany County, Maryland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]