George Newton McKenzie

1884 - 1913  (28 years)

• Name	George Newton McKenzie
  Birth	8 Jul 1884	Rawlings, Maryland
  Gender	Male
  Death	10 May 1913	Rawlings, Allegany County, Maryland
  Notes	In Memoriam George N. McKenzie George N. McKenzie, who departed this life April 23, 1913. George was the son of Mr. and Mrs. John T. (sic) McKenzie of Ridgeley, and was a quiet and industrious young man. He was loved by all who knew him for his quiet and genial disposition. He leaves to mourn his loss five little children, a father and mother and two sisters, Mrs. Joseph Monnett, of Patterson’s Creek, and Mrs. William C. Rowe, of Ridgeley, W. Va. Dearest brother, thou hast left us, But we calmly watch and wait For the time when we like thee, Can Pass within that golden gate, Yes, again we hope to meet thee, When the days of life have fled, And in heaven we hope to meet thee Where no farewell tears are shed Loved in life and remembered in death. -By His Two Sisters Courtesy of Ray Leidinger George Newton McKenzie George Newton McKenzie, the third child of John Franklin McKenzie and Mary Virginia Smith was born in Rawlings, Maryland on 17 AUG 1884. He married 23 SEPT 1904 Cara Blanch Robison in Midland, Maryland. Pastor F. P. Mackall presided over the ceremony. (1) Together they had five children: 1.Lester Franklin McKenzie Born 15 APR 1905 in Rawlings, Maryland Married ClaraBelle Edenhart 20 APR 1924 in Keyser, West Virginia Had child Donald Richard Died 23 JUN 1963 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 2.George (Leo) McKenzie Born 1906 Married Mary Madeline Lohere Had child Vivian Died May 1960 in Baltimore, Maryland 3.Gladys Elouise McKenzie Born 3 SEPT 1908 Married Albert “Pat” Muhl Had children Helen, Elouise and Verna Died March 15, 1982 in Glen Burnie, Maryland 4.Riley McKenzie Born 31 MAR 1909 Married Anna Margaret Rittmeyer Had children Margaret, Helen, Riley, Eleanor and John Died 2 May 1974 in Glen Burnie, Maryland 5.Carl I. McKenzie Born 29 APR 1912 Married Dorothy Mildred Wade Had children Linda, Betty and Carl Died 16 APR 1964 Based upon a study of the 1860 census records, it appears that George Newton McKenzie was named after the two younger brothers of John Franklin McKenzie. John Franklin’s two younger brothers were named George and Newton, respectively. The 1910 Federal Census showed that George and Cara Blanch were living in the vicinity of Rawlings, Maryland. (2) George was reported to be 25 years old and Carry (sic) B. was 22 years old. They had three children, Lester F., age 5, George L., age 4, and Gladys, age 2. The two of them had been married five years. George listed his occupation as a laborer on the steam railroad and Cara was not employed. Both of them could read and write and they were renting the house in which they resided. George Newton McKenzie was a track man for the B&O Railroad at the time of his death on 10 May 1913. The cause of death was suicide. His death certificate (3) reports that he cut his throat with a razor. He reportedly is buried in Cresaptown, Maryland. Thanks to the courtesy of Sheryl Kelso, the author obtained two obituaries in December, 2010 for George Newton McKenzie. They read as follows: McKenzie, George George McKenzie, who was found dead near his home at Rawlings, Maryland early Saturday morning was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank McKenzie of Ridgeley, W. Va., and also a brother of Mrs. William Rowe and Mrs. Joseph Monnett. He left home about two weeks ago, without saying anything as to his purpose, but his wife supposed he had gone on a trip he had been planning for some time. Friday his dead body was located by a neighbor, who was passing along the river near Rawlings, and was attracted into the bushes by the roadside by the awful stench of the decomposing body. McKenzie had cut his throat with a razor and the instrument of death was found by his side. He had several times threatened to destroy himself, but no cause is given. He left a wife and several children. The McKenzies about Keyser, among our most highly respected citizens, are relatives. (4) McKenzie, George His throat cut from ear to ear, the decomposed body of George McKenzie, 35 years old, a B&O track hand, was found lying in a clump of bushes in the woods near Rawlings at 8:00 o’clock this morning by J.E. Shepherd, a woodsman. Beside the body lay an open razor, rusted and blood stained. From the position of the weapon beside the body, it is supposed Mr. McKenzie committed suicide. Shepherd came to Rawlings and Coroner William Shaw was notified. He and undertaker, John Wolford, left at 11:00 am to get the body. McKenzie had been missing from home for the last few weeks, and his wife and five children have been greatly alarmed over his disappearance. The McKenzie home is about a half mile from Rawlings. For a number of years, McKenzie has been employed by the B&O as a member of a track gang working at that place. It is said that he had been in bad health as of late and had not been working. Frank McKenzie, father of the dead man lives in this city, being employed as driver of one of the city sweepers. George Newton McKenzie Suicide Attracted by a strong odor emanating from the bushes on Mill Run, near where he was walking, John E. Shppard investigated and found the body of George McKenzie of Rawlings Station, lying with its throat cut and a razor lying nearby. The condition of the body gave evidence of its having lain there for about two weeks. McKenzie had made frequent threats to kill himself. The body was found at 8:30 o’clock this morning, the location being about a mile west of Rawlings Station. The body was badly decomposed. McKenzie was 40 years old, married and the father of six children. He left home two weeks ago, his wife thinking he had gone on a trip. The body was lying quite close to the run of water. McKenzie's wife was before her marriage Miss Mary Robinson, daughter of George Robinson. Inquest Deemed Unnecessary... After viewing the body -Coroner Wm. B. Shaw gave a certificate of suicide, deeming an inquest unnecessary. McKenzie had been missing since March 23. His throat was slashed from ear to ear and his clothes and the ground on which he lay were saturated with blood. Death must have "come almost instantaneously." The scene of the tragedy was just back of the house where the man lived. McKenzie lived at Rawlings as did his wife's father, who is caring for her and the six children. The body was so badly decomposed that it was decided to bury it as quickly as possible. Men started digging the grave in the-Rawling's cemetery just after the find was made and the body will be buried this evening, as soon as a coffin can be had from Cumberland. The Evening Times, May 10, 1913 Ridgeley. W. Va.. May 12. Mr. George McKenzie, who was found dead near his home at Rawlings, Md., early Saturday morning, was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank McKenzie, of this place, and also a brother of Mrs. William Rowe and Mrs. Joseph Monnett. The Evening Times, May 12, 1913 When Michael A. McKenzie attempted to interview Clarabelle McKenzie (wife of Lester Franklin McKenzie and son of George Newton McKenzie) in 1979 about family genealogy matters, she adamantly refused to speak with him about the subject, shook her head and said "you’re just trying to dig up dirt". Mystified at the time, Michael A. McKenzie simply let the subject drop and never spoke with her again about family history matters. Now that the death certificate and obituary of George Newton McKenzie and John Franklin McKenzie, respectively, have been discovered, it is quite apparent that “the dirt” she was referring to was the fact that two consecutive generations of McKenzies within our direct lineage ended their lives by committing suicide. Following George Newton’s death in 1913, Cara Blanch married William H. Reese. Together they had five children, all of whom were born before Lester Franklin married ClaraBelle Edenhart in 1924: 1.William H. Reese, Jr. Born 31 JAN 1915 Died March 31, 1974 in Brooklyn, Maryland 2.Margaret A. Reese Born 20 APR 1916 Married William Fred Kaline, Sr. Had children William, Jr., and Peggy Died 5 FEB 1977 3.Flora Helena Reese Born 12 FEB 1918 in Ridgeley, West Virginia Married John Blockinger in 1941 Died 7 APR 1989 in Annapolis, Maryland 4.Elsie May Reese Born 8 AUG 1919 Married Leroy Russell Had children Elsie M., Thomas Leroy, Rebecca Lee Died 19 JUN 1979 in Meadow Ridge, Dorsey, Maryland 5.Vivian Elizabeth Reese Born 4 AUG 1921 in Ridgeley, West Virginia Married Pete Radulewicz Had children William S. and Peter T. Died 26 JULY 1979 in North Arundel, Maryland Endnotes 1. Allegany County Recorder of Marriages, Volume 10, page 174 2. Census information for the State of Maryland, Rawlings District, Supervisor’s District 5, Enumeration District 6, taken on April 18, 1910. 3. George Newton McKenzie’s death certificate is contained as an attachment in this family history. It was obtained from the State of Maryland. 4. Mineral Daily News, May 14, 1913 (Courtesy of Patti McDonald and Sheryl Kelso). 5. Cumberland Press and Mineral Daily News, May 23, 1913 (courtesy of Patti McDonald and Sheryl Kelso); George M Mckenzie United States Census, 1910 Name:George M Mckenzie Event Type:Census Event Year:1910 Event Place:Rawlings, Allegany, Maryland, United States Gender:Male Age:25 Marital Status:Married Race:White Race (Original):White Relationship to Head of Household:Head Relationship to Head of Household (Original):Head Birth Year (Estimated):1885 Birthplace:Maryland Father's Birthplace:Maryland Mother's Birthplace:Pennsylvania HouseholdRoleGenderAgeBirthplace George M MckenzieHeadM25Maryland Carry B MckenzieWifeF22Maryland Lester F MckenzieSonM5Maryland George L MckenzieSonM4Maryland Gladys A MckenzieDaughterF2Maryland George B RobinsonBoarderM18Maryland District: 6 , Sheet Number and Letter: 2B , Household ID: 32 , Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) , Affiliate Publication Number: M1283 , GS Film number: 1374562 , Digital Folder Number: 004330018 , Image Number: 00141
  Person ID	I00061	McKenzie Genealogy
  Last Modified	29 Oct 2021

  
  

  Father	John Frank(lin) McKenzie,   b. 1852, Maryland d. 27 Oct 1916, Ridgeley, Mineral County, West Virginia (Age 64 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Mother	Mary Virginia Smith,   b. 19 Dec 1855, Pennsylvania d. 4 Oct 1922, Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland (Age 66 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Marriage	4 Apr 1877	Allegany County, Maryland
  Family ID	F00069	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Cara Blanche Robison,   b. 18 Aug 1885, Rawlings (Blackoak), Maryland d. 24 Feb 1963, Baltimore, Maryland (Age 77 years)
  Marriage	23 Sep 1904	Midland, Maryland
  Notes	Found at Courthouse. George married Carrie Blanch Robison on Sept. 23, 1904. Both were from Rawlings, Maryland. Recorder of Marriages, page 174, Volume 10. Pastor F.P. Mackall presided.
  Children	1. Lester Franklin McKenzie,   b. 15 Apr 1905, Rawlings, Maryland d. 23 Jun 1963, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Age 58 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   2. George Leo McKenzie,   b. 15 Oct 1906, Rawlings, Maryland d. 19 May 1960, Baltimore, Maryland (Age 53 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   3. Gladys Elouise McKenzie,   b. 3 Sep 1908, Rawlings, Allegany County, Maryland d. 15 Mar 1982, Glen Burnie, Maryland (Age 73 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   4. Riley McKenzie,   b. 31 Mar 1909, Rawlings, Maryland d. 2 May 1974, Baltimore, Maryland (Age 65 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   5. Carl Irvin McKenzie,   b. 29 Apr 1912, Rawlings, Allegany County, Maryland d. 16 Apr 1964, Baltimore, Maryland (Age 51 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
  Family ID	F00021	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	29 Oct 2021

  
  

• Documents » Slide Show		Marriage Certificate of George Newton McKenzie (b. 1884) and Carrie Blanche Robison Allegany County, Maryland Records
  		1910 Census Allegany County, Maryland (George Newton McKenzie b. 1884) Rawlings, Enumeration District 6, Roll: T624_549 Page 2B Image 138
  		Death Certificate of Cara Blanche Robison McKenzie Reese (wife of George Newton McKenzie b. 1884) Maryland State Archives, Baltimore City, Certificate #63-02555
  		John Frank McKenzie Death Newspaper Article (b. 1852) Cumberland Evening Times, Saturday, October 28, 1916. This suicide occurred on the heels of the suicide of John Frank's son, George Newton McKenzie, just a few years earlier. When Michael McKenzie, editor of this site, asked his grandmother, Clara Belle Edenhart McKenzie in 1979 to tell him some family history, she shook her head vigorously and said "I'm not going to tell you anything. You're just trying to dig up dirt." Hence, Michael had to dig for years to find out just what that dirt consisted of. Clara Belle's husband was, Lester Franklin McKenzie, who lost his father and then his grandfather in just a few year span of time, both as a result of suicide.
  		Death Certificate of George Newton McKenzie (b. 1884) Maryland State Archives