George McKenzie came to New Brunswick as a child with his parents, Neil McKenzie and Sophia Morrison. They arrived in a large group from Sutherland in the North of Scotland in 1803. The original intention had been to settle in Carolina, on their arrival in Boston they learned that yellow fever was prevalent there, so they sought another location. They finally came to St. Andrews but found no land available and turned away, but were brought back by the Magistrates of St. Andrews who found land for them in the Parish of St. James at what became known as Scotch Ridge. Friends and relatives subsequently came from Scotland and settled in the same neighborhood, also at Basswood Ridge and Pomeroy Ridge. They were mainly employed in farming but no doubt some also engaged in lumbering.
There were already Scottish settlements on the Digdeguash River in St. Patrick and also in the parishes of St. Andrews and St. George as well and a considerable number of Scots living in the Town of St. Andrews, so it was not difficult for those who chose not to remain in St. James to find congenial company elsewhere. It would seem that Neil McKenzie preferred to be near the sea and in 1807 he purchased land on the Mascarene peninsula which was largely settled by men who had served in the 74th Highland Regiment at Penobscot. It may have been he who built the tidal mill which was operated on the property for many years. Other people from the north of Scotland came to the same area and they named their neighborhood Caithness. At one time this was a thriving community but it has now almost completely disappeared.
The tidal mill, if then in operation, was taken over by Neil McKenzie's eldest son George McKenzie, who inherited the property. George's wife, Albenia Morrison, was his first cousin, and her brother George lived with them throughout their married life. At various times George had in addition to the mill, a large store, a shipyard and later a brickworks. George McKenzie died on 16 August 1883 at the age of 88 years. His son Hector died on 22 January 1890. At that time it was stated that the latter had held a number of offices of public importance and was "noted for honesty, integrity and kindness of heart." Annie and one son survived him.
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Log-book recording a voyage from Campobello to New York (November 7, 1855), John Coe Master, and a voyage from New York to London (December 11, 1855), Peter Morrison Master. The book was used again years later by the McKenzie family of Mascarene, first for accounts (1867-1869), and then as a diary in 1884.
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Donated by Tom Schley from Vermont, February 10th 1977.