Donald McKenzie, my 4th great grandfather was born in Scotland in 1787. He married Mary Catherine Clunas on May 30, 1812. That same year Donald and Mary, immigrated from their home in Scotland to New York and lived there for a short time. Donald and his wife moved to Nova Scotia, Canada where their first child Donald McKenzie II was born on May 1, 1813. Between May of 1813 and June of 1817, the family moved to Malahide township in Middlesex County (now known as Elgin County), Ontario, Canada.
There was quite a bit going on in Malahide Township during this time period. In fact, the township was organized, only a few short years before in 1810.
He chose a property which today is in Elgin County in adjoining townships, Dunwich and Aldborough (today called West Elgin) when his petition for 5,000 acres was granted in 1803. It was May 21, 1803, that he landed at a spot which has been called since Port Talbot and built a log cabin. Nearby,
Lesson Learned: I love the study of history and genealogy and when you can place one of your direct ancestors in a time period of such great change and exploration, it is a truly humbling experience. Donald McKenzie and his young wife left their home in Scotland to find their place in the world and worked hard to settle in an untamed land. I believe that this McKenzie strength and pride still shows in my family today. I am proud of the McKenzie name and honored to call it my own.