My Genealogy Hound

Azriah W. McKenzie. The career of Mr. McKenzie presents an example of industry, perseverance and good management, rewarded by substantial results, well worthy the imitation of all who start out in life as he did with no capital except a good constitution and liberal supply of pluck and energy. He is numbered among those of Georgia nativity now in Fulton County, having been born in that State on the 7th of November, 1831. John McKenzie, his father, was a Georgian, born about 1800, and first settled in the wilds of Lawrence County, Ark., in 1848. He pursued the occupation of farming until his death at the age of sixty-five years. After residing in Lawrence County a few years he moved to Madison County, thence to Missouri, and finally returned to his son’s (Azriah) home in 1862. He was a soldier in the Florida and Indian War. His father was born in Scotland, and came to the United States at the time of the Revolutionary War. Our subject’s mother was a Miss Jane Canady, who was born in Georgia, about 1801, and died in Lawrence County, Ark. (now Sharp County), in 1851. She was the mother of seven sons and four daughters, all of whom grew to mature years, and two of whom are now living: Azriah and a sister, both of whom live in Fulton County. The former was the sixth of the family, and remained with his parents until about eighteen years of age, when he started for California, which State he reached in the summer of 1852. He remained there engaged in mining until December, 1857, then returned to Arkansas, where he continued until the spring of 1859, when he again crossed the plains, and for two years was occupied in cattle dealing in California. In the last named year he again returned home, and in July of that year enlisted in the Confederate army, being under Capt. Wyatt, and served until the close of the war. He was taken prisoner at Big Blue while with Price on his raid, and was retained at Alton, Ill., for four months, after which he was paroled. He then rejoined his company in the south part of Arkansas, and at the close of hostilities returned home and resumed his farming operations. He has a fine farm of 400 acres, with 185 under cultivation, which he has acquired by hard work and good management. His first vote for the presidency was cast for Franklin Pierce, and he has always been a Democrat. He is unmarried.