Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-04-13
WILLIAM M'KENz|E
CALLED BY DEATH
ar ather of East Rutherford"
Victim of ApopIexy at Carl
ton Hill Home.

PASSAIC, April 13-Death late
yesterday afternoon summoned Will
lam Mckenzie, seventy-flve years
cid, founder and first mayor of East
Rutherford; president OF the Hobart
Bank. Passaic; president Of the
Standard Bleachery, Carlton Hill,
Valley Sewerage Commission. He
passed away in his beautiful man
sion In Carlton Hill.
Mr.. Mckenzie was stricken with
apoplexy two weeks ago aud his en-
tire body became paralyzed. DR.. John
j. Sullivan, who attended the mil
lionaire bleachery manufacturer, gave
up all hopes OF recovery Saturday.
Yesterday he became unconscious.
Ills wife and children, James, jr.,
William, jr., Bertram D. and Ken
meth M, with their daughter, Mrs.
H. w. Pearson, were at the bedside
at the time fhis death.
William Mckenzie was born in
Glasgow, Scotland, on August %,
1871. In 1866 he came to the United
States. In Norwich, Conn, and in
Providence, r. T., he followed the
bleachery business, winning high
reputation in a large concern. In
1885 he took advantage of the opening
which has resulted in his becoming
So largely interested in East Ruther-
ford and Bergen County.
A fully equipped bleachery at Carl
ton Hill, which had long been stand
ing idle because it had proven a fail
ure, attracted Mr.. Mckenzie, who
managed to interest John Ward, a
wholesale jeweler, in starting up the
works. This was the origin of the
Standard Bleachery. which today
gives employment to nearly 1000 per-
sons.
Like many men deeply engrossed
in business cares, Mr.. Mckenzie
reached middle age before taking
any active part in public affairs.
When the call came to him to take
part IN the government of his
town, which was then Boiling
Springs township, he reluctantly
consented and served two terms as
chairman of the township committee.
His judicial temperament and un-
failing fairness quickly made for
him q name which went far beyond
the confines of his town, and q
strong pressure was brought to in
duce him to run on the Republican
ticket for Assemblynan in 1892. This
was the year of the Democratic tidal
wave, and Mr.. Mckenzie was de-
feated. Nevertheless, he headed the
ticket and, beaten by q margin so
small that his prestige greatly in
creased in q county heretofore al
ways Democratic.
Mr.. Mckenzie was still chairman
of the township committee when the
movement began which resulted in
the changing of Boiling Springs
township into East Rutherford Dor
ough. The success of the movement
was largely due to him, and he be-
came the first Mayor of the borough.
He has since been called the Father
of East Rutherford" His entrance
into the office was marked by STIR
ring Incidents, the local election
board having unwittingly counted
him out in favor of another man.
An appeal to Judge Dixon. however,
led to a recount, and ne was seated.
In 1897 he was elected for the third
time and he had no opposition. For
many years Mr.. Mckenzie served as
a member of the Bergen County Re-
publican executive committee, and his
marked services to the party were rec
ognized by his election as chairman
of the committee, to succeed Judge
y. ID. Zabriskie. He was also vice.
PRESIDENT IOF TIE n IL III ODIlBTeSSlOIldl
District of the Republican State
League at that period.
Recognizing the need of some as
ISOLATION to set forth the advantages
Of Rutherford and its neighborhood,
Mr.. Mckenzie took an active part in
forming the Rutherford and East
Rutherford Board of Trade, of which
he was chosen president. He was
also elected vice-president of the
Rutherford Library Association.
Mr.. Mckenzie was president of the
Hobart Bank, this city. and director
In the Rutherford National Bank, Of
which he was one of the founders.
Being a strong believer in the
maxim, "a penny saved is q penny
earned" Mr.. Mckenzie had for years
been interested in building and loan
associations. He was one of the
active organizers of the East Ruther-
ford Saving, Loan and Building AS
ISOLATION, of which he accepted the
presidency act its organization and
which office he held at the time of
his death.
He WAS a governor of the Passaic
General Hospital and in addition to
heing preside OF the Standard
Bleachery Company, he held the
presidency Of { paper manufacturing
company.
He was member OF the Royal
Arcanum, OF the Union Club OF
Rutherford and of the st. Andrews
Club In New York city,