The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-06-04
FIRE BELLS TOLL
FOR OLD RESIDENT
Nicholas Mckenzie, Veteran Of Civil
War Answers Last Call to Taps
Yesterday Afternoon-Sev.
! enty.nine Years Old.
ILOCKMASTER 40 YEARS
He Also Served a. Volunteer Fireman
in the Old Days-At Other Times
Was Engaged in Grocery
Business.
ILoCKMAsTER 40 YEARS

Fire bells tolled yesterday AFTER
noon for Nicholas Mckenzie whose
death occurred at ST. Joseph's hos
pital at 2:3O O'clock from diseases
incident to old age and from the re-
suit of fractured hip which he sus-
] ia ined in fall this spring. The fam
lily residence is at 206 North Seventh
street
| A resident Of Keokuk for seventy
years, a volunteer fireman for the
entire length OF time this system was
fused here, a night iockmaster on the
government locks for forty years, a
veteran OF the civil war, Mr.. McKen-
zie has been in the heart Of the life
of this city for the past three score
years and ten, and in his death the
community loses another one of rs
oldest residents and one Of the men
who knew the Keokuk Of other days.
The older citizens remembered yes
Iterday when the bells tolled. Of The
days when Mr.. Mckenzie was Are
man, and they recalled the many
years he served as night lockmastei
on the government locks. At other
times he was engaged for several
years at the Rock Island shops as
blacksmith which occupation was HIS
trade. At a later date he was en-
ga ged in the grocery business on
South Fourth street.
II. Family Of. Soldiers. s 800. !.
The. Mckenzie family is one Of sol.
diers, and Nicholas Mckenzie con-
tributed his part to the military
ieran of the civil war, having enlisted
fro,, KoOL,,k in rounory cooonn
Iowa infantry, and served under Cap
tain r. H. Hueston and Colonel Cur
tits. He served three. years as. pri-
waite and was then made a corporal,
aiding in the capture of Fort DOH
'elson and Shiloh and siege of Cor
.inth and in engagements with troops
under General Forrest. At the close
Iof the war he returned to Keokuk
and continued to make this place hfs
home. But his military career began
years before the civil var when he
was a. small boy.
William Mckenzie, his father. was
soldier in the Mexican war. and hts
mother, Rosanna, served in that war
as a nurse 1T was the custom Ut
that time for the wives of the soldiers
ito accompany their husbands to the
war camps and act az nurses. When
they did this the families went too
and Nicholas Mckenzie. was one o.
these little boys who saw that war
through with his father.
-Four generations Of the Mckenzie
family have served in the wars Of
this country, and the family is in pos
session of discharge papers from
three wars. the Mexican war for the
grandfather, the civil war for Mich
olas Mckenzie and the world war Tor
the son and grandson, the grandson
having seen active service in France.
Mr.. Mckenzie was member Of
Terrence post OF the G. A. RS,
a member OF ST. Francis de Sales
church, and a member OF the Cain I
Ollie knights of America In politics |
he was a member of the republican |
party. !
Ia Born in Brooklyn. +
Nicholas Mckenzie was born OctoI
Der 10, 1910, at Brooklyn. New York. !,
and was the son Of William and
Rosanna Mckenzie. He moved with
his parents to Keokuk when he was
1ine years old, spending practically
he rest of his life in this place. He
received his education here, great :
leal of 1t under the instructions OF
Colonel Terrence OF civil war fame.
n October of 1864. he was united IN
marriage to Miss Grace Mccartney OF
his city, who survives him. Six
ears ago they celebrated their golden
Wedding anniversary.
The survivors are his wife, six
ons, two daughters. nine grandchil-
Iren and one great-grandchild. He
vas preceded in death by one son.
The children are: Captain Hugh NC
ienzie, Mrs. Howard Connable, John
Mckenzie, Nicholas Mckenzie, Jr,
md Miss Edwina Mckenzie OF Keo-
;uk and Frank, William and Joseph
dcKenzie of Kansas City. MO
Funeral services will be held from
st. Francis de Sales church Saturday
morning at $50 o'clock Friends are
lsked to please omit flowers.