Hines, H. K. "An Illustrated History of the State of Oregon." Chicago: Lewis
Pub. Co. 1893.  p. 260.

KENNETH A. J. MACKENZIE, M.D.

     One of the most widely known and most able professional men in Oregon, was
born in Cumberland House, a trading post of the Hudson's Bay Company, in
Manitoba, Canada, on January 13, 1859.  His ancestors were from Ross Shire,
Scotland, where they had lived for generations as landed proprietors.  Through
the influence of relatives, connected with the Hudson's Bay Company, Roderick
Mackenzie, father of our subject, was induced to come to Manitoba, in 1845.  He
entered the employ of the company as a clerk, but his sterling characteristics
and industrious habits were soon apparent to the company, and his promotion was
rapid and continuous until he became a chief factor in the management.  He was
married at Red River settlement, to Miss Jane MacKenzie, who is remotely
descended from the same ancestry, a woman of many graces and pleasing qualities
of mind.  After twenty-five years of diligent service, Mr. Mackenzie was places
upon the retired list, and now resides at Melbourne, in Eastern township,
Canada.
     The subject of our sketch, in company, with an elder brother, was sent,
when he was seven years of age, to Jedburgh, Roxboroughshire, Scotland, where he
entered the Nest Academy, which is an old and celebrated preparatory school.
Here he remained for five years, when, on account of the death of his brother,
and his own ill health, occasioning much solicitude to his parents, he was
recalled, joining his parents at Lacloche, which was an important post of the
Hudson's Bay Company, situated on the north shore of Lake Huron.  After
recovering his health, his education was continued at the High School, Montreal,
and at the Upper Canada College, of Toronto, which latter school is regarded as
"the Eton" of Canada.  At the age of seventeen, he began the study of medicine,
at McGill University, Montreal, where after a four years' course, he graduated
with honor, as valedictorian of his class, with the degrees of M. D., C. M.
Desiring to further prosecute the study of medicine, before engaging in
practice, he went to Edinburgh, Scotland, where he attended the Royal College of
Physicians and Surgeons, receiving there the degrees of L. R. C. P., L. R. C. S.
and L. M.  After this, he continued his practical studies in the London and
University College Hospitals of London.  He then went to Paris, Berlin and
Vienna, seeking by study, observation and practical experience to still more add
to his knowledge of those two great and noble professions, medicine and surgery.
Exhausting those sources of learning, he finally returned to his home.  It was
at this time that through a general correspondence between his father and Donald
Macleary, of Portland, he learned of the advantages offered by that city to a
young man of ability and energy.  Without delay, he proceeded to Portland, where
he arrived in November, 1882.  He at once entered upon the practice of his
profession, and his success, from the beginning, was such as to attract the
attention of the oldest and ablest practitioners.  His success in surgery has
been equally marked, and there have been few cases requiring superior skill, in
which he has not been conspicuous.  He was elected, in 1883, to the chair of
Anatomy, in the medical department of the Willamette University, and later was
elected to the chair of Theory and Practice, which he filled for several years.
With the organization of the medical school of the Oregon State University, he
was elected to the chair of Theory and Practice, of which institution he became
a faithful and zealous supporter.  He is a member of the Oregon State Medical
Association, of which he was elected president in 1887, an honor never before
accorded to one of his years.  He is also a member of the Portland Medical
Society, which he earnestly and actively supports, as far as his professional
duties will permit.  He has performed many operations while surgeon for the
Northern, Southern and Union Pacific railroads, but his increasing practice
rendered it necessary for him to resign from their employ, now being engaged
merely as consulting surgeon for the Union Pacific Company, at Portland.  He is
on the staff of St. Vincent Hospital, which was the starting-point of his
surgical work in Portland, in which institution he takes a deep interest.
     He was married in Portland on January 9, 1886, to Cora (Hardy) Scott,
daughter of Pliny Hardy, a distinguished lawyer, who during the war was
Secretary of the State of Louisiana.  They have had three children:  Ronald,
Jean, and Barbara.
     He has just completed a handsome and commodious residence on the corner of
Nineteenth and Hoyt streets, where he now resides, one of the most substantial
and attractive residences in the city, and the first one constructed entirely of
stone and slate.  This beautiful place is surrounded by tastefully laid out and
attractive grounds, altogether making a suitable home for persons of refinement
and culture.  Few in the flush of youth have made such rapid strides to fame and
the road to fortune, but, as in the case of the oak, his growth and success is
due to sturdy qualities, inherent and acquired.  Coming of a family of
intelligence, he was endowed with that quality as a birthright, which by
fostering care and abundant opportunities for culture has been happily brought
to a successful maturity.
 

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in October 2005 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.