Daniel McKenzie. Origin: Old Inhabitant.

The McKenzie name can be found in the 1740 Census, and there was an Eleanor McKenzie born on New Providence in 1776. That same year, both George McKenzie and Caleb McKenzie were members of the militia in New Providence, and much earlier (1727), a Roderick McKenzie married Eliza Evans in New Providence. This Daniel McKenzie was granted 80 acres in the McKenzies area of Long Island on 22 June 1789. Bounded by the land of William Bow, John Hunt, and by the sea on two sides, this land was later commuted to Arthur Newman.

As quit rent on his land was exempted for ten years, according to his deed, this Daniel McKenzie might have been a Loyalist, however. Possibly supporting this hypothesis is the fact that a Daniel McKenzie signed a Memorial to Bahamas President John Brown on 21 July 1786, entitled “The Memorial of many Loyalists lately settled in the said Islands.” The memorialists requested twelve months’ worth of provisions for themselves and their families. Two other men with Long Island land grantee names also signed that same memorial: James White and William Williams. Nonetheless, we found the Old Inhabitant evidence more compelling.

References: DM, DR, HB, CO 23/25