McKenzie, Daniel G.

The following data is extracted from History of the Pacific Northwest, Oregon and Washington, 1889.

DANIEL G. McKENZIE. - This is also a pioneer who found all the lands surrounding Pullman, Washington Territory, a sea of bunch-grass. He was born in Illinois in 1842. His father, Henry McKenzie was one of the early settlers of that state, and served in the Black Hawk war, and he came afterwards a pioneer of Iowa, building the town of Winterset. As county commissioner he conceived the idea of building a county-seat, and with the two other commissioners bought one hundred and sixty-acres of land near the center of the county, sold enough lots off from it to pay the purchase price, and deeded the tract to the county, naming the place after his old home. The town flourished; and the sale of lots has been sufficient to obtain all the money for county buildings without taxation.

There the subject of this sketch grew up, and in 1855 was married to Miss Sarah A. Bell, and removed to Texas, but the next year returned to Iowa, and afterwards made his home in Kansas. He was in the old West until 1877, when he came to his present locality, taking a claim on the sight of Pullman. There he began living and improving; and the country has settled up and the town grown around him. He is very hopeful of the future of the city and county, believing this to have the best climate, soil and natural resources of any other equal area in the world. He does not think that the delicate fruits, such as peaches, will succeed; but apples and berries grow without any hindrance. The grasses, cultivated as well as native, and grain and root crops growing in profusion, make this the region for stock.

Mr. McKenzie, like many others whose memoirs we present, has served his time in the United States army, but on account of a physical infirmity - weak eyes - did not complete his term of service. In this beautiful "utmost West" he is living with his family in all the enjoyments of home and a prosperous community.

Source: History of the Pacific Northwest, Oregon and Washington, 1889

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