Lewis McKenzie

Lewis McKenzie (October 7, 1810 – June 28, 1895) was a nineteenth-century politician, merchant and railroad president from Virginia.

For the Canadian general, see Lewis MacKenzie.
Lewis McKenzie
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Virginia's 7th district
In office
January 31, 1870 – March 3, 1871
Preceded byHimself (1)
Succeeded byElliott M. Braxton
In office
February 16, 1863 – March 3, 1863
Preceded byCharles H. Upton
Succeeded byHimself (1)
Mayor of Alexandria, Virginia
In office
1861–1863
Preceded byWilliam B. Price
Succeeded byCharles A. Ware
Personal details
Born(1810-10-07)October 7, 1810
Alexandria, District of Columbia
DiedJune 28, 1895(1895-06-28) (aged 84)
Alexandria, Virginia
Political partyUnionist
Other political
affiliations		Conservative
ProfessionPolitician, Merchant, Railroad President

Biography

Born in Alexandria, District of Columbia, McKenzie pursued an academic course as a young adult and prominently engaged in shipping and mercantile pursuits, founding and becoming president of the Alexandria, Loudoun and Hampshire Railroad.[1] He was also president of the First National Bank.

He was civicly minded and began his political career as a Whig and was a member of the Alexandria County common council from 1843-1850 during which time he instigated the final push for retrocession in 1846. He was a member of the city council of Alexandria from 1855 to 1859; and was acting mayor of the city from 1861 to 1863. At various times he was the presiding justice of the magistrate court and a Brigadier General of the town's militia. [2]

McKenzie was elected a Unionist to the United States House of Representatives to fill a vacancy in 1863, serving from February to March of that year and afterward returned to the Alexandria city council, serving again until 1866 and returning a third time in 1868, serving again until 1870. He returned to the House as a Conservative in 1869, serving from 1870 to 1871. In 1870 he ran as the Republican candidate and lost. In 1874 he ran for the state senate and lost. He was appointed postmaster of Alexandria in 1878. McKenzie returned to the city council for the last time in 1887, serving until 1891. He died in Alexandria on June 28, 1895 and was interred there in Presbyterian Cemetery.

Election of 1869

McKenzie was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives unopposed.

References
  1. Williams, Ames W. (1989). The Washington and Old Dominion Railroad. Arlington, Virginia: Arlington Historical Society. p. 3. ISBN 0926984004. OCLC 20461397 – via Google Books.
  2. "The Late Lewis McKenzie". Alexandria Gazette. 29 June 1895. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Charles H. Upton		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Virginia's 7th congressional district
1863		 Succeeded by
Himself (1)
Preceded by
Himself (1)		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Virginia's 7th congressional district
1870–1871		 Succeeded by
Elliott M. Braxton
Notes and references
1. Because of Virginia's secession, the state's 7th congressional district seat was vacant for almost seven years, and McKenzie ended up succeeding himself.


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