William Mackenzie was an American bibliophile and book-collector.
Background
William Mackenzie was born on July 30, 1758, and was probably the only child of Kenneth Mackenzie and his wife Mary, daughter of Edward Thomas of Barbados.
His parents were married at Christ Church, Philadelphia, on December 12, 1754. It is possible that his father was of Scottish birth, since William later became an active member of the St. Andrew's Society and bequeathed money to it in his will.
Education
The fact that Mackenzie was entered a student at the Philadelphia Academy in 1766 by one Captain Morrell suggests that his father had died before that time. At the Academy, he formed a lifelong friendship with his classmate, James Abercrombie, afterward an associate pastor of Christ Church and principal of the Episcopal Academy for many years.
After leaving the school, he entered the counting-house of John Ross, one of the most eminent shipping merchants of the city and muster-master of the Pennsylvania navy.
Here he acquired an extensive knowledge of mercantile and shipping affairs, in which he never entirely lost interest; at his death, he bequeathed one thousand dollars for the relief of distressed ship-masters.
Career
Many of the important incunabula left to the Loganian Library are listed in the Census of Fifteenth Century Books Owned in America (1919) as being the only copies in America.
Among these are Gratian's Decretum, printed at Nürnberg by Koberger in 1483; Les Oeuvres de Senecque translatez de latin en francoys printed by Verard at Paris without date; Nicolaus Bessarion, Oratzione contra il Turcho, vulgarizate, Venice, 1471. Included also are a Pliny on vellum printed by Jenson in 1476, and other works from that important press, and the Biblia latina cum postillis Nicolai de Lyra, printed by Paganinus at Venice in 1495.
The library is rich, moreover, in early English printing, and in this section is included a fine Caxton, the first edition of the Golden Legend in English, printed about 1485.
Achievements
Personality
By temperament Mackenzie was little adapted to a business life, and when about thirty years of age, he inherited an income sufficient to enable him to devote himself to scholarship and the collecting of books.
He never married, and by his will bequeathed "to the Library Company of Philadelphia, 500 volumes, to be chosen by the directors, from his English books printed since the commencement of the eighteenth century; to the same, in trust for the Loganian Library all his books printed before the commencement of the eighteenth century, and 300 volumes more, to be chosen by the trustees, from his Latin and French books printed since that period".
Large bequests to libraries were not common at that time and the generosity of William Mackenzie to his native city attracted much attention. His wishes were punctiliously fulfilled, and furthermore, all of his books which had not been bequeathed were purchased for the libraries, which thus, by purchase and bequest, acquired a total of 7, 051 volumes, including examples of printing from the earliest European presses.
There is a vast quantity of miscellaneous literature, both English and European, and much valuable Americana.
Quotes from others about the person
"His constitution, though vigorous, was not robust, his manners plain and conciliatory, his hand and his purse were ever open and ready to relieve individual and domestic distress, and contribute to public requisitions; in short, in every relation which he bore to society, he exhibited a truly estimable and exemplary character. .. . He was an accomplished Belles Lettres and classical scholar, and the tenor of his life was an uniform illustration of his principles and the benevolence of his heart. "