William was the youngest son of Zachariah and Margaret Mackenzie from Bosta. He emigrated with his brothers and sister to Quebec in the 1850s. He married Chirsty nee Maciver and had a family of ten.

In the 1881 Census of Canada William and Christina and their family are listed in =Whitton=, Quebec. (District 54, Subdistrict K, Division 1, Page 10, Household 37)