A Story of My Cameron Line - From Beauly, Scotland to Defiance County, Ohio - PART 1

 Welcome to our guest blogger, Virgil Cameon, who has done extensive research on his Cameron line from Scotland to Defiance County, Ohio - the Camerons, Bostaters and Stengers.  He kindly gave his permission to publish the results of his work on our blog.

Virgil: "For the past forty years, I have been trying to trace my Cameron ancestors back into Scotland.  Frustration sets in when researching and finding so many family trees with obvious errors and no documentation.  Perhaps the most glaring errors are those that list the father of Donald Cameron (b. 1710) being the Rev. Richard Cameron who was killed in 1680!  With the naming conventions used in Scotland, certain names are used over and over again which can prove confusing!   After all this research, I am confident that I have WELL DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE of my specific Cameron line, although I have been unable to find documentation of THAT line prior to 1710.  I'm pictured below with my GG Grandparents John and Lydia Cameron, the earliest images I have.

In July of 1775, Donald Cameron (b. 1710) who was a farmer in Beuly, Scotland, perhaps on the Teanroit farm of the Lovat Estate , came to Philadelphia on a ship named CLEMENTINA that was captained by a man named Patrick Brown.  The ship left from Stornaway, Scotland.  According to the October 25, 1775 issue of the Pennsylvania Gazette, the ship arrived in Philadelphia on October 9, 1775, being docked at the Bird-in-Hand Wharf.

There is some thought that the ship was hired by Aberdeen merchants, and if that was the port of registration, then likely what happened is that the vessel sailed up the east coast of Scotland, picking up passengers at various ports of call, such as Inverness or Cromarty, and sailed on through the Pentland Firth before sailing on to the Island of Lewis with Stornaway as its last port of call.

(Note: The ship Clementina was later renamed to the Henrietta, according to a May 4th, 1778 letter found in Naval Documents of the American Revolution, Volume 12, page 260.)

According to Viola Root Cameron in her book: The Emigrants from Scotland to America, 1774 - 1775, published 1930, aboard the CLEMENTINA were listed the following:

Donald Cameron, age 65, passenger and a farmer from Builie*

John Cameron, age 34, passenger and a farmer from Builie

Simon Cameron, age 29, passenger and a farmer from Builie

Jean Fraser, age 25, passenger from Builie

Anne McKenzie, age 25, passenger from Builie

Charles Cameron, age 5 passenger from Builie

Mary Cameron, age 3, passenger from Builie

Catherine Cameron, age 6 months, passenger from Builie

Catherine McKenzie, age 29, passenger from Builie

(*Builie refers to Beauly, Scotland, a small village in the Highlands, five miles west of Inverness and on the Beauly River.  Beauly Priory, pictured right.)

This family grouping appears to be traveling together with Donald as the father and his two sons with their wives and children.John's marriage is recorded in the Kilmorack parish register as follows: 

1764/1765 - John Cameron, son of Donald of Buie in Teanroit marries Jean Fraser, daughter to Alister Miller  in Kilmorack.

Simon was married to Catherine McKenzie and the 3 young children were theirs.  Ann McKenzie was a sister to Catherine.  Much of this will be verified later in this account by a grandson of Simon's who did extensive research of the family in the mid-1800s.

There is no record of Donald's wife who many claim to be Ann McLaurin, coming on the ship, and further there is no good evidence that Ann McLaurin was Donald's wife.  While there are records in Scotland of a Donald Cameron and Ann McLaurin being married about the correct time and of the correct ages. The records also show that in August of 1751, a daughter named Ann was born to this couple, but the birth record states, "born to the DECEASED Donald Cameron and Ann McLauren."  Research shows the death of a Donald Cameron in July of 1751.

Donald and his two sons farmed the church land around Donegal Presbyterian Church near Mt. Joy in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  It is said they were friends in Scotland with the new Donegal Presbyterian minister, Colin McFarquhar.  Rev. Colin McFarquhar was, prior to his emigration, minister of the combined parishes of Applecross and Gairloh.  

His entry in Fasti Elesiae Scoticane, Vol. 7, page 144, reads:

"Presbytery of Gairloch - Applecross, 1749 -53; licen.by Presb. of Chanonry in 1756; ord to Fort Augustus in 1759; called 25th Dec. 1760; adm. 1st April 1761.  He petitioned the Presby, 6th April 1774, for leave to go to America to fix a settlement there for himself and others who wished to emigrate.  The Presby. agreed to his request "commending his public spirit and enterprising turn."  They further put in the record that "since inoculation from smallpox had been introduced, the country had become far more populous than it was before and yet no trade, manufacture, or branch of industry had opened to employ the supernumery hands. They stated that the land rents all over the Highlands had been raised so high that to all appearance, farming would become a distressful occupation and poverty was likely to be considered to be on the increase.  Having settled in Pennsylvania, dem. his charge here 17th May 1775..."

Simon (b. 1746) brought three children with him: Charles (b. 1770), Mary (b. 1772) and Catherine (aged 6 months)  Simon was a really interesting fellow.  His first wife's name is a little sketchy, but it is thought that it was Katherine McKenzie.  Within a year after their ship arrived, they had another son and named him Mordecai.  It seems that his second wife was Ann McKenzie, sister to his first wife.  Simon would soon marry again for the third time.  

In 1777, Simon is listed in the Pennsylvania Militia, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Company, under the command of a man named Work).  Also in 1778, Simon was taken to court on the appeals docket and was to be fined for "Failure to March When Called," as was his brother, John.

"16th Decm., 1778

Simon Cameron (a Highlander) 2d Work who cannot speake English apeals by James Bayly Esqr. for the fines of nonattendance by Reason of his wife's languishing condition."

More confusion exists with Donald's (b. 1710) son, John, (b. 1741).  Many researchers list him as John Canady Cameron who fought in the Virginia Militia during the Revolution, was wounded at Brandywine, was married to Margaret Jones and was given 200 acres of land in Virginia.  Evidence I have found refutes this as the John Cameron who came to Philadelphia on the Clementina was in the Lancaster County Militia at that time and married to Jean Fraser.  It would seem strange that if John were in the Virginia militia that he would be taken to a Lancaster County court. Further, if John were indeed wounded at Brandywine in 1777, why would he use the other weak excuse in 1778 that he was poor.

"John Cameron, 8th do., that he is a very poor man leatly came into the contry, and had not his passage paid, and a small family to maintain, willing to march when it comes to be demanded of his --- judgt.  March when ordered or pay the substitution money."

Muster cards can be located for both John Camerons, one from Virginia and one from Pennsylvania.  Pennsylvania John and his brother, Simon, appeared in court for failure to march. Simon's second court appearance lists his reasons as he spoke no English, only Gaelic, and his wife had been sick and recently died leaving him four small children (Charles, Mary, Catherine and now Mordecai). John gave his reason as he was poor, not having paid his passage and with a small family to support.

"Simon Cameron 2d Work says that his wife lay several Months and Died leaving him four small children Just before he was called & in that situation could not go... Judgmt - March when ordered or pay the substitution money.

The originals for these transcribed clippings can be found in the State Archives in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

In June of 1778, Simon and  his brother, John, swore the oath of allegiance for Lancaster County in front of James Bayle, J. P., along with many others.

To be continued ...