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- "Nancy (Ann) Cameron (b. 1779(census - l851 Finch - d. c 1858), my gtgt(Marjory's sister (married to Alex MacMillan) was buried in St Luke'sCem. Unfortunately, her tombstone was destroyed in this old cem. when thetownship decided to place tombstones in 'wall', thus destroying many ofthem. "
From Margaret Cameron, Box 621, Long Sault, Ontario KOC 1PO
"My gtgt Nancy's family, like her husband's (Donald) were from the'front' near Martintown (known as the Dougal Camerons ofWilliamstown/Martintown (Inveruiskavouline). "
"Donald's wife's parents mig. in 1804, landing in Montreal in Septemberof that year."
From Margaret Cameron, Box 621, Long Sault, Ontario KOC 1PO
"Life in the bush was hard,... In March 1809 Nancy hiked out along theblazed Indian Trail through the bush to Summerstown on the river in orderto buy seed potatoes for the Spring planting and supplies. She wasvisiting her relatives near Martintown when she heard about her husband'sdeath by the falling tree when a neighbour ran out along the trail tofind her. It took three days and nights to take Donald's body out alongthe Indian trail to his father's farm (Lot 6-4 Cornwall) to be buried.Fires had to be kept going on the hilloch where he was buried in order tothaw the snow covered ground in order to dig the grave. Nancy's fatherwas lost in the bush c 1827 so I was told.
I grew up listening to my Grandmother Cameron tell me how terrible 'theSassenachs' were (meaning the lowlanders), and of the terrible tragediesthat befell the family.
The relationship of my branches of Camerons to Roderick's family wasthrough marriage (Nancy's nephew, Dougald Cameron (Paul's son) married afirst cousin to Roderick , Margaret McDonell (her mother was a Cameron),although there was a distant relationship through the Glennevis Camerons.Nancy kept in close touch her family. Dougald Cameron (b.1885) adescendant of Dougald Cameron and Margaret McDonell, who had been a clerktreas. of Charlottenburg Township(Glengarry) and my Dad were closefriends and he called my Dad a cousin (he was father to the Douglas Imentioned). Dougald Cameron (b 1885) descended through 'male' line fromJohn 'the Wise' Cameron at Summerstown, but through his grandmother fromthe Inveruiskavouline Camerons!! Hamish, I keep referring to Lot numbersetc., and dates, in order to separate out these different branches but itis still a 'muddle' for you probably.
My Dad took such pride in his descent from the Lochiel Camerons and theGlennevis Camerons but for anyone who doesn't know these differentfamilies it is hard to untangle, because Camerons married Camerons, etc.,and, likewise, MacMillans/MacLeans. Nothing is straight forward asusually is the case in English families. .
From the time I was very small I heard about how 'Donald and his brother,Allan, 'went north' to Finch in 1808. The farm (Lot 21-4 Finch) was inthe family from 1808, but, from what I was told, there was a propertymixup(i.e. - the four Camerons who had trekked in from Lochiel -Alexander Cameron and his four sons --also with the names Allan Donaldetc)with the Camerons in the concession south of them(the four who hadhiked in from Lochiel Township). But my Dad's first cousins were relatedto that Cameron family through their 'grandmother' not through the maleline from 'OUR Donald, and this has been a mix for the local gen."
From Margaret Cameron, Box 621, Long Sault, Ontario KOC 1PO (7th Oct 2002
THE FREE SPIRIT OF THE PIONEER WOMAN
By Margaret Cameron
One doesn't have to visit Upper Canada Village to experience the culturalshock of stepping back in time, using kerosene lamps and cooking bywoodstove. Ever since I decided to leave the city ten years ago to returnto my 'roots' I never regretted my decision.
Every family is knit into history by the strong strands of familyreminiscences, and, in my case, it is easy to see why so many of mygrand-aunts and grand-uncles lived well into their nineties as healthy,useful citizens.
Nancy Cameron from Summerstown married Donald Cameron and they settled inFinch Township in 1808, where a small clearing was made and a log cabinbuilt.
During the early spring time of 1809, Nancy Cameron hiked down a blazedIndian trail to the 'front' where at Summerstown she visited relatives.On her return home she was to carry supplies, but when she was away herhusband was killed by a falling tree.
According to family records "Rthe men carried the body down the trailfrom Finch to Lot 6 Concession 4, Cornwall from Lot 21 Concession 4Finch. Fires had to be made when they stopped at night to keep the wolvesaway from the body. The younger men or boys kept a large fire going inthe cemetery on the hill off South Branch Road to get the frost out ofthe ground, so a grave could be dug for the burial.'
Donald Cameron's wife became known as "The Red Widow Cameron" because ofthe color of her hair. She was left not only to cope with the wildernessbut also with four young children, the youngest being a not a year old.Duncan grew into a man of six feet five, and the family was referred toas "the Donald Big Duncans'. Eventually, land from the farm was donatedfor a school, the Cameron Schoolhouse.
Among pioneer families the women always took risks and did hard workalongside the men in a wilderness beset with frigid winters, the wolvesand other wild animals being a constant threat to the pioneers.
When I was a child I played in the log cabin Donald built, and I saw thetree which had grown from the stump of the one which fell on him, and Iwondered how his wife ever survived in such a lonely spot. Hardship?Living by kerosene lamp and eating food cooked on a woodstove is adelight in this year of bicentennial when one considers the number ofpeople who go camping and eat food cooked on open barbecues, while modernconveniences overflow in ultra modern country kitchens.
My great-great-grandfather, Donald Cameron, did not survive in thewilderness although his widow along wither four children lived longenough to see the forest retreat..
By simple enduring day to day like our pioneer ancestors did, searchingout the answers to the dilemma which is life itself the free spirit ofthe pioneer woman still exist in her descendents.
"The South Branch Road is really the 4th Conc. road. The original farmwas at the corner of McConnell Avenue(Cornwall, Ontario) and the SouthBranch Road(4th), at the extreme northeast corner of the town.. "
From Margaret Cameron, Box 621, Long Sault, Ontario KOC 1PO (23 February2003)
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