Since the last blog I have been delighted to hear from a descendant of Colina Cameron (living in New York) and from two descendants of John Cameron (living in Spain and in upstate New York). I look forward to their blog participation and hearing their stories.
The summer is a busy time at any farm, especially so in the case of a settler farm and Alexander must have spent every moment harvesting or threshing. I can imagine his preoccupation that summer because Annie was pregnant and due to deliver anytime. Finally on February 14 Annie went into labor (did they celebrate Valentines day? Probably not!!) I presume he raced his horse back to Santa Catalina, made the carriage comfortable for a long bumpy ride, harnessed the horse and left for the closest hospital in Traigen 5 hours away. Their first child was born on Feb 15, 1891 and they named him John Cameron (in memory of Alexanders father in Scotland.)
Eventually the Cameron's had 5 children (except for John, I do not know their birth or death dates):
John Cameron (Feb 15, 1891- April 16, 1961)
Colina Cameron
Mary Cameron
Catherine Cameron
Annie Cameron
Their lives, dreams, hopes and fears are unknown to me, but what has remained are 6 anecdotes. Anecdotes are traditionally a mixture of reality and wishful thinking, so I will endeavor to find the truth behind each one. I have summarized these anecdotes as follows:
Alexander Cameron was a journalist and attorney in Scotland
Alexander Cameron came to Chile to join the military
Alexander always carried a rifle to ensure John wasn't kidnapped by the Mapuches
Alexander Cameron was the rightful heir to the Urquhart Millions
The forgotten books that lead Alexander to become a Seventh Day Adventist
Alexanders mischievous nature and the tossing of the saddle out of the train window
Alexander Cameron was a journalist and attorney in Scotland
I have serious doubts that Alexander was an attorney. A simple search reveals that the academic standards in Edinburgh were high, and we have no record, letter or writing that Alexander was a legal scholar. For example, “...One Ordinance issued in 1862 by the Commissioners created the new degree of LL.B, drawing on and reformulating the existing traditions of the Scottish universities, in particular Edinburgh. The degree was only open to graduates. Students had to attend courses and be examined in Civil Law, Conveyancing, Public Law, Constitutional Law and History, and Medical Jurisprudence. The degree was to be a mark of “academical” rather than “professional” distinction, so examiners were to pay particular attention to Public Law (which meant Jurisprudence and International Law) and Constitutional History.” (http://www.law.ed.ac.uk/history/chpt3.aspx).
Furthermore, in the Urquhart inheritance correspondence with the solicitors Stewert & McIsaac (who are still in business in Elgin http://stewart-and-mcisaac.co.uk/) it was Annie and not Alexander who was engaged in the legal correspondence.
There is no way to corroborate or deny if Alexander was a journalist, but if he was, he left very little of his writing (two letters). These letters, composed in his sixties, are well written, clear, and almost eloquent. There is no doubt he was educated.
My personal opinion is that Alexander Cameron may have been a journalist, but not an esquire.
More to follow as time allows.
4 comments:
Desde el ultimo blog he oído de un descendiente de Colina Cameron (que vive en Nueva York) y de dos descendientes de John Cameron (viviendo en España y en el norte de Nueva York). Anticipo su participación y historia en el futuro.
El otoño y invierno de 1890 deben haber sido un bueno tiempo para Alexander y Annie. El trabajo del verano estaba terminado, y las severas tormentas del invierno forzaron a los recién casados a descansar. El verano es un tiempo de mucho trabajo en cualquier fundo, pero especialmente en el caso de un colono como Alexander y debe haber pasado cada momento en la cosecha o la trilla. Puedo imaginarme su preocupación ese verano porque Annie estaba embarazada. Finalmente el 14 de febrero Annie empezo con las contracciones. Presumo que él regreso a caballo a Santa Catalina, ensillo el caballo al carruaje, y se fueron al hospital más cercano en Traigen a 5 horas de distancia.
Su primer hijo nació el 15 de febrero de 1891 y lo nombraron John Cameron (en memoria del padre de Alexander en Escocia.) Eventualmente los Camerons tubieron 5 hijos (a excepción de Juan, no sé sus fechas del nacimiento o de la muerte):
John Cameron (el 15 de febrero de 1891-16 de abril de 1961)
Colina Cameron
Mary Cameron
Kathleen Cameron
Annie Cameron
Sus vidas, sueños, esperanzas y temores me son desconocidos, pero han permanecido 6 anécdotas. Las anécdotas son tradicionalmente una mezcla de realidad y esperanza, así que me esforzaré para encontrar la verdad detrás de cada uno. He resumido estas anécdotas como sigue:
1. Alexander Cameron era periodista y abogado en Escocia
2. Alexander Cameron vino a Chile enlistarse a para ser oficial militare
3. Alexander llevó siempre un rifle para asegurar a John no sea secuestrado por los Mapuches
4. Alexander Cameron era el heredero legítimo de los millones de Urquhart
5. Los libros olvidados que llevan a Alexander a convertirse en un Adventista
6. La picardía de Alexander y el tirar una montura de la ventana del tren
Alexander Cameron era periodista y abogado en Escocia
Tengo dudas serias que Alexander era abogado. Una búsqueda simple revela que los estándares académicos en Edimburgo eran altos, y no tenemos ningún expediente, carta, o escritura que Alexander era un erudito legal. Por ejemplo, “… una ordenanza publicada en 1862 por las comisiones creó el nuevo grado de LL.B, reformulando las tradiciones existentes de las universidades escocesas, particularmente Edimburgo. El grado estaba solamente abierto a los graduados. Los estudiantes tuvieron que atender a cursos y ser examinados en el derecho civil, transferencia de propiedad, derecho público, el derecho constitucional e historia, y jurisprudencia médica. El grado era ser una marca de “académico” algo que la distinción “profesional”, así que los examinadores debían prestar la atención particular al derecho público (que significó jurisprudencia y derecho internacional) e historia constitucional.” (http://www.law.ed.ac.uk/history/chpt3.aspx).
Además, en la correspondencia de la herencia de Urquhart con los abogados de Stewart & McIsaac (quién todavía están en negocio en Elgin http://stewart-and-mcisaac.co.uk/) era Annie y no Alexander que asumió la responsabilidad de la correspondencia legal.
No hay manera de corroborar o de negar si Alexander era periodista, pero si lo fue, él dejó muy poco de sus escrituras (dos letras). Estas letras, compuestas en sus años 60, están bien escritas, claras, y casi elocuentes. No hay duda que era educado.
Mi opinión personal es que Alexander Cameron puede haber sido periodista, pero no era abogado.
Seguiré escribiendo cuando pueda.
Maybe Alexander Cameron had planned on going to law school originally (maybe he was great at arguing!) but before he could get his degree, he heard about the Chile opportunity and decided to drop that plan and see if the grass was greener on the other side:) Or maybe he started school and then heard about Chile and dropped out...but I bet it was at least someone's hope for his future because usually there is a little truth to this kind of thing:)
Good point
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