Alexander Cameron was the rightful heir to the Urquhart Millions

1934.From left to right, front row: Stella & Lydia Potter, Rhoda, Nunny, Loyda Cameron
Seated middle row: Annie Cameron, Mrs Potter, Agnes Cameron with Alex in her lap, and Douglas Cameron.
Standing middle row: Irma Gaugin, Maile ?, Tanty Lydia
Back row: Sydney Potter, Alexander and his son John Cameron


In order for this anecdote to be understood, one has to make three assumptions:
1) The Urquhart Estate was exceedingly wealthy,
2) Alexander Cameron was the logical inheritor
3) Alexander Cameron was denied his rightful inheritance.

I will look at each of these separately.

1) The Urquhart Estate was exceedingly wealthy
We have copy of Walter Urquhart last will. It is a hand written, sewn bound document titled “Copy. Settlement of Walter Urquhart. Merchant New Elgin. 1903. Stewart & McIsaac” I have reproduced it below.

Walter Urquhart, merchant, New Elgin, in order to settle the succession of my means and estate after my death do hereby give grant assign and dispose to and in favor of Hugh Stewart, solicitor, Elgin, John Hunter Clark, plumber, Elgin and James Rhuid Stewart, solicitor, Elgin and the successors and survivors of them and such other person or persons as I may hereafter appoint, or as may be assumed into the Trust hereinafter designed my Trustees, as Trustees, for the ends uses and purposes aftermentioned my whole means and estate heritable and moveable real and personal wheresoever situated presently belonging to me or which shall belong to me at my death with the writ vouchers and instructions thereof and I nominate my said Trustees to be my Executors: declaring that these presents are granted in trust (First) For payment of my debts death bed and funeral expenses including a memorial stone over my grave of such values as my trustees may think fit. (Second) To pay to the Parish Council of Farrintosh for the purpose of providing a hearse for the Parish or if that be not necessary to be expended on such other object for the good of the Parish as the Parish council of the said parish of Farrintosh may with the consent of my said Trustees determine. (Third) To hold the property on the east side of High street New Elgin belonging to me for behoof of my sister Janet Urquhart residing at Farrintosh in life rent and on her death to be realized by my Trustees the price to be paid to the family of Donald Gillies, laborer, Burghead and my sister Mary Urquhart or Gillies, his wife, other than their son John who went abroad and has not been heard of for several years and that in the proportion of two fifths to their daughter Annie and three fifths among the other children equally, the children of any predeceasing taking their parents share and if any predecease without leaving children their share to be divided amongst the others, other than said John in the above proportion (Fourth) I direct my Trustees to convey and make over the property belonging to me lying between Main street and Convener street, New Elgin to the Elgin Parish Council to be used by them as a town hall for New Elgin or to sell it and apply the price toward providing such a town hall, it being my wish and desire that the hall may be open on such terms as the Council may fix for the use of all such denominations of whatever views so long as they are not immoral and their lectures or performances are conducted with propriety (Fifth) I hereby provide that the foregoing legacies and provisions will be paid free of legacy duty (Sixth) The residue and remainder of my means and estate to be held by my Trustees for the purpose of contributing an annual sum of three pounds towards the expense of an annual treat to the children attending the New Elgin Public School, three pounds sterling towards the funds of Doctor Grays Hospital Elgin to help toward the maintenance of a child’s crib in that hospital and the balance to the Baptist Union of Scotland and I authorize my trustees to sell or let the heritable subjects by public or private bargain to invest the Trust funds in such securities heritable or personal as to them may seem best and to employ one of their own member or others at suitable remuneration as law agents in the trust. And I consent to registration for preservation in witness whereof I have subscribed these presents on this and the preceding page at Elgin on the seventh day of July nineteen hundred (Jul 7, 1900) Before these witnesses David Mckie Edwards clerk in the office of the Royal Bank of Scotland at Elgin and John Middleman was clerk to Steward and McIsaac solicitors Elgin Signed Walter Urquhart Signed D. Mackie Edwards witness Signed J. Middleman witness I Walter Urquhart, merchant, New Elgin, the granter of the within settlement do hereby make the following alterations thereon (First) Instead of my Trustees holding the property on the east side of High street, New Elgin, belonging to me for behoof of my sister Janet Urquhart residing at Farrintosh is different and on her death to be realized by my Trustees and the piece paid to the family of Donald Gillies, laborer, Burghead, and my sister Mary Urquhart or Gillies, his wife other than the son John who went abroad and has not been heard of for several years in the proportions within mentioned, I direct my Trustees to convey the said property to the family of the said Donald Gillies and Mary Urquhart or Gillies other than their said son John in the proportion of three fifths to their daughter Annie and two fifths among the other children equally, the children of any predeceasing being entitled to the share which would have fallen to their parents, but under the real burden always of an annual payment from the rents of said property to my said sister Janet Urquhart of four pounds sterling during her life and (Second) Instead of conveying and making over the property lying between Main street and Convener street belonging to me is the Elgin Parish Council at the period of my death to be held by them as within mentioned I direct my Trustees to hold the said property during the life time of my said sister Janet for her life rent use and on her death to convey it over to the said Parish council for the purposes within mentioned. In witness whereof I have subscribed these presents on this and the preceding page at Elgin upon the sixteenth day of April nineteen hundred and one year (April 16, 1901) before these witnesses Alexander Russell teller in the office of the Royal Bank of Scotland Elgin and John James Petrie Clerk to Messrs Stewart and McIsaac, Solicitors, Elgin (signed) Walter Urquhart (Signed) Alexander Russell, Witness (Signed) John J Petrie, Witness

So these facts indicate that Walter Urquhart had two properties. The property lying between Main street and Convener street was left to the New Elgin Parish Council. The other property on the east side of High street, New Elgin, was left to the children of Donald Gillies. Annie received three fifths while Henry, Daniel and Margaret Gillies shared two fifths.

Other correspondence indicates that Annie Camerons' three fifths amounted to a total of £ 291 which would make the total price of the High street property to be approximately £ 485. A simple deflator of currency (http://www.friesian.com/coins.htm) allows us to estimate that the purchasing power of £ 485 in 1910 would be roughly equivalent to £ 7760 in 2000, or roughly $14,000 USD.

I believe that these simple calculations, although containing potential errors, allows us to understand that Walter Urquhart was wealthy, but was not a millionaire, as the family lore had it. To bad : (

2) Alexander Cameron was the logical inheritor
The relationship of Annie to Walter Urquhart has already been described (see blog entry dated Sunday, August 10, 2008) and given the traditions of the day, the inheritance would have gone to her husband Alexander Cameron. Not much to add here.

3) Alexander Cameron was denied his rightful inheritance.
The settlement document seems quite clear, and I don't believe there is any substantive reason to believe he was denied any inheritance rights.


To conclude, the existing documents supports that Alexander and Annie Cameron received the inheritance left in the Urquhart will. The sizable amount of the inheritance must have had an enormous purchasing power in Southern Chile in 1908, but Walter Urquhart was a wee bit short of being a millionaire.



1932 From left to right: Rhoda, Alex, Nunny, Loyda and Douglas Cameron

Alexander always carried a rifle to ensure his son John wasn't kidnapped by the Mapuches

Front row from left to right: Annie Cameron, Agnes Cameron (wife of John), Tanty Lydia, and two unknown individuals. Behind Annie is John Cameron. The elderly man to the right is Alexander Cameron. The kids on the "muelle" are the grandchildren. I estimate this picture was taken around 1933 -1934

I heard this anecdote from Pastor Bacigalupi many years ago. At the time I didn't have the historical context and the story seemed unreal to me. After reading the Verniory book (fully quoted elsewhere in this blog) I realized that the bucolic Chile I grew up in, was the frontier in the 1890's, and it carried all the dangers associated with expanding settlements.

The following four examples were taken from Verniorys book:

--“...during the night a group of bandits attacked the homestead of a Swiss settler who lived about 10 kilometers from Lautaro. The house had been ransacked and burnt. The settler, named Grundli, his wife and two children were killed; a boy of about 12 years old escaped and ran to the house of a neighboring settler...” (page 213).

--Mac Kinnon ... “heard suspicious noises circulating his house. He had just picked up his shotgun when the door was violently charged, but the door held. Mac Kinnon shot his gun and a yell was heard in the night. He turned off the light and shot at the shadows that were running away. ... Suddenly there was noise of firearms around the house. Bullets were flying in the house and hitting the table. Mac Kinnon dropped to the floor and recharged his Winchester. Then he noticed someone had climbed on the roof and was trying to breakthrough into the house. He shot towards the ceiling and a body fell to the ground.... in the morning two bodies were found.... the motive was thought to be theft since Mac Kinnon had just returned from Victoria with a suitcase full of money” (page 265 – 266. This was heavily edited).

--“A few month ago a German settler, his wife and their son were assassinated in their house, between Lautaro and Temuco” (page 310).

--“The years end [1897] was notable due to a great alarm. The rumor that the Indians were preparing for an uprising spread rapidly. The panic hit ... and the settlers abandoned their farms taking with them their most precious objects” (page 466).

--“The region in that period [1890's] was not safe and the authorities did not provide the foreigners with the safety and protection they deserved. The frequent theft of animals and the murder of many settlers testify to this. When a litigation occurred between a settler and Chilean, invariably the latter was preferred by the local judges. In reality, the settlers suffered very much due to the ill will and bad faith of the Chileans” (page 372).

Guns were not the only "safety" options settlers had. Tanty Margie recounted that in San Bartolo (the family farm) there was a cane that contained a hidden compartment with a large knife. We speculate that it belonged to Alexander. Perhaps the cane looked something like the adjacent image.

In summary, I would conclude that the settlers faced many dangers. More often that not the danger was from Chilean bandits than the Mapuches, and it is logical they always carried a weapon for personal protection.

Janny wrote the follwing in the Comments and I have translated and redacted them:

Indeed in those years our ancestors lived in imminent danger. My mother (Tanty Nuny) recalls that that in those years many vagrants, dirty and evil looking travelers stopped by demanding aid, and grandpa (John Cameron) always gave them aid.

When grandpa (John Cameron) was a child they had to be careful and even sometimes hide him because the Mapuches wanted to kidnap him. Tanty Nuny also recalls that once a suspicious looking man stopped by asking for food, but before grandpa gave him any assistance he gave the man soap and the necessary toiletries so that he could attend to his personal cleanliness and then gave him work, since many of these itinerants were only interested in stealing from the household and did not really want to work. Well, this man worked for some time but then he stole a sac of lentils and a few other things and grandpa caught him on the way to Perquenco with the sac on his shoulder. Grandpa reported him and the police placed him in prison, since he had robbed other places also.

Grandpa always was good with people, and he helped the poor and humble. As you know Garddy, thanks to him the Mapuches that lived close by were educated in a school that he built so that they were educated and grasped another culture

[This picture shows what Janny is writing about. This is the school at San Bartolo that was provided by my grandfather. The tall man is John Cameron, and the tall woman is Annie Cameron. Tanty Nuny is standing in front of Annie, and my mother Rhoda is at the far right in the front row. Tanty Loyda is two places to her right. The beautiful German lady in the middle is my grandma Agnes. The goofy kid to her right with the raised shoulders in Uncle Douglas. And just about everybody else are Mapuche kids from "La Reducion Huenchulao"]

These are nice memories from San Bartolo.

I even remember when I was small that once near San Bartolo, I saw “cuatreros” which was the term given to thief's, that stopped by the farm. Once we were told who they were we were so frightened and everyone feared them because of their reputation. Just imagine what it must have been in those years when the settlers arrived, being worried about everything and apprehensive that they did not get robbed. Indeed there were bad people. There is so much to tell that this story is very interesting.

My Daddy, (by Susan)

This is a blog of our family, and as such I feel compelled to post an email from my cousin Susan. Uncle Peter is Tanty Winnies husband. Our most earnest thoughts and prayers go to them.

Good Morning Family and Friends,

My dad was admitted to the ICU of Smith Northview Hospital here in Valdosta, Georgia on Monday, September 22nd. I came up here on Tuesday morning from the Orlando area. He experienced a respiratory crisis Wednesday afternoon in which he came about 2 minutes away from dying. Last night the doctor sat down with my mother, Daisy, Patty, my daddy and I to discuss what heroic measures we were comfortable with in case of life and death. It was the most difficult conversation in that the reality of my daddy's condition became crystal clear.

He was diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis in February of 2005 and was told that the average length of life was 3 years. He has surpassed that with an incredible quality of life. He turned 77 on September 4th. Last Thursday he went to consult as the child psychiatrist at one of the clinics in rural Georgia and last Friday he may have played his last game of tennis. At this time he probably already had the pneumonia that has put him in the hospital. Due to his lungs being about 75% non functional, this will be difficult to overcome but his spirits are so positive and optimistic and he is a man of faith.

I ask that you pray not only for him and but for my mom. It is during these times that prayer, family and our friendships give us the strength to keep on going. By this weekend all of the family will have flown in to be together during this most uncertain period in our lives.

With loving thoughts,

Susan

(Updated Sept 27) Alexander Cameron came to Chile to join the military

From left to right, Colina Cameron, Annie Cameron, and Catherine Cameron.
























From left to right: Mary, Annie, Catherine and Colina, the four Cameron sisters.

UPDATED September 27
I received an email from my cousin Janny, who writes "Our great grandfather could not become a military officer because, as a child, he suffered a severe hand burn, and he had only two fingers on his right hand, the thumb and index finger." Gracias Janny por la información. Tanty Loyda and Tanty Margie added that Alexander was denied entrance to the Scottish Military Academy and the Chilean Military Academy due the handicap from the burn. Gracias Tanties.


Original Post
The Clan Cameron has a deep military tradition. A quick scan through the book, "The Clan Cameron a Brief Sketch of the History and Traditions With a Short Notice of Eminent Clansmen" by John Cameron, J. P. (Kirkintilloch: D. Macleod, Herald Office 1894) exposes their bellicose toughness and strength. I quote “The Camerons have ever been a warlike race...[and] in the past history, even in the most barbarous times, there was nothing... of which the Clan Cameron had to be ashamed... Fierce seems early to have been ascribed as a striking characteristic of the Camerons.”

In a family who espoused the ideas of an honorable military career, I am certain Alexander was no exception. The “colono” agent in Scotland who was trying to recruit settlers to La Araucania, was probably as candid as a used car salesman. Once the agent learned that young Alexander (remember he was only 23 years old) wanted to be a military officer, then he promised Alexander whatever he wanted to hear. That would have been an easy sell, because some of the leading military Chilean commanders were of European decent and had names such as O'Higgins, Pratt, Cochrane, etc. So Alexander would have logically believed that Scots were not only accepted by the Chilean military but played a leading roll.

The fact is Alexander did not become a military officer. I do not know the reasons, but the anecdote also tells us that it was because Alexander had a deformed hand. This hand condition was easily visible, and obviously did not hinder him from hard work. What condition could this have been?

Tanty Loyda Cameron has described and shown me how she remembers her grandfathers hand condition. A study of the photos in this blog reveals Alexander Camerons' hand condition. Furthermore the only extant photo of Alexanders mother, Catherine, appears to show the same syndrome.

I posit that Catherine and her son Alexander suffered from a condition know as Dupuytren's Disease, a genetic disease associated with northern Europeans of viking descent. A Google search produced more than 73,000 entries, so if your are interested, check it out. As with all hypothesis this one also has problems, such as Alexanders symptoms at such a young age (perhaps a dominant gene?), but I find it very interesting that Dupuytren's Disease may also be associated with Restless Leg Syndrome (http://www.dupuytren-online.info/Forum_English/board/ledderhose-ledderhose-without-nodules-1_7.html), a condition we know something about.


To summarize, I conclude that Alexander came to Chile with the expectations of becoming a military officer but this hand condition hindered him (banned him?) from following this dream.

The First Chilean Cameron Family

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 fall and winter of 1890 must have been a great time for Alexander and Annie. The summer work was done, and the severe winter storms forced the newlyweds to rest.

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:

1. Alexander Cameron was a journalist and attorney in Scotland

2. Alexander Cameron came to Chile to join the military

3. Alexander always carried a rifle to ensure John wasn't kidnapped by the Mapuches

4. Alexander Cameron was the rightful heir to the Urquhart Millions

5. The forgotten books that lead Alexander to become a Seventh Day Adventist

6. 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.

The Groom may kiss the Bride

Around 1890, Annie Gillies (~ 33 years old) travels by ship to Chile to marry Alexander Cameron, who would be around 26 years old. Going to South America by ship was a risky proposition in the 19^th century. The number of shipwrecks around Cape Horn is legendary, and it was because of weather that most ships from Europe departed in December or January (midst of winter and related storms in the Northern Hemisphere) so they could catch a window of good weather in the Southern Hemisphere's summer. Gustav Verniory's passage in 1889 took about 40 days (pages 24 – 45). In reading his narrative I can imagine a lonely woman making this passage, surrounded by tough men on their way to find their fortune.

I wonder about the bride and groom:

1. Had they met in Scotland?

2. Was the Santa Catalina home ready?

3. Was Annie anxious about coming to a savage land? (whenever I think about this I imagine the scenes of Meryl Streep when she arrives in Kenya to meet her husband in the movie “Out of Africa”)

4. Did Annie feel like a spinster?

5. What were Alexander's feelings about marrying an “older” woman.

There is so little we know, that one is left with plenty of room to fantasize. We do know that sophisticated Annie brought her British manners, sense of propriety, table etiquette, dish set, silverware, an organ, probably sheet music, and any item (tools or seeds) that Alexander would have requested.

I have collected two different versions of their wedding. The first version (handwritten by Granmita Agnes) states they married in Traiguen. The second version (handwritten by my mom, Rhoda) states they were married on board by the Captain of the ship when she arrived in Talcahuano. A marriage certificate or a little bit of research at the Chilean National Archives would settle this point. I personally favor the second account since it sounds a bit more romantic.

I can imagine a nervous Alexander waiting at the docks, waving his hat in excitement at the sight of Annie. Once all the logistics of tying a ship to the dock are completed, and the descending passengers have left (3 - 4 hours?) FINALLY Alexander can come on board and hug his fiancée. A few friendly passengers are rounded up as witnesses, and the Captain in his Scottish accent completes the marriage vows and announces “The Groom may kiss the Bride.” The sounds of champagne bottles expelling their corks were mixed with sailor cheers, as the Captain introduces Alexander and Annie Cameron to the small but boisterous crowd.

From Talcahuano, the Camerons take the train to Traiguen, a day long trip in 1890. Early next day, Annie's belonging were loaded into an oxen-pulled cart and they would spend a long day making their way to Santa Catalina. This type of travel is well-suited for conversation, so I am certain Alexander received all the latest news from home, while Annie saw for the first time the enchanting beauty of southern Chile, peeking through the luscious hardwood forests at a half a dozen snow topped volcanoes.

I am posting all known photographs where Alexander and Annie are together. I can do this since there are so few. As always I welcome comments and stories. Next blog will deal with the fruits of their marriage.

Annie Gillies (b.1857 ;d 1952) wife of Alexander Cameron

From photographs, photograph annotations, census data and extant correspondence I conclude the following:

Annie was the daughter of Walter Urquhart (b. 1820; d. 6 June 1902) and Annie Gillies (b. unkown; d circa 1872). Walter Urquhart (photo right) and Annie married on the 29^th of July of 1853.

Their daughter Annie was born in 1857. Tragically, Annie’s mother died from some unforeseen event around 1872 (perhaps influenza epidemic so common at the time) and therefore her father Walter Urquhart became a widower. Annie Urquhart went to live with her uncle and aunt, Donald Gillies (her mother’s brother) and Mary Urquhart (her father’s sister.) For reasons I do not understand Annie Urquhart becomes Annie Gillies.

In the home of Donald and Mary Gillies, Annie is raised with four cousins, whom she logically considers as her brothers and sisters:

-John Gillies (the disappeared one in the “Urquhart Last Will and Testament”)

-Mary Gillies (picture at left and right)

-Margaret Gillies (picture at left)

-Henry Gillies (picture at right)

The Last Will and Testament of Walter Urquhart makes reference to Annie Gillies (who receives preferential inheritance) and the other children of Donald Gillies.

The hypothesis that Annie Gillies is the daughter of Walter Urquhart has some problems. For example:1) Annie is around 15 years old when her mother dies, 2) Annie changing her last name, etc. but this theory offers the simplest explanation to the few remaining known facts. I welcome comments that challenge this point of view.

Around 1890, Annie Gillies (~ 33 years old) travels by ship to Chile to marry Alexander Cameron, who would be around 26 years old.