Duncan Cameron

Photo by Alan L Brown - Posted June, 2005

Photo by contributor Wayne Adam - Posted December, 2009

Plaque Location

The United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry
The Township of South Glengarry
In Williamstown, in front of St. Andrew's Church
just off Road 19, 2 blocks north of Road 17

Coordinates: N 45 08.931 W 74 34.745

Plaque Text

Born in Scotland about 1764 he settled with his parents in Schenectady, New York. His father served with a Loyalist regiment during the American Revolution, following which the family moved to Glengarry. In 1784 Duncan entered the North West Company where, as manager of its Red River Department, he endeavoured to persuade Lord Selkirk's settlers to abandon their lands. When Selkirk's forces attacked Fort Gilbraltar in 1816, Cameron was captured and taken to England. Released and compensated for false arrest, he returned to Williamstown in 1820. He died in 1848 and is buried here.

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Here are the visitors' comments for this page.

Posted December 27, 2011
I was surprised to find this plaque and was curious if this Duncan Cameron was the same man as the Duncan Cameron in my geneology study from La Societe historique de Saint Boniface. This appears to be a plausible time line. I noted that this link in my geneology report did not have dates nor further information. Duncan Cameron and an unknown Sauteux (Ojibwa)woman had a daughter, Helen Ann Cameron, who married Augustin Nolin. They produced 10 children: Charles, Margerite, Norbert, Augustin, Marie, John, Francois, Angelique, Duncan and Joseph. The 4th child, Augustin was my grandmother Alphonsine Nolin's father. I would be very much interested if there is any other information about Duncan Cameron.
sincerely,Nicole

Posted December 29, 2010
Thankyou for this. Duncan Cameron had a child, Mary with a native woman. She married Henri Sayer, son of John Sayer and Obemau unoqua (Nancy) and settled on the Mississaga Reserve near Blind River Ontario, where he was Chief Factor for the HBC. One of their children, George Sayer was my great grandfather and his daughter Mary Elizabeth Edna Sayer was my grandmother. If you have any knowledge about the roots of Mary Cameron, I would appreciate it if you could forward it to me. I have just began researching the family tree and had no idea that the Cameron's were as well known in our Canadian History as the Sayers were. Thanks for this plaque - another piece of the puzzle.
Sincerely, David

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