The following was written by my grandmother
(Blanche Guthrie Miller) in 1966. It is her
story of her grandmother, Mary Cameron. I
grew up hearing tales of our Scottish
heritage, of Rob Roy and life in a pirate
camp! For any of you who can connect yourself
to this Cameron story, there is good
information here. The words are my
grandmothers Ive added a few bracketed [ ]
notes to clarify minor points and keep track
of children.
David Naquin, Albuquerque, NM 1999
Mary Cameron 1805 - 1863
A PROMISE KEPT
The story of Mary Cameron begins in 1805,
when she was born in a Pirate camp off the
coast of France. When her parents were
released, she was taken to Livingston County,
New York. However the real tale of Mary
Cameron began many years previous, when her
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Duncan Cameron, decided
to leave their home in Kinloch
Rannoch, Scotland, a quiet peaceful valley
near Loch Rannoch. Was it the religious
turmoil or the economic conditions of that
age, or the war with France, when many young
Scots were taken into the British Army, which
prompted these Scottish Covenanters to set
sail? Did they know that the Atlantic was
infested with Barbaric [Barbary] Pirates who
attempted to interrupt the commerce between
North America and the British Isles? Or was
it the restless heritage of the Rob Roy blood
which flowed in the veins of Mary's father,
Duncan Cameron, whose mother was a McGregor?
Who can answer these questions? I cannot, but
after a visit to Kinloch Rannoch in 1927, 1
can better understand these Scottish
ancestors and their background.
The Covenanters had signed a Covenant not to
accept the Anglican form of worship and
during these periods of religious turmoil,
many fled to the heather covered hills to
worship as they thought right. In the
National Gallery in Edinburgh, there is a
famous painting showing the Covenanters at
their Communion Table in the hills. In
Scotland, at this time, Presbyterians were
barred from Public Office by the Anglicans
and high tithes were demanded for support of
the Church of England. Taxes were high,
harvests were poor and large estates were
taking over smaller ones. All these were
contributing factors in the Cameron's'
decision. Furthermore, others of their faith
had previously left for Livingston County,
New York, to establish a new Scottish Church
in the midst of the wilderness. They were a
hardy and courageous group, who left the
mists and the moors to come to an unknown
land. How could they know that Pirates
from Tripoli, Algiers, Tunis and Morocco,
were demanding tribute from our fleet and
that the captives were taken to the coast of
France? In 1803, Jefferson opposed this
demand for tribute and sent out a blockade,
commanded by Lt. Stephen Decatur, which
temporarily put an end to the pirates. After
eleven months in the Pirate Camp, the Duncan
Camerons were freed and came to America.
Mary Cameron was less than one year old when
she came with her parents to Le Roy, New
York, where she grew up, married my
grandfather, Robert John Guthrie of York, NY,
and brought up thirteen children. My father,
Robert John, was the youngest, born in 1846.
The boys were sent to school at Washington
and Jefferson College in Pennsylvania and
the girls attended a Covenanter Academy --
Now Monmouth College -- in Illinois. The
eldest son, William [1], remained on the
original farm near York and married Jeannette
Robertson.
The next child, James [2], came west to
Bellfontaine, Ohio, where he married Suzanna
Boyd; his entire family died from typhoid.
Ellen [3] was unmarried, she came to Iowa in
1866 with Smith [12] and Robert John [13],
and is buried in Washington, Iowa.
Jane Anne [4] married Peter Guthrie, a
distant relative from Co. Antrim, Ireland
([they lived in] Hopkinton, Iowa; [she was
the] mother of Dr. Jim R. Guthrie, head of
Surgery at Iowa; Dr. W. B. Guthrie, a teacher
at College of NY; Robert John Guthrie,
farmer; Mary Ellen Guthrie, teacher).
Mary Catherine [5] ? [didnt know what
happened to her]
Susan [6], a teacher, married David
Donaldson, Jr. and died in Pawnee, Nebraska
(heart problems).
Daughter, Estella [7], a missionary, who died
(heart problems) in Washington, Iowa.
Duncan [8], unmarried, is buried in York, New
York.
Cameron [9] was killed at the age of 12 from
a fall from the hay-mow, also buried in York,
NY.
Martha [10], married Hunter Johnston, died at
the age of 31 and is buried in Hopkinton,
Iowa.
Sophia [11], married John Johnston, attended
Monmouth Academy.
Smith [12] was unmarried and is buried in
Hopkinton, Iowa.
Robert John [13] (1846-1893) is buried in the
James Guthrie lot near Bellfontaine, Ohio.
I never knew many of my father's (Robert
John) eastern relatives except the ones who
came to Iowa, especially Aunt Sophia
Johnston. Mary Camerons picture indicates
that she was a strong, sturdy and courageous
person, who was well able to handle many of
the handicaps of a life in a new country and
she was well prepared by her Scottish thrift,
for her large Covenanter family. She had an
unusual and interesting life. I have read
about the careers of many of her descendants
and I am sure that she would be proud of the
religious spirit which seems to dominate the
whole family, for there were many
missionaries, doctors and ministers in this
family line. They seemed to possess a love of
their fellow man and of their church, a sound
respect for the virtues of work and the
careful allocation of money and a willingness
to save and donate money to their church. I
wish that I could have known her.
References:
(1) Guthrie Family in America written by
Laurence Guthrie, Boyle, Maryland
(2) Information given me by my father's
eldest sister, Sophia Guthrie Johnston,
Hopkinton,, Iowa 1912
Blanche Guthrie Miller - 1966