Fonds F2934 - Cameron family fonds

The Cameron family, originally from Great Britain, were "wanderers". James Cameron, 1859-1892, was the son of John Cameron and Isabella Linton Cameron, 1836-1915. He was a sailor who made ten trips, two of which were to Canada. He became a member of the Royal Naval Reserve in 1881 and died at sea in 1892. James was the eldest of nine siblings who survived childhood, including a sister, Isabel, and four brothers: A. William "Willie" Cameron, 1876-1956; Alne E. Cameron, 1878-1964; J. Julian Cameron, 1869-1960; and Walter R. Cameron, 1874-1928.

In 1898 Willie travelled to Canada, worked at Rat Portage, then drifted west to Montana. In 1900 Walter and Alne fought in the South African War, from which Walter appeared to have deserted. Alne was at the relief of Mafeking, then took a ship to Australia. During the same time Willie was in the Philippines. Only Julian remained in Great Britain, where he was a teacher at Kilmarnock, Scotland. Walter later travelled to Hong Kong as a sailor, while Alne and Willie returned to England.

In 1905 Alne homesteaded at Last Mountain, Saskatchewan, where Julian joined him later in the year. In 1906 Willie also came to Canada. Alne trained as a veterinarian, gradually leaving Julian with full responsibility for the farm. Willie married in 1909, Julian in 1910, and Alne in 1919. In 1911 Walter arrived from Hong Kong with plans to homestead in the Peace River country. Their mother died in 1915. Both Alne and Willie served in the First World War and survived. After the war Alne settled in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Walter returned to Hong Kong in 1919 and to England in 1927.