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The Jesse Cameron Family of Marion County, Mississippi
The place in South Carolina where the Camerons originated, and the names of Jesse Cameron’s parents have been researched extensively. What we know is that in the Marion County, Mississippi census of 1830, we find living near our Jesse, a female, Hester Cameron. She is listed in that census as age between 1771 and 1780 (about 1775) with 9 children (4 males and 5 females) with the oldest bom between 1801 and 1810, and the youngest born between 1825 and 1830. Hester is listed with no spouse, indicating her husband had died or left the family. We can also assume she is the mother of our Jesse Cameron, and she also came from South Carolina. The 1830 census is the only record we have found on her - she is not even listed in any of the early tax records. All we know is that she died sometime in or after 1830.
One of Jesse’s known brothers, Alexander Cameron, was living in nearby Perry County, Mississippi, with his family as found in the 1840 U. S. census. In his household was one elderly female bom between 1771 and 1780, or bom about 1775. This matches perfect with the Hester Cameron in the 1830 Marion County census. This could be why she does not appear in any Marion County records after 1830. Also, this elderly female does not appear in any further records.
The above Alexander Cameron later shows up in the 1850 and 1860 censuses of Marion County with his family, but no elderly females. With this we can assume Hester died after 1840 and before 1850 in either Perry County or Marion County, Mississippi. Note that this Alexander Cameron named one of his daughters “Hester Cameron” as found in the 1850 Marion County census. Additionally, our Jesse Cameron also named one of his daughters, “Hester.” With the above, we are comfortable saying Hester Cameron is the mother of our Jesse Cameron. Some researchers suspect her maiden name was “Ford.” This is based on the early Ford settlers of Marion County, Mississippi, along the Pearl River. Before coming to Mississippi, these Fords lived in Marion County, South Carolina. Early land records in Marion County, South Carolina have a Levander Cameron signing as a witness for John Ford. While Ford could be Hester’s maiden name, we have found no evidence to support this speculation.
Now to answer the question of who was the father of our Jesse Cameron. We can assume his father was bom in, or at least lived in, South Carolina as Jesse and his siblings state in various census records. The early settlers often named their children after their parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, etc. and Jesse was no different. Looking at Jesse’s children’s names, one stands out - Levander Cameron, a somewhat unusual name.
In searching various South Carolina records, we found a Levander Cameron living in Marion County, South Carolina, involved in several land transactions. First, in Deed Book 1, pages 112 -113, dated July 30, 1799, William Sineath sells 50 acres to John Ford. One witness was “Levinder Cameron.” This land was probated on October 5,
1801	by “Leander Cameron” before Judge Benjamin Harrison. This land is located on the “Little Pee Dee” River, and this river forms the south-east boundary of Marion County, South Carolina, and is connected to “Drowning Creek.” Drowning Creek is now called “Lumber River.”
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