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Next, in Deed Book 1, pages 305 - 306, dated September 13, 1803, John Ford sells 275 acres to Mark Watson. This land is located “at Little Pee Dee on Hays Swamp.”
One witness was “Lewender Cameron.”
Also on Drowning Creek in Marion County, South Carolina, we find a Land Plat map dated April 19, 1813, for “Levender Cameron” containing 850 acres. In 1814 we also find “Lavender Cameron” paying land taxes in Marion County in the amount of $3.44. These records were kindly shared with us by Loma Schindler of Lake Charles, Louisiana. Her husband, Warren, is related to these Camerons, and she has done a lot of serious research on these Camerons, and other related families, over the years.
In the 1800 census of “Liberty, Marion District, South Carolina,” we find “Lavander Camron” listed with 9 people in his household. It appears there was one male child and 3 females under the age of 10, which we will assume were his children bom between 1790 and 1800, a male and a female aged between 26 and 44 (1756 - 1774), and two females 45 and over (bom prior to 1755). Please note that Liberty County was never officially organized, and in 1798 it was officially named Marion County.
In the 1810 census of Marion County, South Carolina, we again find “Lavender Cameron.” In his home, it appears there were 3 young males and 3 young females, all bom after 1795. Then in the 1820 census, we find “Levin Cameron” living in Marion (County Seat), Marion County, South Carolina, with what appears to be 5 young males and 5 young females - all aged 25 years or less (1795 - 1820). There were also 2 adults aged 45 or older (bom 1775 or earlier). This is the last time Levander Cameron appears anywhere in South Carolina.
One should also note that there were a number of “Ford” families listed in the late 1700 and early 1800 records of Marion County, South Carolina. Many of these same names begin to show up in the early 1800 records of Marion County, Mississippi.
With the above, we feel comfortable in saying that this Levander Cameron is probably the father of our Jesse Cameron. Sometime after 1820, Levander Cameron and family migrated to Marion County, Mississippi, and he died after that date. It is also possible that he died in South Carolina, and the family left for better opportunities in Mississippi as did several Ford families. Levander could also have died while traveling, or once he arrived in Mississippi. Based on the ages of their children, Levander and Hester Cameron probably married in South Carolina in 1795 or a little earlier.
Marion County, South Carolina, has records that go back to the late 1700s. We also know this Levander Cameron owned land there. If he died in South Carolina, perhaps he left a Will. If he sold his land, the wife often signed the Deed. Either of these records could identify this Levander’s wife to confirm what we strongly suspect.
We have searched many early records of Marion County, Mississippi, and have found very little on Jesse Cameron or his family. We have also searched all of the old cemeteries in that area and found very little. Probably, Jesse was buried in a private family cemetery as was often done at that time.
During our research and interviews in 1972, we found several common, almost identical stories told by various branches of the Jesse Cameron tree. They were:
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