Ulmer Ancestry

THE CAMBRON FAMILY Compiled by Esther Pope Bonta Stockton, Calif. July, 1984     The early history of the CAMBRON family was carefully researched and written in 1933 by Rev. Victor Francis O’Daniel, a native of Kentucky, in his book, SNATCHES OF O’DANIEL, HAMIILTON, AND ALLIED ANCESTRY AND HISTORY IN MARYLAND AND KENTUCKY, printed by The Rosary Press, Somerset, Ohio.     From his book I quote the following:     “The name Cambron goes back almost to the dawn of Scottish history. In the early days, when spelling was a neglected art, we find it written in ever so many ways, Cambron, Cambrun, Camron, Camrun, Chambron, and otherwise. During the period of French influence in the British Isles it was sometimes preceded by the Gallic particle “DE”. The clan was long one of the most powerful in Scotland. They belonged to the country's nobility. In the coarse of time, though no older than some of the others, Cameron became the more common spelling of the name, and it is now the one by which the clan, as a rule, is known everywhere.     A family tradition, so strong, distinct, and persistent that we can not doubt it, tells us that the first Cambron in Maryland came from Scotland itself; that he was not brought up in the Catholic faith; and that he entered the Church after his arrival in America. The traditional story of his conversion is too interesting to be omitted. Six Cameron brothers (or, as some say, seven) came to Maryland. They had been reared Presbyterians. One of them married a Catholic lady in the Lord Baltimore Colony, and then he embraced her religion. It was a brave act in the Maryland of that time, for religious intolerance was at high tide. The other five brothers were so incensed at his conversion that they disowned him. As a result of the family discord the new convert changed the “e” in his name to "b". In other words, he resumed one of the old spellings of the patronymic, and called himself Cambron, the name which his descendants have retained....”     The earliest Camerons/Cambrons that Rev. O’Daniel found in the records of Maryland was in 1716 and 1717 when the English defeated the brave Highlanders in the Battle of Preston and then sent over to Maryland as exiles some of the defeated Scotsmen. Other Scotsmen fled their country to "The Land of Sanctuary” for safety’s sake. Rev. O'Daniel wrote: "It is history that nearly all Scotland, largely through the Influence of John Knox, became Presbyterian. Some of the Camerons, or Cambrons, however, remained true to the old faith. Several of the name even fled to the Continent in order to escape persecution or death.”     As a result of his research, Rev. O’Daniel came to the conclusion that the traditional story had merit and that most likely the Catholic convert referred to above (and the ancestor of our line) was ANDREW CAMBRON, who was found in records of Charles County, Maryland. He states that “the people of Charles County were among the most enthusiastic in Maryland in favor of the American Revolution,” and that the Cambrons were among the most loyal patriots. Among the Cambrons who signed the Oath of Fidelity to the American cause, was our ancestor, JOHN BAPTIST CAMBRON.     In Vol. I of NINE THOUSAND MEN WHO SIGNED THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE AND FIDELITY TO MARYLAND DURING THE REVOLUTION, compiled by Bettie S. Carothers, Chesterfield, Mo., it is stated:     “On February 1777, the General Assembly of Maryland, enacted a law which made it necessary to sign an Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity to the State of Maryland and the cause of freedom.     These oaths were to be taken before a magistrate of the court, They included every free male, eighteen years and ....”     When we think of this “signing” at this late date in history, it might not seem to us to be such a “big deal”, but when we consider the enormity of the situation in 1777 and of the consequences to those people had they lost their fight for freedom, we can truly be proud of our ancestors who had the courage to put their lives “on the line" to sign such an oath. We should all be proud that our ancestor, JOHN BAPTIST CAMBRON, was one who signed the OATH.     In 1788 or 1789, John Baptist Cambron left Charles Co., Md. and went to Kentucky with his 10 children, 7 sons and 3 daughters. He was a widower, his wife's name is not known for sure, but according to family tradition it was “Nancy.” Rev. O’Daniel states, “It seems quite certain that he moved westward for the temporal advantage of his children and to obtain land which had been awarded him for services in the Revolutionary war.”     “The farm which JOHN BAPTIST CAMBRON procured lay almost in the middle of the Cartwright's Creek Settlement, Washington County, Kentucky, and about two miles nearly due west from the present Saint Rose’s Church and Priory. The Saint Rose-Loretto Turnpike now passes the place. Being a devout man, John Baptist was among those who started the Catholic settlement, helped build the first church there, Saint Ann’s, a small log church close to his own home. In 1933 there was still standing a chimney with the date 1810 carved on one of the stones, it was believed that it belonged to an addition to John Baptist’s original house.     JOHN BAPTIST CAMBRON died in 1814/15 his will is dated May 23, 1814, and it was probated May 8, 1815 He was buried in the little graveyard which surrounded the log built church, Saint Ann’s, next to his home, but no markers remain today to tell us exactly where he is buried. Saint Ann’s ceased to be used in 1819, being replaced by the larger Saint Rose’s church.     Some of John Baptist’s brothers also accompanied him in his move to Kentucky, and his older sons were married and had their families with them. Our ancestor, John Baptist Cambron's son, THOMAS CAMBRON, was about 14 years old in 1788 when the family moved to Cartwright's Creek Washington County, Kentucky.   Thomas Cambron  married Jane Queen Sept 1, 1796, Thomas was 22 years old and Jane was 19. William Montgomery was listed as Jane's Guardian, and research to date has failed to reveal her parents’ names.     Thomas and Jane continued to live in Washington Co., Ky., where their children were born; their daughter, Martha Jane, was born there in 1822. Through Tax Lists it is found that in 1826/7 the family moved to Grayson Co., Ky.; a deed recorded in 1828 shows that Thomas & Jane Cambron of Grayson Co., Ky. sold their 100 acres of land in Washington Co. "on Shepherds run, a western branch of Cartwrights Creek, it being the place on which the said Cambron formerly lived....", for $1,200.00.     Thomas Cambron is listed on the Grayson Co., Ky. Tax List for the last time in 1834. It was after this that the family moved to Hancock County, Illinois. The first deed recorded there for Thomas is dated 12 January 1837.     Thomas Cambron died 25 Sept. 1842 at Fountain Green Township, Hancock Co., Ill, and is buried there in St. Simon, the Apostle Catholic Cemetery. His wife, Jane, died there 14 March, 1866, and is buried next to him. The cemetery is also known as "The Lincoln Cemetery”, as first cousins of President Abraham Lincoln are also buried there. The cemetery is now in the middle of a pasture and is nearly neglected, most of the headstones are lying down on the ground. This next paragraph added by this web site author     My wife and I visited this cemetery August 6, 2003. The field road was overgrown and between two corn fields. I walked down between the two tall corn fields to the area close to the cemetery. I did not get to view the actual cemetery because it was almost dark and had began to rain. There is no longer a sign that marks it on the road, indicating that it is there. The sign has long been destroyed with the passing of time. I have drawn a map and placed it on this site. Without help others may not find it, should they decide to visit it themselves. Ron Ulmer   (To view the map and other links to the St. Simon Cemetery click here)     MARTHA JANE CAMBRON married Pilgrim Pope in Hancock County, Illinois on 12 January 1843 (a few months after her father died). Both Martha and Pilgrim were 21 years old. They had 6 children; our ancestor, Samuel O'Neal/O'Niel Pope was their 3rd child. Pilgrim was born in 1822 in Indiana, and was only 36 years old when he died the 23 Nov., 1858. Martha Jane’s brother, Patrick Cambron, was appointed legal guardian of the children, according to Illinois law at that time, even though their mother was still living.     Martha Jane married for the second time, on 18 Aug., 1867, in Hancock Co., Ill., Michael Cosgrove. Michael died in 1883 leaving Martha Jane a widow again. The date and place of her death have not been found as yet, but it is known that she was living after 1900 in Chicago with her son, Alfred Pope, who was a barber. (The following is an addition to the above)  (Mar, 1987--Martha Jane Cosgrove died, 10 May 1901 in Chicago, Ill.. She was buried 11 May, 1901 in Mt. Carmel Cemetery, Chicago.

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