File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Terry Erwin www.parsonstect.com/genealogy/trees/terwin/camron.htm History of John Miller Camron Family (part 2) - Fulton, Sangamon Counties, Illinois He was married to Mary Orendorff (daughter of Christian Orendorff and Elizabeth Phillips) on 12 Jan 1811 in HENDERSON COUNTY, KENTUCKY. Mary Orendorff (photo) was born on 13 Jan 1794 in GEORGIA. She died on 25 Mar 1875 in SEBASTOPOL, CALIFORNIA SEBASTOPOL CEMETERY. John Miller Camron and Mary "Polly" Orendorff were married on 26 Jan 1812, by the Rev. James McGready, a Cumberland Presbyterian minister, who greatly influenced their lives. John was an adventurous man, filled with a deep-seated wanederlust. Not long after 1811, when his father, Thomas Camron (II), became the Captain of the first wagon train into Seven Mile Prairie in Illinois Territory, John persuaded his reluctant wife to follow across the Ohio River in his father's footsteps. "Polly" looked at her little Kentucky home with its flowers and her peach orchard, and visualized some other pioneer woman busily preserving the fruits from her trees. But, always the gallant wife, she began that arduous journey to the beautiful, untamed Illinois Territory. Even in this remote place, they were comforted and sustained by visits from their friend, Rev. James McGready. He came up from Kentucky and established the Sharon Presbyterian Church, the first one in Illinois. Rev. McGready's health was failing and he hoped and prayed that John Miller Camron would listen to the call of his Master, and continue the work of the Lord that he, McGready, had begun. When McGready was called to his Eternal Home, John Miller Camron gave thanks for the privilege of this man's friednship and his association with him. John was soon to feel the call of new lands and staked out a farm on Looking Glass Prairie, which was 12 miles east of Belleville. Here, John and Polly were drawn by the camp meetings organized in St. Clair County by the Rev. Green P. Rice and the Rev. William Barnett. They frequently rode over to attend the meetings and hear Mr. Rice preach. At one of these meetings, Polly embraced religion and soon John was consecrated as an elder. The markets were poor for the produce from their little farm on Looking Glass Prairie, but with Polly's scrimping they managed to save enough money to buy John a book on the Theory and Practice of Surveying, which he studied diligently, poring over it for hours in the candle-light of their cabin. John's mind was full of surveying, but his dreams were full of the Sangamon Valley, which was beckoning him. Before long, they were on the move again, and soon they were settled near Springfield. Rev. John Miller Camron was consecrated for the Presbyterian ministry on April 20, 1827, and he preached his first sermon in the home of Samuel Berry. John had enticed his uncle, James Rutledge, to bring his family and join him in the Sangamon Valley. James had been a mill owner in Enfield Township, White County, Illinois, but he and John had plans for building a town on an elevation two hundred feet above the Sangamon River. John pre-empted 154.4 acres and platted New Salem. Lots were sold for five and ten dollars each. James Rutledge built his home large enough to accommodate travelers passing through the village. Life was peaceful in the little village of New Salem. Rutledge and Camron had built the mill and were busy with it and their families. John continued with his preaching. Abraham Lincoln had arrived in New Salem, and his loneliness was assuaged by his frequent visits with the Camrons and the Rutledges. He boarded in the home of John and Polly for a time. The main attraction at the Camron home seemed to be "Aunt Polly's" pies and the companionship of the lively Camron daughters. But, the Rutledge home held the lovely, auburn-haired Ann Mayes Rutledge. History tells of Abe's years in New Salem and much has been written about his love for Ann Rutledge, which seems not to have ended even with her untimely death. John Miller Camron preached the funeral for Ann Rutledge. In late 1831 and early 1832, John Miller Camron began selling off his property in New Salem. His father, Thomas Camron (II) was further north in Spoon River country in Fulton County, and the Spoon River seemed a likely spot for another of John's mills. John Miller Camron, as First Proprietor of the East Half of Bernadotte, signed several documents in the Quincy Land Office, later filed in Washington, D.C. One document bore the official mill sign for a projected mill in 1831. In June 1834, he completed his title for the farm he had homesteaded in 1832, to meet the requirements of the new Land Law. John M. Camron signed an affidavit that "he had fenced and cultivated this NW¼ of Seciotn 9, T5N, R2E of the Fourth Principal Meridian in the year A.D. 1833 and had a dwelling house, now occupied and had possession on the 19th fo June 1834: . . . Payment in full, $187.60. Patent issued to John M. Camron. Bernadotte, and the mill there, would not for long be strong enough competition against the lure of the Iowa plains, and John was on his way westward once more. Wild turkeys and prairie chickens were abundant there and the Indians seemed to be more a nuisance thatn a life-threatening problem. And, John was happy for a while, in Jefferson County, Iowa, where as the horse-back preacher, he was there to serve the newcomers as they arrived in this newly opened country. Polly began to create another home, hoping deep in her heart that John had finally found contentment here on this vast prairie. But, it was not in the nature of this pioneer to be content for very long. After he had, in his own words, "built a farm" he soon began to feel the call of new lands waiting to be tamed. He could not settle down to the humdrum existence of a farmer when there was preaching to be done! So once again, it was onward to Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa, for a time. Gold was discovered! And, John began the task of organizing a 40-wagon train, with California as its destination. But, John was going, primarily for the purpose of gathering souls for his Lord, rather than gold to fill his pockets! And now, among his strong, young sons-in-law he had two more preachers to aid him in his purpose. This 40-wagon train left Oskaloosa, Iowa on May 1, 1849 for a six-month journey westward! The 4 Camron wagons reached Lassen's ranch on the Sacramento River on the last day of October 1849. Each day on the trip to California was begun with a brief prayer and song service, with the hymns ringing out, led by the strong tenor and bass voices of the Camron's sons-in-law. There was much sickness along the way, but the wagon train reached the Mormon settlement at Salt Lake without losing a single member. Here, the members of 36 of the wagons decided that they would continue no further westward until spring had arrived. John felt that with his beautiful, unmarried daughters along, this was not the wisest choice of a place to spend several months. So, with the 4 wagons of his immediate family, he once again pushed westward! The Camron family reached California after much deprivation and many hardships, but the family circle was still complete. In California, the Camrons met and renewed acquaintance with Elam Brown and Dr. John Marsh, both old friends from the New Salem days, and both now owners of large ranches east of San Francisco Bay. At a public auction, on October 26, 1850, John M. Camron purchased Lots 1 and 2, Block 326, at the corner of Las Juntas and Green Streets in Martinez for $200, and there he built a fine, 2-storied brick home for Polly. John was filled with an energy that could not be stilled, so he built the "first house with plaster" in Petaluma. Petaluma is an Indian word meaning "Little Hills." He was active in organizing the Pacific Cumberland Presbytery on April 4, 1851. He built another house on his farm in Green Valley. Here, high on a hill, above the plains, and before Sebastopol was surveyed, on October 2, 1851, Rev. John M. Camron established the Bodega Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Thus, John led the vanguard of Presbyterians into Sonoma County. He, and his 7 sons- in-law, 3 of them ministers and 4 of them laymen, laid the foundation for the Presbyterian church in 1851-'54. And it was here in Sonoma County, that Polly found a permanent home! This gives you John Miller Camron, man of God; builder of "farms," mills and churches; friend of the famous, adventurer; family man; pioneer. The life of Rev. John Miller Camron has been well told by Alice Purvine Murphy, one of his descendants, and also written about by Julia Drake in her book, "Flame o' Dawn." John lies at rest in the cemetery at Sebastopol, Sonoma County, California, beneath a tall, white stone which bears his name and dates, plus the Masonic symbol. Beside him lies his first wife, "Polly," and his second wife, Sarah Ann. Sarah Ann Rogers was a widow when she married John on August 12, 1876. She was born April 11, 1811, in Alexandria, Virginia, and she died May 6, 1887 in Oakland, California. Rev John M Camron and Mary Orendorff had the following children: Elizabeth Preston Camron. Thomas Porter Camron. Vienna Mitchell Camron. Nancy Miller Camron. Mary Jane Camron. MARTHA M CAMRON. Sarah N Camron. Sorena Camron. Solena Camron. Eliza Arminda Camron. Caroline Thela Camron. Margaret Angeline Camron. He was married to Sarah Ann Rogers on 12 Aug 1876. CANCER OF THE BREAST Sarah Ann Rogers was born on 11 Apr 1811 in ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA. She died on 6 May 1887 in OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ********************************************************* USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm *********************************************************