Alameda County Biographies

Duncan Cameron

Transcribed by Kathy Sedler

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

 

	The subject of this sketch is a descendant of a long line of Scottish chivalry, and 
belongs to that clan which claims Lochiel for its chieftain.  He is the son of Samuel and Sarah 
(Pullen) Cameron, and was born in Canada June 22, 1820.  Receiving his early training in his 
native place and there residing until 1838, in that year he went to Clintonville, Essex County, 
New York, and after a residence of ten months there, returned home, and subsequently removed to 
the State of Vermont.  Our subject after a short time proceeded to the State of New York, and 
dwelt until the year 1845 at Ticonderoga, Essex County, at which time he took up his quarters in 
New York City and commenced boating on the Hudson River.  Mr. Cameron next �went to sea� and 
while in the capacity of a sailor heard of the wonderful gold discoveries in California, upon 
which he determined to tempt that fickle jade, Fortune, at the mines.  To this end he rounded 
the �Horn,� and cast anchor in the bay of San Francisco, September 24, 1850, having twice 
suffered shipwreck on the voyage.  The motto of this enterprising gentleman has ever been �to 
be up and doing;� losing no time, therefore, he shipped as a fireman for service on the 
Sacramento River, but making only two trips, he betook himself to terra firma and embarked in 
the grocery trade.  In January, 1851, he moved to the Pacheco Valley (now Contra Costa County) 
and embarked in farming operations, but only remaining there a few months, returned to San 
Francisco and opened a saloon, which abandoning, he worked as fireman on a steamer plying 
between San Francisco and Sacramento.  In that year (1851) Sacramento was visited by a great 
flood, a disaster to others which Mr. Cameron quickly turned to his own advantage.  As long as 
the waters covered the face of the district our subject plied a boat along its inundated 
streets and on their subsidence he embarked in a draying business.  Disliking the place on 
account of its unhealthfulness, he sought another location and pitched upon the little 
village of San Antonio, which now forms a portion of Brooklyn, or East Oakland, which place 
he reached by way of Martinez, on horseback.  Here he started the first livery-stable in the 
place, with three horses, which he kept in a yard.  The livery business prospered, and in 1853 
he built a large stable and had eight or ten horses.  In about a year, however, he sold out, 
and in 1854, purchased a piece of property, and building upon it a residence, prepared to make 
that place his permanent home.  About this time he bought the valuable block on which the 
post-office in Oakland now stands, and in 1854 espoused Miss Anne Lydia Maddox of Castro Valley, 
a native of the State of Illinois.  In 1856 Mr. Cameron started in the stage business in 
opposition to that run by McLaughlin, then a famous local line.  In 1858 he bought a quantity of 
land for farming purposes, which, however, he partly disposed of in 1861.  Previous to the real 
estate excitement of 1868, he purchased a tract of land north of the town of Brooklyn, or East 
Oakland, known as the Cameron Tract, for eighteen thousand dollars, which he disposed of within 
a year for fifty thousand dollars.  Mr. Cameron has filled various public positions from constable 
upwards.  He has been twice elected to the Board of Supervisors of Alameda County, and has filled 
with credit the position of Public Administrator of the county for two terms.  He has always taken 
an active part in politics, and was in succession a Whig and a Republican.  His family consists of 
a daughter and son named, Nellie E., and Ashley D.  An excellent portrait of this gentleman will be 
found in this volume.

History of Alameda County, California�, Oakland, M.W. Wood Publ., 1883, p. 859

	Few men in Alameda County are better known than Duncan Cameron.  He is a native of 
O�Delltown, County of Huntington, Canada, close to the New York border.  He came to California 
via Cape Horn, from New York City, and arrived in San Francisco September 24th, 1849.  On the voyage 
he was twice shipwrecked, and suffered considerable privations.  In San Francisco he for a short time 
traded in groceries, and in January, 1851, went farming in Pacheco Valley, and continued all winter.  
Here  he turned up the virgin adobe for the first time, and found it hard work.  He returned to San 
Francisco for a spell, and lost all his capital in trade.  After this he worked for a while at 
Sacramento. Disliking the place on account of its unhealthfulness, he sought another location and 
pitched upon San Antonio, which he reached via Martinez, on horseback.  He started the first livery 
stable in the place with three horses, which he kept in a yard.  It was for a time precarious work, 
but the business lived.  At that time there was no wharf, merely a little embarcadero, in the place.  
The means of communication with San Francisco was by launches and whaleboats manned by Portuguese, 
who would pull across the bay when there were passengers enough to make a load.  The charge for 
crossing in this manner was $2.00 a trip, and it took about four hours to make it.  The only 
inhabitants of the town then were a butcher named Fuller, Allen, Chase, Larue, the Pattens, Michel, 
and Lemoine, besides some Portuguese who boated, fished, and raised poultry.  There were some 
Mexicans and Californians who were employed about the ranches.  One hundred Chilanos made the place 
at one time a rendezvous. There were two saw-mills then in the Redwoods, and two more were built 
afterwards.  They were Prince�s, Spicer & Witherill�s, Tupper and Brown�s, and Thorne�s.  They 
continued about five years, until the timber was all cut down.  The livery business did well, and 
in 1853 he built a large stable and had eight or ten horses.  This he sold out within a year, and 
in 1854 bought a piece of ground and built upon it, concluding to make Brooklyn his permanent home.  
Purchased the Post-office block, now the most valuable property in the town.  In 1854 married Miss 
Annie Lydia Maddox, of Castro Valley.  At this time there was no farming done, only what was done 
by the Pattens and Chase.  In fact, none was done down the valley nearer than San Lorenzo.  On the 
Alameda encinal there were only Wickware, Hibbard Aughenbaugh and Brower, who raised tomatoes and 
other vegetables on the edge of the peninsula, close the estuary.  Larue and Patten had some squatter 
troubles, Larue having pre-empted some water front claimed by the latter; but in a lawsuit the latter 
was beaten. 
	It was in 1856 that Mr. Cameroon started in the stage business, which brought him his special 
popularity and local fame.  He started an opposition line to McLaughlin�s, then running.  The run to 
San Jos�  was very lively.  For a time the fare was only $1 per passenger between San Antonio and San 
Jos�, and the trip was most expeditiously made.  The opposition was kept up for several years, when 
Cameron was compelled to withdraw. 
	�Dunk,� as he was familiarly called, filled various public positions, from Constable to 
Supervisor.  He was Road Overseer and Public Administrator; for three years he filled the position of 
County Supervisor.  He took always and active and earnest part in politics, and was in succession a 
Whig and a Republican. 
	In 1858 he bought a quantity of land for farming purposes, which, however, he partly disposed 
of in 1861.  Previous to the real estate excitement of 1868, he  purchased a tract of land north of 
the town of Brooklyn, known as the Cameron Tract, for $18,000, which he disposed of within a year for 
$50,000.  Mr. Cameron has a brother, now in the East, named Carlysle, who was for a while Justice of 
the Peace for Brooklyn Township, and a frequent contributor to the columns of the local press, always 
writing in a pleasant, humorous vein.  Mr. Ashley Cameron, for many years a prominent resident of 
Washington Township, is also a brother.  His aged father lived in this county for a number of years, 
and his was the oldest name on the great register of Alameda County, before he returned to his old 
Eastern home.  Having acquired a considerable competency, Mr. Cameron has given his two children, a 
son and daughter, a superior education, and amuses himself with occasional trips from home, seeing 
the world, and comparing other places with that in which he lives.  He never wavers in the opinion 
that there is no place like Alameda County.  Mr. And Mrs. Cameron being among the first American couples 
married in this county, there has always been an interest attached to them by the old settlers. 

Centennial Yearbook of Alameda County, California - Oakland, Calif., 1876 Pages 553-555

Transcribed by Peggy Allen, April 22, 2006