Margaret Cameron (abt. 1697 - 1769)

I've been following and researching Margaret Cameron Lynn and her situation for some time, as have others. I hope we can agree that thus far what's established is conjecture -- she is thought to have possibly been married to a Cameron, but it was also possibly her first of two marriages or possibly not correct at all? If she was married to a Cameron, it was potentially a Donald Cameron of Dunvurnie (the ancient parish just west of Dingwall and the Black Isle, also called the Braes of Dunvurnie or Dunworney), but I do not know if anyone has the primary source for this. She is often confused with her sister in law, the Irish born Margaret Lynn Lewis (born a Lynn, married a Lewis, as opposed to born a Cameron, married a Lynn), especially given that Margaret was a family name and consistently passed down in Scottish family naming patterns. This is a strong characteristic of the Camerons who branched from Lochaber (Cameron of Lochiel) -- generations consistently thick with Margarets -- which is not uncommon, but at least in keeping. Her father's name Murdo is more consistent with naming patterns from Black Isle Camerons who did intermarry with Mackenzie and Munro groups further to the north of Lochaber. With Isabel Innes likely from North Caithness (making sense to give birth in Orkney), the geographical relationship between Murdo, Isabel, Margaret and their potential respective families is slightly clearer. Still conjecture, but potentially clearer. With the onset of Jacobite uprisings and religious and political unrest in the 1715-1719 periods in the area around the Black Isle, it is not surprising that we might at least consider if Margaret Cameron Lynn was widowed before remarrying. If she was married to a Cameron (speculation) and then relocated to northern Ireland to escape some upheaval (speculation) and then remarried a Dr. John Linn prior to emigration, this timeline would actually make sense given the impetus of political unrest/religious persecution in the specific geographic region where her birth family seems to have been residing. As mentioned (many times) this is conjecture but the individual elements that come up with her seem both disparate and consistent... They could actually be simultaneously accurate.

In terms of her movement in the US, she is my 7th great grandmother (direct), and written family history has it that she and Dr. John Linn moved from Augusta County, VA to Frederick Co, PA?MD along the making of the Mason Dixon line where trouble with Native American raids ensued (*edited by author 2/20/24, 19:22). The impetus for moving away from Augusta County seems to be a major schism with Dr. John's brother, William, which rendered them legally completely at odds -- and from which the family never recovered. The impetus for moving towards Pennsylvania was multifaceted but included being closer to other communities of relatives, outside of an Irish/Ulster context and into a Scots/Cameron context. It is said that she died in her eldest son's home (John Linn's home), which was not far from other Cameron emigrants. See Raids on Little Cove and Coombs Fort, Tonoloways Settlement.

Although macro-patterns of Irish immigrants tended to move south, it may have been that this family did not. For reasons of their own, they may have chosen another route. It also may have been that Margaret was indeed married to a Cameron until she wasn't. Multiple marriages was extremely common, especially in times of heavy battle in western Scottish clan families during Jacobite upheaval, regardless of the political and religious "side".

Cameron-371 and Cameron-7354 appear to represent the same person because: Clearly the same person

Cameron-768 and Cameron-371 appear to represent the same person because: They have the same name, the same date and place of birth, the same date and place of death, and the same spouse John Linn.

Cameron-768 and Cameron-371 appear to represent the same person because: They have the same name, the same date and place of birth, the same date and place of death, and the same spouse John Linn.