Donald Charles Cameron - birth/baptism 1813-15?

[MarieC]

My 3xggrandfather Lieut John Cameron was stationed in Jersey from about 1809 till about 1815 in the 4th Garrison Battalion (I think).  Family records say that two of his sons were born at Castle Orgueil.

The Jersey Archive has found the baptism of the elder one, Ewen, in St Martin's Church in 1810.  They cannot find anything for my direct forebear, Donald Charles Cameron, whose year of birth is given in family documents as 1813, 1814 or (less likely) 1815.

It's possible that the family may have returned to Scotland before Donald was baptised but they probably did not leave Jersey till 1815. 

I'm trying to establish when my gggrandfather was actually born.  Help!  Any information on his birth or baptism, or on the 4th Garrison Battalion or Lt John Cameron, would be very gratefully received!

MarieC

[Hill]

Hi Marie

I had a look at this from another angle.

The 4th Garrison Battalion of Infantry was in Jersey 1809 to 1812. This could be why there is no record of a birth.

Stewart

[MarieC]

Thanks for this, Stewart!

This gives me a real conundrum, as the family has always believed that DC Cameron was born at Castle Orgueil Jersey, but not till some time between 1813-1815.

Hmmm!  Not sure where I go with this one...

MarieC

[Hill]

Just to add to the mix - the Archive has a file of military baptisms and there is nothing in there for your elusive relative.

I will check all the baptisms for you next week.

Stewart

[MarieC]

Thank you so much, Stewart - I really appreciate your help!

In the meantime, I'll consult with the main Cameron genealogist in Australia to see if he can come up with any more ideas! 

Marie

[Hill]

Hi Marie

I'm sorry to say that there are no Cameron baptisms around this time.

Stewart

[MarieC]

Hi Stewart

Thank you so much for searching for me - I really appreciate it!

Well, at least that rules out one possibility, and I can now continue to search for him elsewhere!  (He isn't the only ancestor who is giving me problems, but the others seem to have been beamed up rather than beamed down!!  )

Again, many thanks,

MarieC

[Hill]

Might be worth tracking where the regiment went.

Stewart

[MarieC]

I'm trying to do that already, Stewart, but it is hard to impossible from the other side of the world!  I think a person would need to go to your National Archives and dig, but of course I can't.

No-one on the military board of Rootschat has any suggestions as to how I might search.  One person there did say that 5 companies of the 4th Garrison Battalion left Jersey in 1813 for Bermuda; the other 9 companies stayed in the Channel Islands till 1815 when the whole battalion went to Flanders.  And I don't even know in which part of the battalion my man was. 

I do have a possibility in the Highlanders Museum in Fort George, but results aren't guaranteed and it will cost a bit of money.  I'll see how that goes.  That may be my only option. 

MarieC