Eugenia LeGrand Cameron

Eugenia LeGrand Cameron

• Father: Francis Hawks Cameron b. 1 June 1838, d. 31 March 1900
• Mother: Eugenia LeGrand Weaver b. 10 February 1860, d. 20 July 1948

• Eugenia LeGrand Cameron was born on 25 December 1889 in North Carolina.
• Thomas Arthur Walthall and Mary LeGrand Weaver appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1900 in Newbern, Hale County, Alabama. Other members of the household included Eugenia LeGrand Cameron, Thomas Arthur Walthall Jr., Robert Kennon Walthall, Mary LeGrand Walthall, Milton Paul Walthall, Margaret LeGrand Cameron and Natalie R. Cameron.
• The following appeared on 16 December 1900 in the Richmond Dispatch: The Raleigh (N. C.) Times says: Mrs. Frances [sic] Cameron, widow of General F. H. Cameron, and her daughter, Miss LeGrand Cameron, are at the Yarbrough. Mrs. Cameron has been spending some time in New York, and is now on her way to Alabama, to spend the winter with relatives. Misses Natalie and Eugenie are living in Alabama. Miss Fannie Cameron is spending the winter in New York.
• The following appeared on 16 March 1905 in The Times-Dispatch: (Fort Ethan Allen, Vt., March 15) The wedding of Miss Frances Hawks Cameron, a resident of Richmond, Va., to Lieutenant Charles Burnett, Fifteenth United States cavalry, occurred at this garrison last evening at 8 o'clock, and was the social event of the season.
       Miss Cameron is the daughter of the late General Francis Hawks and Mrs. Cameron, of North Carolina and Virginia. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. Herbert A. Shipman, chaplain at the West Point Military Academy, assisted by Chaplain W. W. Brander, Fifteenth cavalry, a resident of Richmond, Va. The wedding took place in the new gymnasium, which was tastefully decorated with flags, and a very beautiful chancel was formed by palms and white Easter lilies in a semi-circle. The altar was artistically lighted with many candelabra, and held two large vases of lilies, and the chancel rail was covered entirely with the same flowers, interwoven with Southern smilax. Just above the altar were draped the national standard and the regimental colors of the Fifteenth cavalry. During the arrival of the guests the Fifteenth cavalry band dispersed soft music from some hidden bower in the hall above. Trumpets announced the coming of the bridal party, which entered to the strains of Lohengrin's wedding march. The ushers, brother officers of the groom, Lieutenants Clifton Norton, Victor Foster, Wiley P. Mangun, Milton G. Holliday, Arthur J. Lynch and Scott Baker, in full dress uniform, led the way, followed by two pretty little flower girls, Misses Floy Rodman Barnhardt and Dorothy Walker, who carried basket trays of rosebuds. They were followed by the bridesmaids, Misses Kathrine and Isabel Gresham, Grace Russell and Edith Hoyle, carrying immense bouquets of yellow daffodils--the cavalry color. They were gowned in dainty white lace-trimmed organdies. Miss Jean Cameron, the maid of honor, wearing a dress of silk mull and carrying a large bunch of spring violets, immediately preceded the bride, who entered on the arm of her brother, Lieutenant Francis Cameron, Fifteenth United States cavalry, and was met at the altar by the groom and his best man, Lieutenant Samuel W. Robertson, Fifteenth United States cavalry, both in full dress uniform. Lieutenant Burnett wore the handsome gold sabre presented to him in the Philippines by the members of Troop C, Fifteenth cavalry, with whom he served.
       The ceremony was the beautiful ritual of the Episcopal Church, and at its conclusion the bridal party left the chancel to the happy strains of Mendelssohn's wedding march. The company then repaired to the large hall above, where supper was served, and the bride followed the time-honored custom in the army of cutting the wedding cake with the groom's sabre, and as the event waned many toasts were drunk to the happiness of the newly-wedded couple.
       The Bride's dress was very beautiful, being of a lustrous wihit silk--the gift of her brother Duncan Haywood Cameron, of Canton, China, and she wore a veil which enveloped her entire figure and fell in graceful folds to the end of her train. Her bouquet was lilies of the valley, and a spray of orange blossoms was caught in the veil on her hair.
       Both Lieutenant and Mrs. Burnett are very popular in the Fifteenth cavalry, and they will be granted every concession so that no change can be made to take them from the garrison. They were the recipients of many handsome gifts. The wedding trip has been postponed a few weeks, owing to the recent illness of the bride. In April they will visit New York and West Point, where the Lieutenant graduated in the class of 1901.
• She married Alexander Scammel Wadsworth Jr. on 26 June 1907 in Manila, Philippine Islands, and divorced in mid-1911.
• The following appeared on 21 July 1907 in The Washington Post: (Richmond, Va., July 20) News has been received here of the marriage in Manila, P. I., June 26, of Miss Eugenie Cameron, formerly of this city, to Alexander S. Wadsworth, jr., an officer in the United States navy. Mrs. Wadsworth is the youngest daughter of Mrs. Cameron and the late Gen. Francis Hawks Cameron. She has been visiting in Manila, as the guest of her sister, Mrs. Burnett, wife of Lieut. Charles Burnett, Fourth Cavalry, who at present is detailed as aid to Gen. Perhing, at Fort McKinley, Manila, P. I. Mrs. Wadsworth's father died in this city several years ago, and his remains were taken to Raleigh, N. C., where the Scotch clan of Cameron in America assembled to attend the last rites over the head of the family. On this occasin the historic Scotch pipes were used, which is only done at the funeral of a chieftain. The bride is a highly cultured and charming young woman. Mr. Wadsworth was graduated from the United States Naval Acacemy at Anapolis in 1901.
• Eugenia LeGrand Weaver and Eugenia LeGrand Cameron appeared in the US federal census of 15 April 1910 in Dover, Kent County, Delaware, boarding at Richardson's Hotel.. Other members of the household included Alexander Scammel Cameron Wadsworth.
• The following appeared on 6 July 1911 in The Washington Post: (Reno, Nev., July 5) After Mrs. Eugenia L. Wadsworth, formerly a Miss Cameron, and member of an old New York family, had testified before Judge Moran, in district court, this afternoon that her husband, Lieut. Alexander Wadsworth, said to be of the United States navy, and also of New York, had failed to support her and their infant son, Cameron Wadsworth, an absolute divorce and the custody of the child was granted to her.
       Mrs. Wadsworth testified that Wadsworth married her in the Philippines in 1907. Becoming ill, she had gone to live with a sister in Fort Snell, N. Dak. Her husband sent her money for a short period, and then the remittances had ceased. He was earning $230 a month in the navy, she testified. It is said that Mrs. Wadsworth was a newspaper woman in New York.
• The following appeared on 6 July 1911 in The San Francisco Call: (Reno, Nev., July 5) Mrs. Eugenia L. Wadsworth made her plea for divorce before Judge Moran this afternoon and when she finished she was granted an absolute decree of divorce from Lieutenant Alexander L. Wadsworth of the United States navy.
       Mrs. Wadsworth was awarded the custody of her 3 year old son, Cameron. Lieutenant Wadsworth is a member of one of the oldest New York families and when he and the then Miss Eugenia Cameron of Delaware were married it was considered a real love match.
       The wedding took place in the Philippine islands in 1907. Shortly afterward Mrs. Wadsworth became ill and returned to her mother's home in Delaware.
       For a few months, according to her testimony, her lieutenant husband sent remittances for her support, but they ceased, and it was on the ground of nonsupport that she applied for a divorce.
• She married Allen Hemingway Platt on 7 October 1911 in Reno, Washoe County, Nevada.
• The following appeared on 8 October 1911 in the Nevada State Journal: Marriage licenses were issued at the county clerk's office yesterday to the following couple: . . . Allen H. Platt and Mrs. Eugene L. Wadsworth, both of Reno.
• The following appeared on 8 October 1911 in the Nevada State Journal: Allen H. Platt and Mra. Eugenie L. Wadsworth, popular members of Reno's divorce colony, who recently received their decrees, were united in marriage last evening by Justice of the Peace Lee J. Davis at the residence of the officiating official. The wedding was not a surprise to the friends of the couple, for the names of the two parties have been frequently linked by the wiseacres of the colony.
       Prior to the wedding the groom entertained at a little dinner party at the Riverside hotel at which a few close intimate friends were present. Following the dinner the party motored to the residence of Justice of the Peace Lee J. Davis where the wedding was solemnized. Mrs. Justine S. Gray acted as matron of honor and Courtland Massie as best man.
       The bride carried roses and violets and was gowned in black broadcloth trimmed with black lynx furs.
       Following the ceremony the party enjoyed a wedding supper at the Overland grill. Mrs. Platt is a member of the Camerons, the oldest and most aristocratic families in North Carolina. She is a grand daughter of ex-Governor Cameron of North Carolina and a niece of ex-Governor Coll of Virginia. She was wedded formerly to an lieutenant in the United States army and secured a divorce on the grounds of cruelty.
       The bridegroom comes originally from New Haven, Conn., and is a son of the late Charles H. Platt, who was one of the best known and most prominent railroad officials in the east. At the time of his death he was an official of the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad.
       The couple departed for the east last evening on the Overland Limited. They will visit with the bride's mother at Fort Snelling, Mont., for several weeks and will then leave for Japan where they will be the guests of Lieutenant and Mrs. Charles Burnett of the American embassy at Tokio, where Mrs. Platt will be presented at court.
• Eugenia LeGrand Cameron died on 14 May 1914 at age 24 in Shanghai, China.
• Her husband Allen Hemingway Platt became a widower at her death.
• She was interred at Saint Matthews Episcopal Church Cemetery, Hillsborough, Orange County, North Carolina.
• The following appeared on 7 July 1914 in The News & Observer: Mrs. Eugene LeGrand Cameron Platt, wife of Mr. Allen Hemingway Platt, of New York and New Haven, and youngest daughter of the late Gen. and Mrs. Francis Hawks Cameron, of North Carolina and Virginia, died at Shanghai, China, on May 14 in the twenty-third year of her age. Mrs. Platt was the sister of Capt. Francis H. Cameron, U. S. A., and of Mrs. Charles Burnett, of the American Embassy at Topeka, of Mrs. George H. Paine and Mrs. Arthur J. Hanlon. She leaves a little son, Alexander S. Cameron Wadsworth, four years of age. Mrs. Platt had just arrived in the Far East by the Empress of Russia to join Mr. Platt in Shanghai. The remains were taken to Virginia for interment.
       General Cameron, father of Mrs. Platt, was adjutant general of the state for many years and lived on the northeast corner of Jones and East street. He died about twenty years ago.
• The following appeared on 24 August 1914 in The News & Observer: The funeral of Mrs. Eugenia Le Grande Platt was held from St. Matthew's Episcopal church in Hillsboro Saturday afternoon at 6 o'clock, the services being conducted by Rev. A. S. Lawrence, rector of the church. The body was buried in the churchyard.
       Mrs. Platt was shot and killed by a Chinese servant in Shanghai on May 17 [sic]. It was erroneously reported that she had committed suicide. The last news from Shanghai concerning her death was that the alleged murderer was being tried with every prospect that he would be convicted.
       Mrs. Platt was the youngest daughter of Gen. and Mrs. Francis Hawkes Cameron, who for several years resided in Raleigh, their home being located on the southeast corner of Jones and East streets, and General Cameron being the inspector general of the State.
       The remains of Mrs. Platt were accompanied to Hillsboro by Mrs. Charles Burnett of Tokio, Japan; Mrs. Arthur Hanlon, of the Philippine Islands, and Mrs. George H. Paine, of Peoria, Ill., these all being sisters of hers. She is also survived by her husband and small son and by her mother, who makes her home with Mrs. Paine in Peoria. The three sisters left yesterday for Peoria.
       Among those who attended the funeral from Raleigh were Mr. Andrew Syme and Mr. H. R. Witherspoon.
• The following appeared on 12 September 1914 in the Army and Navy Register: The remains of Mrs. Eugene LeGrand Cameron Platt, youngest daughter of the late General and Mrs. Francis Hawks Cameron, who died in Shanghai, China, on May 14, 1914, arrived at Hillsboro on August 22, accompanied by the members of her family, and were taken to St. Matthew's Episcopal Church from which the funeral services were held at 6 o'clock in the afternoon, when Mrs. Platt was laid to rest beside her father in the little church yard, where sleep more 600 of her kindred, illustrious in the history of the south. Among the beautiful floral offerings was a sheaf of purple thistle from Ach-na-carry Castle, the seat of the Camerons of Locheil, in Scotland. The pallbearers were all young kinsmen of the deceased, Messrs. George and Paul Collins, Sheppers Strudwick, Norfleet and James Webb, Francis Nash, Alexander Graham, and Hamilton C. Lynch. The Right Rev. Alfred S. Lawrence conducted the beautiful and impressive service in the presence of a distinguished congregation of the representatives of kindred families and friends of long years standing, who had gathered from Virginia and North Carolina to do honor to the last homecoming of a daughter of the house at her long journey's end.

• Last Edited: 7 Aug 2016

• Charts: Descendants of LeGRAND John & Margaret Chambers