Frances Hawks Cameron

b. circa 6 February 1881, d. 10 October 1957

Frances Hawks Cameron Burnett, 1881-1957
  • Frances Hawks Cameron was born circa 6 February 1881 in Selma, Dallas County, Alabama.
  • Frances Hawks Cameron appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1900 in Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina, boarding in the household of insurance agent William Primrose.
  • 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.
  • She married Charles Burnett, son of J. S. Burnett, on 14 March 1905 in Fort Ethan Allen, Chittenden County, Vermont.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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 30 September 1915 in the Charlotte Daily Observer: The following San Francisco dispatch to The Washington Post will be of interest in North Carolina, Mrs. Charles Burnett being a daughter of the late Gen. F. H. Cameron of Raleigh:
         "Having in her possession one of the most valuable fans in the world, valued at $15,000 and a present from the late Empress Dowager of Japan, Mrs. Charles Burnett, wife of Lieutenant Burnett, United States Army, has arrived home from a trip to the Orient.
         "Mrs. Burnett is one of the most noted Japanese scholars in the world. She has translated many of the older Japanese poems and prose works, and it was because of translations done for the Empress that she received the fan.
         "She was accompanied home by her sister, Mrs. A. S. Hanlon."
  • Charles Burnett and Frances Hawks Cameron arrived in the Port of New York on 5 May 1930, aboard the SS America, having departed Southampton on 24 April.
  • Frances Hawks Cameron became a widow at the 27 November 1939 death of her husband Charles Burnett.
  • The following appeared on 29 November 1939 in The Oregonian: (Washington, Nov. 28) Colonel Charles Burnett, former chief of the war department's bureau of insular affairs with the rank of brigadier-general, died Monday night at Walter Reed hospital. He had been ill for more than two months.
  • The following appeared on 2 December 1939 in The Times-Picayune: (Washington, Dec. 1) Military attaches of Germany and Japan and high ranking officers of the army were honorary pallbearers at funeral services today for Brigadier-General Charles Burnett, former chief of the war department's bureau of insular affairs.
         The services were conducted by the Right Reverend John Thomas Dallas of New Hampshire. Burial was in Arlington National cemetery. Burnett died here Monday night at the age of 62. He was born in Concord, Tenn.
  • The following appeared on 21 July 1948 in The Alexandria Town Talk: Mrs. Eugenie LeGrand Cameron, 85, died at the home of General George Paine on the Military Highway, Pineville, Tuesday, June [sic] 20, 1948. She is the widow of the late General Francis Hawks Cameron, of North Carolina and Virginia, and the daughter of the late Dr. Leroy Gardiner Weaver of Selma, Ala., and of Margaret LeGrand, his wife.
         Mrs. Cameron is survived by her son, Captain Francis Hawks Cameron, Jr., U. S. Army, retired; her daughters, Mrs. Charles Burnett, widow of General Charles Burnett of Washington D. C., Mrs. George Paine, wife of General George H. Paine, U. S. Army, retired, and Mrs. Arthur J. Hanlon, wife of Colonel Arthur J. Hanlon, U. S. Army, retired, of New York; one grandson, Commander Alexander Scammel Cameron Wadsworth, U. S. Navy.
         Burial will be in Selma, Ala., home of her childhood on Saturday, July 24, 1948. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Hixson Brothers Funeral home.
  • Frances Hawks Cameron died on 10 October 1957 in Alexandria, Rapides Parish, Louisiana.
  • She was interred at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.
  • The following appeared on 11 October 1957 in The Alexandria Town Talk: Mrs. Frances Cameron Burnett, 73, died at 8 p.m. Thursday in an Alexandria hospital.
         Remains will be shipped from John Kramer and Son Funeral Home to the Arlington National cemetery in Virginia today for services and interment.
         She is survived by two sisters, Mrs. LaGrande Paine and Mrs. Natenie Hanlon, both of Pineville. She was the wife of the late Brigadier General Charles Burnett.
  • Last Edited: 7 Aug 2016