Catherine Cameron by Katie Horrocks

Catherine Cameron Southam, the daughter of John Alexander and Margaret Fairgrove Cameron, was born in Glasgow, Scotland April 21, 1847. Her parents were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in their native land November 15, 1845, and emigrated to America in 1848. For four years they lived in Patterson, New Jersey and during this time Mrs. Cameron became very ill. Mormon elders administered to her, telling her that she would be healed and that a son would come to bless their home. In one year from that date this blessing was fulfilled and James A. Cameron was born. The family then made their way to St. Louis, Missouri and here the mother Margaret Fairgrove, died February 26, 1855 at the age of thirty-four years. Mr. Cameron married Mary McFall Thompson who died April 6, 1857. Later he married Alice Parkinson and of this union another son John Cameron was born. With his wife and the three children, Catherine, James, and John, Mr. Cameron proceeded to Florence, Nebraska, and, while camped there making preparations for the journey to Utah, a daughter Jeanette was born in a covered wagon June 9, 1861. He was assigned to drive a wagon pulled by two-yoke of oxen but worry and responsibility had so weakened his physical strength that he had to be assisted by members of his family in order to take care of the many duties the trip involved. Catherine drove the oxen most of the way and helped care for the younger children when they became ill. She was fourteen years of age at this time.

After arriving in Salt Lake Valley Mr. Cameron resumed his trade of boot and shoemaker until he was called to help with the settlement of Round Valley on the Weber River. It was during the residency there that Catherine became acquainted with George Southam and his wife, Jane Carter. They had joined the Church in Oxfordshire, England, and emigrated to America in 1854. These three people became good friends and as polygamy was being lived at that time Jane, unable to have children, sanctioned the marriage of her husband and Catherine so that he could have a family of his own. The ceremony took place in the Endowment House November 26, 1862. While in Morgan four children were born to Catherine, Mary Jane, George Henry, Eliza, and Alice.

Mr. Southam bought a small farm and worked for the Union Pacific R.R. then he moved Catherine, her children, and Jane to North Evanston, bought a house and all lived together. Prior to leaving Morgan he was called as a teamster for an oxtrain to bring in the last immigration company from Sweetwater, Wyoming, before the railroad was finished to Ogden. He was the oldest teamster.

It was always Mr. Southam's desire to have his family live in a Latter-day Saint community so he bought land in Randolph, Rich County; later this was disposed of and he bought a ranch on the Bear River, eight miles south and a few miles east of Evanston. While crossing the Bear River one Christmas Eve on his way home from feeding his stock, George Southam was drowned.

Alice Southam Haslam writes: "We lived at Evanston about fourteen years and while there we had lots of sickness and bad luck. Mother lost a baby, Ruth, born Feb. 3, 1873, who died 24th of Feb. the same year; then the year 1876 we all had smallpox and lost brother James. In 1877 we lost sister Eliza Ann who was nine years old; then after Father's death we lost brother John with pneumonia. Mother had lots of experience with sickness in her own family as well as helping with the sickness in our community.

During this time George Henry had taken up a homestead on Brush Creek at Vernal, Utah; when he heard of Father's death he came home, and helped on the ranch the following summer. In the fall he moved us to his farm on Brush Creek. My sister Mary Jane and her husband, Warren Allred, who had been living near us at Evanston and helping us on the ranch, moved to Vernal the same time we did. Mother started nursing to help provide for her family. She would hitch up the horse to the buggy and travel many miles to deliver a new baby or help in other sickness. No matter what the weather might be, or what time of night she was called, her pay would be a bushel of wheat or a sack of potatoes or whatever they might have she could use for her family. Sometimes they had nothing, but that was all right too if they needed her, and sometimes she stayed for several days. Our homestead was on Ashley Creek which was called Riverdale Ward at that time. Later they called it Naples, which is about three miles from Vernal. Much of her nursing was done in town as well as in her word. She nursed for the Davises, Cooks, Hartles, Merkleys, and many other families. Some of them felt they could not have a baby without the help of "Grandmother Southam". Later she traveled with Dr. Harry Coe Hullinger caring for the sick. She continued this work until she got older and her health would not permit the hard work she had to do. She had many friends and after her nursing had ceased she often visited her former patients.

After her family had grown and married she sold the ranch on Brush Creek and moved to a home her son George Henry had built her in Davis Ward, Naples Ward having been divided. She was close to the church and this made her very happy. Several times while I was staying with her the Relief Society sisters came to her home and held meetings so she could attend. She will long be remembered by the people of Davis Ward for her love and friendship as well as her nursing. In her later life she came to live with my mother. Alice Southam Haslam. We all tried to make her happy in her declining years.

Catherine Cameron Southam died August 29, 1929 at Vernal, Utah, at the age of eighty-two years.