William Wallace Cameron

Celebrates Birthday -- Licking News Thurs. Oct. 4, 1979, W. W. Cameron, "Pop" as his family calls him, celebrated his 95th Birthday in Bonita Springs, Fla. Sept. 13. Members of the clan gathered for dinner at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Coy L. Cameron, his son and daughter-in-law, where Pop lives. In Scotia, N.Y. Pop's sister, Elizabeth Weiss, was also celebrating her 88th birthday on the same day, and although they couldn't get together they exchanged greetings.

One surprise was in store for Pop on his day -- his grandson, John L. Walker, Attorney in Camdenton, Mo., flew in for the celebration at the Cameron residence on the Imperial River.

Looking more youthful than his 95 years, Pop Cameron says he attributed his long life to clean living. "I don't drink and I don't use tobacco," he says, " Never have, not even coffee -- or beer or anything -- only water". He's pretty high on lemon juice, commented his son. That Pop admits, "I have the juice of a lemon everyday. It helps my arthritis", he says. He will also admit it doesn't hurt to have a son who is a physician.

W. W. Cameron has been coming to Bonita Springs since 1959, some six or seven year before he decided to make it his home. He was here when Hurricane Donna came through. "Right in this house", he recalls.

He came here from St. Louis where he was a street car motorman for 29 years. He still treasures a yellowed news clipping from the St. Louis Globe Democrat, written when he retired. "I had never missed a day on the job in those 29 years," he says. "I was with the company through three ownerships." "They've don away with the trolley cars, new they've got buses in St. Louis." Cameron says it was a good job. "And I used to handle it myself, I'd take the fares, give change and transfers, and if my replacement didn't show up, I'd just work another." Without the clang, clang of the trolley, Pop Cameron has found quieter interests in Bonita. "He had a beautiful garden," says his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Cameron, "and he keeps in good physical shape chopping wood for the fireplace."

He looked forward to receiving his hometown paper, The Licking News, which she says, "He reads from front to back -- word for word." Mr. Cameron was formerly from Licking.

Obituary: W. W. Cameron

William Wallace Cameron, son of John Cameron and Agnes Bell was born Sept. 13, 1884 in Texas Co. Mo., and departed this life at the age of 97 while a patient at the Lake of the Ozarks General Hospital, Osage Beach, Mo. William Cameron grew up in Licking, Mo. and on Nov. 25, 1905 he was united in marriage to Cora Lena Taylor, also of Licking. To this union two children were born: Coy Lee Cameron and Mattie Mae (Cameron) Walker. During the first quarter of this century, W. W. Cameron was a farmer and with his wife, operated a general store at Licking. During the 1920's the family moved to St. Louis, where he worked as a streetcar operator for 29 years, retiring from Bi-State Transportation in 1954.

During his early years of retirement, prior to the death of his wife, Cora, in 1961, he divided his time between his homes in St. Louis and Licking. After his wife's death he moved to Bonita Springs, Fla. where he made his home until his death. However, at the time of his last illness and death, he was visiting his daughter and grandson at Camdenton, Mo.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Cora, his parents, the following brothers and sisters: Mrs. Frank (Rose Ella) Rodgers; John Cameron; David Cameron; Mrs. Flander (Jennie) B. Mitchell, James Robert Cameron, Aggie Cameron adn Arthur Cameron, and son-in-law, Col. John L. Walker of Mexico, Mo. He leaves to mourn his passing the following: his son and daughter-in-law, Dr. & mrs. C. L. Cameron of Bonita, Fla.,; his daughter, Mrs. Mattie Mae Walker of Camdenton; his sister, Mrs. Elizabeth E. Weiss of Scotia, N.Y.; three grandchildren and four great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

The above entries were taken from Bradford Descendants by Vance Arthur Bradford, M.D., copyright 1985 by Vance Arthur Bradford, M.D., and bearing Library of Congress Catalog card number: 85-073175; ISBN 0-9615983-0-1