Donald Cameron, 22nd Lochiel facts for kids
Donald Cameron of Lochiel (22 October 1769 – 14 September 1832) was the 22nd Lochiel of Clan Cameron.
Biography
Born in Gibraltar, he was the eldest son of Charles Cameron of Lochiel and Martha Marshall, daughter of Robert Marshall, quartermaster of the 30th Regiment of Foot.
After the Battle of Culloden, his grandfather The Gentle Lochiel 19th chief of the clan went into exile and his lands were sequestrated by the government. Charles Cameron, son of Lochiel of the 'Forty-Five', was allowed to return to Scotland, and lent his influence to the raising of the Lochiel men for the service of government during the American War of Independence.
In 1784, the estates of Lochiel were returned under the general act of amnesty. The rogue Lochiel travelled extensively and got into serious debt and in order to raise money, borrowed against some of the Cameron lands. In 1790, he visited Lochaber country for the first time. Shortly afterwards he disclosed to his guardians the deal he had done. They were most displeased. The deal was successfully challenged in court and declared null and void. Lochiel was judged unfit to manage the estate, which was handed over to a trust. In 1801, the trust began evicting tenants from the Cameron land. This was the beginning of the Cameron Clearances. Lochiel continued the evictions in 1819 when he regained control of the estate.
In 1795, he married Anne Abercromby, daughter of Sir Ralph Abercromby. He was the father of Donald Cameron, 23rd Lochiel. However, his wife was unhappy in Lochaber and eventually left him. Lochiel himself left soon after and spent the rest of his life in France. He lived in Toulouse, estranged from his family, and died there in 1832 at the age of 63.
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