When William James MacGregor Cameron was born on 25 December 1821, in Thurman, Thurman, Warren, New York, United States, his father, Duncan Cameron, was 48 and his mother, Margaret Griffing, was 33. He married Jane Elizabeth Gallup on 19 July 1855. They were the parents of at least 7 sons and 1 daughter. He lived in Johnsburg, Johnsburg, Warren, New York, United States in 1870. He died on 27 February 1911, at the age of 89, and was buried in Warren, New York, United States.