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Alice was born in Contra Costa County to Abigail (Tuck) Marsh, a schoolteacher, and Dr. John Marsh.
In 1837, Dr. Marsh purchased Los Meganos Rancho and lived there in a small adobe until he built the famous “Stone House”.
Dr. Marsh is noted as an early advocate of establishing statehood by peaceful means. He vigorously promoted California by sending exuberant letters to prominent government leaders and newspapers in the eastern United States extolling its rich potential. His letters, in turn, influenced the westward expansion of the railroads. Dr. Marsh, who practiced medicine throughout the state from his house near Brentwood. On his way home from a Martinez house call on the evening of September 24, 1856, he was murdered on a dark and lonely road by ruffians .* His daughter, Alice was just a toddler at the time of his death.
Young Alice grew up educated and cultured with a passion for poetry. Young Alice married Contra Costa County Deputy Sheriff, William "Will" Camron. Soon after, they moved to Oakland to raise a family. Will soon became involved in Oakland politics. At about the same time, Will purchased 3000 acres in (what we now know as) Orinda, if fact, Alice is credited with having come up with the name. He planned to develop the tract, however, his other investments turned sour and he had to sell. Financially, things went from bad to worse. Their dreams were further dashed a year after they moved into their new house. Gracie, their youngest, died of convulsions, only four days after her second birthday. Soon, Alice and Will found that living in a house full of her memories impossible to bear, they moved away a short time later. This was the beginning-of-the-end of their marriage. Will deserted his wife and daughter. In later years, after their divorce, in 1895, Alice changed the spelling of her last name to — Cam(e)ron. By this time she was reduced to running a boarding house in San Francisco.
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