Two Campbell families were living next to the Stewarts of Balcastle in the 1840s, but their origins are difficult to trace as the information in the 1841 and 1851 census returns seems to conflict.
1841 Census Return for Balcastle
| Dwelling | Name | Occupation | Age | Birthplace | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Campbell | sawyer | 50 years | Blair Atholl | ||
| Robert Campbell | 10 years | Blair Atholl | ||||
| Ann Fraser | 55 years | Blair Atholl | ||||
| Cath. Campbell | 7 years | Blair Atholl | ||||
| 2 | Isabella Campbell | cottager | 40 years | Blair Atholl | ||
| James Douglas | 38 years | Blair Atholl |
1851 Census Return for Balcastle
| Dwelling | Name | Occupation | Related | Status | Age | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Campbell | sawyer | head | unmarried | 69 years | Kirkmichael |
| Ann Campbell | on poor relief | sister | unmarried | 66 years | Kirkmichael | |
| Alex. Stewart | scholar | nephew | 9 years | Blair Atholl | ||
| 2 | Colin Campbell | ag. labourer | head | married | 58 years | Kirkmichael |
| Isabella Douglas | wife | married | 57 years | Dull |
By 1861 Balcastle was deserted and in ruins and the whereabouts of the two Campbell families unknown. Were the two families related? Where did they come from, and what happened to them after 1851?
In trying to resolve these questions it is best to concentrate on the people in the household, rather than their alleged birthplaces.
Firstly, in the 1851 census returns, there is John Campbell's 9-year-old nephew, Alexander Stewart. The only person in the whole of Perthshire who fits this description is the son of John Stewart and Jean Campbell in Grennich who was born 5th January 1840. He appears in the 1841 census return for Grennich aged 4 months, but does not appear with the rest of the family in the 1851 census return for Grennich. So, his mother, Jean Campbell is a younger sister of John Campbell in Balcastle.
John Stewart in Grennich and Jean Campbell in Foss, Dull parish, were married 21st November 1824.
Interestingly, Jean Campbell gave her birthplace as Fortingall in the 1851 census return, and from her age she would have been born around 1804.
In addition there is a visitor staying with the family at this time: Donald Campbell the tailor, aged 53 years, married, and also born in the parish of Fortingall. Perhaps this is another Campbell relation. Donald seems to be the son of Peter Campbell and Elizabeth Menzies in Fortingall, born 1st June 1798.
The last person in the group is Ann Campbell, the sister of John the sawyer. Although she is given as unmarried in the 1851 census, it is more likely that she is widowed and is the same person as Ann Fraser in the 1841 census. The Fortingall OPR has a marriage between James Fraser and Ann Campbell on 17th September 1809, but only states that James Fraser and Ann Campbell were from Blair Atholl and Fortingall parishes, respectively. However the Blair Atholl OPR contains the marriage of James Fraser in Croftcarnach and Christian Campbell in Druimnasalach, Fortingall, dated 23rd September 1809. This is too much of a coincidence and the registrar probably recorded Ann's forename incorrectly.
The death certificate of Ann Campbell, widow of James Fraser, shows that she died on 9th March 1861 at Balnald in Fortingall parish. Her parents are given as Donald Campbell, farmer, and Mary Menzies. The informant was her nephew, Donald Stewart of Tulloch, Strathardle.
Donald Campbell and Mary (May) Menzies were married at Fortingall on 25th June 1781.
Fortingall OPR (marriages)
June 25th 1781. Donald Campbell and Mary Menzies, both in Craganour and in this parish were booked.
They farmed at Craganour after getting married and produced seven children.
Fortingall OPR (baptisms)
1782. John, son to Donald Campbell and Mary Menzies in Craganour was baptised. 24th June
1785. Duncan, son to Donald Campbell and Mary Menzies in Craganour was baptised. 1st January
1787. Ann, daughter to Donald Campbell and May Menzies in Aulich (was baptised). 7th May
1789. Jean, daughter to Donald Campbell and Margaret Menzies in Aulich (was baptised). 2nd June
1790. Robert, son to Donald Campbell and Mary Menzies in Aulich (was baptised). 15th December
1799. Paul, son to Donald Campbell and Mary Menzies in Aulich (was baptised). 28th October
1802. Jean, daughter to Donald Campbell and Mary Menzies in Druimnasalach (was baptised). 31st October
Craganour and Aulich are on the north side of Loch Rannoch, about 5km west of Kinloch Rannoch, where the Allt a' Chreagain Odhair flows into the loch. Druimnasalloch (Dreamsallach) was just to the south of Crossmount, near Dunalastair Water. Presumably the Campbell family was still living at Druimnasalach when Ann married James Fraser in 1809.
This leaves two unresolved questions. Firstly, why does the 1851 census give Kirkmichael parish as John Campbell's birthplace? Secondly, who is the 10-year-old Robert Campbell living at Balcastle in 1841?
As the Campbell surname is not particularly common in this area, it was thought that Colin might be a younger brother of John Campbell the sawyer. However, this does not seem to be the case. The Old Parish Records show that Colin Campbell and Isabella Douglas were married on 14th February 1823, in the parish of Dull.
1823, Dull OPR (marriages)
Colin Campbell and Isabel Douglass both in this parish gave up their names for proclamation in order to
marriage.
There were six children from the marriage and the family movements can be traced using these births. Colin was probably living at Croftstockan, on the south side of Loch Tummel, when he married. From here the family moved to nearby Runfad, then to Duntaulich, before crossing Loch Tummel to Balcastle on the north side by 1841.
Dull OPR (baptisms)
1823. Margaret, daughter to Colin Campbell and Isabel Douglass in Croftstockan was baptised 12th August
1825. Alexander, son to Colin Campbell and Isabel Douglass in Croftstockan was baptised 1st February
1827. John, son to Colin Campbell and Isabel Douglass in Croftstockan was baptised 1st November
1829. James, son to Colin Campbell and Isabel Douglass in Roanfad was baptised 12th November
1831. Donald, son to Colin Campbell and Isabel Douglass in Roanfad was baptised 1st October
1833. Catherine, daughter to Colin Campbell and Isabel Douglass in Duntaulich was baptised 29th July
Colin's wife, Isabella, was the daughter of Donald Douglas and Isobel McCra(w) or Mackay. She was born on 10th June 1795 at Middleton of Duntaulich, which is just to the east of Runfad. She was baptised as Ispel, and had three brothers and five sisters: Alexander; Margaret; Robert; James; Elspet; Christian; Janet and Cicilia. Her brother James appears in the 1841 census return for Balcastle, and her seven-year-old daughter Catherine (Catrina) was living next-door with John Campbell and Ann Fraser.
On 15th December 1851, Colin and Isabella's daughter Margaret married Duncan McBeath, the farmer at Knockgarry, which was close to Balcastle. She was living at Chapelton (Balchapel) of Borenich at the time. She died in 1902 at the Bridge of Tilt. For further information about this family, see the McBeath Families of Rinancoilleach and Knockgarry.
Colin and Isabella's son Alexander married Eliza Butchart on 7th July 1862. She was the daughter of Alexander Butchart and Catherine Reid, and was born in Logierait parish on the 17th September 1840. Alexander was a shepherd at Milton of Tulliemet, and was only 45 when he died of T.B. on 27th October 1869.
The rest of the family emigrated to Canada in 1853 and settled in McNab Township, Renfrew County, Ontario, where Isabella Douglas died 31st December 1859.
John Campbell (1827-1881) married Kathrine McLauchlin, settled as a farmer in McNab township and raised a family. He and his wife are buried in the White Lake Cemetery.
James Campbell (1829-1892) married Jessie (Janet) Stewart, the daughter of James Stewart and Isobel (Isabella) Stewart of Beckwith Township. James and Jessie brought up a large family in Pakenham, North Lanark, Ontario. It is worth noting that the fathers of James Campbell and Jessie Stewart would have known each other from Blair Atholl, and both lived at Balcastle, but not at the same time.
Donald Campbell (1831-?) married Ellen (Helen) Stewart of Beckwith Township. She was Jessie Stewart's older sister. Donald and Ellen lived in Pakenham, North Lanark, Ontario, and had only one child, a daughter.
Catherine (Catrina) Campbell (1833-1919) married George Deacon on 11th December 1865 at White Lake, Ontario, and brought up a family of six in Pakenham, North Lanark, Ontario.
There is a monument dedicated to Colin Campbell and his wife in the White Lake Cemetery. It reads:
In Memory of Colin Campbell, born January 11th 1794, died February 19th 1881. Also his wife Isabella Douglas, born June 10th 1794, died December
31st 1859. Natives of Blair Athol, Perthshire, Scotland.
This date matches the birth of a Colin Campbell, but he was born in the parish of Kirkmichael and not Blair Atholl.
Kirkmichael OPR (baptisms)
1794. Colin, lawful son to John Campbell in Milntown of Pitcarmick and Margaret Stewart his spouse, baptised 11th January.
The only marriage at this time for a John Campbell and Margaret Stewart is recorded in the parish of Fortingall.
Fortingall OPR (marriages)
April 20th 1782. John Campbell in Roroyear in Weem parish and Margaret Stewart in this parish were lawfully booked.
Roroyere is in Glen Lyon (Fortingall parish), but a stretch of about four miles along the southern bank of the Lyon extending from the eastern march of Innerinian to the western march of Roroyere is in Weems parish for historical reasons. Glen Lyon, which is a long way from Milntown of Pitcarmick in Kirkmichael parish, so can this be the same couple?
John Campbell and Margaret Stewart had three sons in quick succession, while they lived at Kirktown of Fortingall. Then there was a nine year gap from 1787 until 1796, after which they had another six children in the same place.
Fortingall OPR (baptisms)
1783. Peter, son to John Campbell and Margaret Stewart in Kirktown of Fortingall (baptised) 6th November
1785. David, son to John Campbell and Margaret Stewart in Kirktown of Fortingall (baptised) 6th November
1787. Duncan, son to John Campbell and Margaret Stewart in Kirktown of Fortingall (baptised) 15th October
1796. Archibald, son to John Campbell and Margaret Stewart in Kirktown of Fortingall (baptised) 18th June
1800. Mary, daughter to John Campbell and Peggy Stewart in Kirktown of Fortingall (baptised) 18th October
1803. Catharin, daughter to John Campbell and Peggy Stewart in Kirktown of Fortingall (baptised) 13th February
1805. James, son to John Campbell and Peggy Stewart in Kirktown of Fortingall (baptised) 6th May
1807. Robert, son to John Campbell and Peggy Stewart in Kirktown of Fortingall (baptised) 24th May
1810. John, son to John Campbell and Peggy Stewart in Innerwick (baptised) 15th April
The birth of Colin, lawful son to John Campbell in Milntown of Pitcarmick and Margaret Stewart his spouse, took place during this period. There is no obvious explanation for these strange events, but it would seem likely that John Campbell was absent for most of the nine years. One possible explantion is that he enlisted in the army which was fighting in Indian at this time, and that the rest of the family went to stay with relatives or friends in Kirkmichael parish.
As a note of caution - The IGI has a baptism in Moulin parish for James Campbell, son of Ian Campbell and Margaret Stuart, dated 31st December 1975. Some researchers have taken this to be another member of the family, but this entry is incorrect as the original baptism has been mis-read. It should be read as:
Moulin OPR (baptisms)
December 31st 1795. Baptised, James to Pat(rick) Campbell and Margaret Stuart his spouse in Cuilt of Balyechan (Ballyoukan?)
Mary Campbell seems to have emigrated to Canada. On 30th January 1822 she married James Ward at the Presbyterian Church in Perth, Lanark, Ontario. The couple had at least two chldren. Annie C. Ward married Henry Dunham on 3rd may 1877. Jane was born around 1834 and died 13th March 1855 and is buried at the Craig Street Cemetery, Perth, Ontario. Her parents are buried in the same place. Their monument inscription reads:
James Ward, native of Scotland, died May 30th 1842 aged 49 years. Mary his wife, daughter of John Campbell of Fortingall, Scotland, died May 11th
1851, aged 50 years.