Lieutenant Dugald Campbell, Laird of Ardlarach, The Much Honoured

Added by Erik Meldal-Johnsen 9/2/2014

Dugald Campbell younger of Ardlarach was born into Scottish gentry about 1727 in the parish of Craignish, Argyllshire to father Angus Campbell of Ardlarach and mother Jean Campbell of Auchanard. Birth records for Craignish only go back as far as 1755 and no birth record has been found for Dugald.

The earliest church record relating to Dugald Campbell is for a misdemeanour for an unpaid fine relating to him siring an illegitimate child with one of the servant maids co-incidentally named Catharine Campbell. The following two records of the unpaid fine and the baptism are in the OPRs for Craignish (Ref: 508/1):-

Births Craignish 508/1 An Account of the fines Due to the Session onpaid, which the Moderator ordered the State of them to be Recorded in the Session book which is as follows viz ~ ….Dugald Campbell younger of Ardlarich ow[e]s a fine for fornication. Catharine Campbell Servant maid in Ardlarich of a fine for fornication which Anne Campbell in Ardfern Caution

1755: Dugald Campbell younger of Ardlarich and Cathrine Campbell had a Child born by fornication and Baptiz’d the 23rd June ja[j]vij and fifty five ~

Although the unnamed child was born to an important member of the local Argyllshire gentry, it would have not had any claims of inheritance on the Ardlarach estate because it was born unlawfully in the eyes of the Church and State and Catharine Campbell’s child was probably consigned to being brought up in poverty and obscurity. The young Dugald Campbell being of the upper class would have seen it being his right to have his way with the servant girls and the fact the fine remained unpaid was probably out of disdain for the church fine rather than his ability to pay.

Dugald Campbell began a career in the British Army and he rose to the rank of Lieutenant. There are military records relating to a Lieutenant Dugald Campbell, an engineer and surveyor, of the 42nd Regiment of Foot, the famous Black Watch, held at the National Archives, Kew, London. The records include surveys he carried out in the County of Argyll, St John’s River, New Brunswick and Sandy Hook, New Jersey, USA, although they would require further research to try and identify this officer to Ardlarach. Lieutenant Dugald Campbell of Ardlarach younger married Margaret Malcolm of Kilmartin aka Peggy MaūCam on 20 December 1764 in the parish of Craignish. The marriage is recorded in the parish of Craignish (Ref: 508/1) as follows:-

Marriages Craignish 508/1 One Thursday December 20th 1764, Lewt Dugald Campbell of Ardlarach younger of this Parish and Peggy MaūCam in the Parish of Killmartin Consign’d There name in Purpose to Mariage Angus Campbell In Ardlarach as Cautioner for the Party

The following is extracted from the Clan MacFarlane genealogy:-

Mary, eldest daughter of Angus, married John MacLean of Shuna, her marriage contract, in which Dugald Campbell, younger of Ardlarich, acted as her attorney, being signed 25 January 1744/45, and this Dugald appears as laird of Ardlarich on 4 June 1767; his wife, Margaret Malcolm receiving an annuity bond from him on 16 June 1773. Dugald, son of Angus, married Margaret Malcolm, daughter of John Malcolm of Poltalloch and Knockalva in the parish of Kilmartin.

Dugald and Margaret had at least 9 known children, mostly in Craignish; Neill (b. 30 September 1765), Iver (b. 14 September 1766), Jannet (b. January 1770), unnamed (b. 19 January 1771, possibly died in infancy), Dugald (b. January 1772, died soon after baptism on 27 January 1772), Angus (b. 26 May 1773), Jean (b. ~1776), Susanna (b. 9 December 1777) and George (b. ~1782). The following births are recorded in the OPRs for Craignish (Ref: 508/1):-

1765: Leutt Dugald Campbell younger in Ardlarach had a man Child Born one Monday Septimb’r 30th 1765 and Baptiz’d the 3rd of October 1765 Named Neill

1766: Leoutt Dugald Campbell of Ardlarach younger had a man Child Born one Sunday Sept[embe]r 14 1766 and Baptiz’d the [..] named Iver

1770: Dugald Campbell younger in Ardlarach had a Woman Child Born Jan[uary] Baptized the 17 Named Jannet

1771: Jan[ua]ry 19th Dugald Campbell Younger of Ardlarach had a _____ Child Baptized _____ Named ______

1772: January: Dugald Campbell Younger of Ardlarach had a Male Child Baptized on the 27th Named Dugald now dead

1773: May: Dugald Campbell of Ardlarach & Margaret Malcolm had a Male Child Born upon the 26th and Baptized upon the 31st Named Angus

1777: Dugald Campbell of Ardlarach had a Female Child Born upon the 9th Dec[embe]r 1777 and Baptized upon the 12th Named Susanna

The baptisms for Jean and George have not been found and it is possible that they were born abroad while Lieutenant Dugald Campbell was serving in the Army or possibly in the West Indies as it is believed that the Campbells had plantations out there.

It was well documented that rich Scottish lairds had plantations stretching from the Caribbean islands to the Southern States of America from the 17th to the 19th centuries and they were heavily involved in the tobacco, sugar, cotton plantations and ultimately the African slave trade. In fact, much of Glasgow’s wealth was built on the industries supported by the slave trade. Certainly, the following extract from The Clan Gillean attests to Dugald’s daughter Jean marrying into the Jamaican plantations of the McLeans of Shuna:-

P.22….iv. In September 1765, John [McLean], fourth of Shuna, received a precept of Clare Constat as heir to Alexander McLean of Shuna, his cousin-german. John married a daughter [Mary] of Campbell of Ardlarach, by whom he had five children; Alexander, Samuel, and three daughters. Alexander succeeded his father in Shuna. Samuel married his first cousin, Jane, fourth daughter of Dugald Campbell of Ardlarach, and had two sons by her, Dugald and James, both of whom died in Jamaica, and without issue. One of Shuna’s daughters was married to a Macaulay who lived in Greenock.

It is not illegal in Scotland for first cousins to marry; however, it is genetically not advisable and in Jean McLean nee Campbell’s case the loss of her only two sons in Jamaica probably testifies to that. Jean returned from Jamaica and lived her widowed days out at Ardlarach. Jean McLean nee Campbell, 86, widow of Samuel McLean, West India planter, died at 11pm on 22 February 1862 at Ardlarach House, Craignish, Argyllshire of mucous congestion of the lungs, which she had suffered for three months, as certified by Dr. W.C. Johnstone MB. The death was registered by her nephew James Dewar, who was present at the death, on 26 February 1862 at Craignish Registry Office. It is possible that Jean’s death was the catalyst for ousting Ellen Campbell nee McPherson and her two sons from Ardlarach House as it appears that her husband George had not left the estate to his sons.

The following is extracted from the Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae for the synods of Argyll, and of Perth and Stirling:-

….daughter of Dugald Campbell of Ardlarach, who had issue James, minister of Oa [Islay]…. COPYRIGHT JOHN MCGEE 2014