Donald Campbell of Benbecula/South Uist

Little Bernie · Post by **Little Bernie** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 3:19 pm

I've not had much luck since my last post 1.5 years ago...but a tad.
Donald ("The Weaver") Campbell left Scotland around the time of the collapse of the kelp industry(so, say 1815-1825) his(some? all ?) children were born in Nova Scotia in Judique; which is a place settled by the McDonalds of Uist,I believe.
Does anyone have record of the Campbells of Benbecula ( abt.4 families)or South Uist ? Donald's wife's name was either "Mary" or "Catherine",but in my later family we have the use of Mary-Catherine.
My family seemed to follow the naming order,so IF I have all his children's names....Angus(1823/1833 in Judique) was the first born, that would make Donald Campbell's father's name Angus. The second Child was "Margret"(abt. 1837;followed by "Malcolm" in 1838(so, "Mary-Margret's mother and father would be Margret and Malcolm ?) and the last child was Neil abt.1840(in Judique) The 3 sons were said to be "tailors".
Can anyone help ?

angusm · Post by **angusm** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 12:30 am

It would only be a guess because, as you know, there are no relevant records of individuals and their families in the period of your interest. However, the main Campbell family in Benbecula at the time, without any doubt, was that of Angus Campbell in Aird. Angus was tailor to the Clanranald gentry about 1800 and was at least the second generation in Aird i.e. not an incomer. He was known as 'Am Bard Sgallach' as he was an accomplished poet. His praise poem and lament for Captain Angus MacDonald of Milton, Flora MacDonald's nephew, who was drowned in Locheynort in 1809, have both survived. This family meets both your naming pattern and the trade so I would have thought must be your best bet.

Good hunting. Angus