THE CAMPBELLS OF LEITH
The search for my Campbell ancestors has been quite an adventure for more than 15 years, and
it all started right here in this pioneer churchyard at the obelisk gravemarker of my great
grandparents William Campbell and Mary Flora McLeod.
The inscription on their gravemarker was all I knew of my great grandparents.
The inscription on this gravestone, Range 1, Lot 41, reads as follows:
William Campbell - died May 12, 1894 age 77.
A native of Islay, Argyleshire, Scotland.
Farewell my wife and children all.
From you a father … Christ does call.
Mourn not for me.
It is in vain to call me to your sight again.
Mary Flora McLeod - January 23, 1905 age 78.
Jesus has called the mother home.
Her flesh lies moldering in the tomb.
God grant (that) her offspring may be blest and meet her in eternal rest
The story of my Campbell ancestors, as far back as I have researched, begins on the beautiful
Isle of Islay with its stunning landscapes and seascapes, miles of sandy beaches, rugged hills,
pleasing farmland and sheltered woods. The island of Islay, often called “The Queen of the
Isles”, lies in the southern Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland, in the former county of
Argyll. The island is blessed with better weather than most of Scotland. The warmer waters of
the Gulf Stream flow past its shores, it is sunnier, the land is fertile, fresh waters can be found
in its lochs, and peaty water runs down the hillsides to supply the island’s renowned distilleries.
The isle of Islay, at 600 square km, is less than 1/5 the size of Grey County.
The horseshoe-shaped Islay at about 25 miles in length and 20 miles across at its widest point,
is one of the largest islands of the Inner Hebrides. With its rich fruitful land and relatively even
climate (by Scottish standards), the crops have always ripened early in comparison to other
isles.
Along Islay’s southeastern coast is the village of Port Ellen. Being the most southerly point of
Islay, on a clear day, the Oa Peninsula provides excellent views of the Antrim coast of Northern
Ireland. The coastline on this part of Islay is rocky with sheer cliffs. The Oa was a particularly
favourite area for illicit stills and for smuggling as well as being a popular haunt of the seals.
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This southeast area of Islay, known as the Kildalton Parish, from Port Ellen to the Oa is where
our Campbell’s lived.
Until 1865 in Scotland, there were no government registrations of births, deaths or marriages.
At that time, the parishes kept the only records. When searching those records I could not find
baptismal records earlier than 1800 but according to the Marriage Records, my great, great
grandparents William Campbell and Elizabeth Graham were married in the Kildalton Parish,
Islay on February 7, 1801. For 12 years they lived on the 450 acre Taycarmagan Farm that today
is mostly the village of Port Ellen. About 1814 the Campbell family moved next door to the 759
acre farm, Ballivikar. Twelve children resulted from that union … 5 daughters & 7 sons. The 9 th
child born to William and Elizabeth in 1817, also named William, is my great grandfather and is
the one buried in the cemetery that surrounds this church.
In 1827, ten years after William, the younger’s, birth, Mary Flora McCuaig, the 5 th child of Finlay
McCuaig and Catherine McMillian, was born on the Lower Cragabus farm in the same Kildalton
Parish, about one km from the Campbell’s Ballivicar farm. Mary Flora would become my great
grandmother and is buried beside her husband, William, the younger, in this cemetery.
You might have noticed the change in the Mary Flora’s family name from McCuaig to McLeod.
There is much discussion regarding the fact that the McCuaig family’s name changed to McLeod
when they came to Canada. Apparently, the two names, McCuaig & McLeod, seemed to be
interchangeable. This made my research even more challenging as the family name ,McLeod,
was on Mary Flora’s gravestone as having emigrating from Islay but when searching parish &
census records of Islay I could not find any McLeod’s! It took me a few years to finally stumble
on the information regarding the name change in the family history book “Our Ain Folk” written
by local author Rose McClelland MacLeod.
On Islay in the 1800’s the large families began to overpopulate the small island to the point that
the land would not sustain them. The Islay population had grown from about 3,000 persons in
the 1700’s to 15,000 in the mid 1800’s.
About that time, a ferry began to operate between Islay and mainland Scotland. This gave the
children of the Islay crofters an opportunity to work off-island. About 1836, William, the
younger, now in his late teens, took advantage of this connection to mainland Scotland and
went to Dumbarton on the Firth of Clyde to apprentice as a ship’s carpenter.
When in the middle of the 1840’s, the potato disease spread from Northern Ireland to Islay, an
alarming situation arose as potatoes were a main staple of their diet. Thousands of people were
threatened by starvation. Some Islaymen went to mainland Scotland to look for work while
others immigrated to the new world.
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Few Islanders were in Canada before the 1800’s, but many would soon make their way across
the Atlantic. Following the War of 1812 with the United States, the British government was
anxious to have the Canadian border areas populated by those loyal to the crown. After they
had offered land grants to retiring military men and their families, and to British Americans who
refused to swear allegiance to the United States (referred to in Canada as United Empire
Loyalists), land was being offered to British subjects. However, there were conditions attached
to the land grants - besides swearing allegiance to the King, they were expected to build a
house (almost always constructed of logs), and clear at least 5 acres of land, and the road
frontage of their lots before they received their grants. This was often a huge problem pioneers from the Scottish Islands probably never saw such monstrous trees in their lives, but
they were suddenly expected to remove them! The wood was used to make houses, barns,
fences, furniture and many farming implements. Some of the trees were simply burned to make
way for the first crops that the settlers could plant.
With his indenture in Dumbarton complete in 1844, William, the younger, sailed the Atlantic to
Hamilton, Upper Canada where he worked for a time as a ship’s carpenter.
Five years later William Campbell secured a 100 acre lot in Usborne Township, Huron County.
That same year William’s older brother John with his new bride, Catherine McTaggart, their
mother Elizabeth Graham Campbell and their 2 sisters Elizabeth and Isabella, also left Islay
behind and secured a farm property in Fullarton Township, Perth County, which was just a short
distance from William’s new farm property in Usborne. So once again, William, the younger,
was close to his family. For 10 years William Campbell lived there in a 1 ½ story log home that,
with his carpentry skills, he likely built himself.
During that time, William the younger’s mother, my great, great grandmother Elizabeth
Graham Campbell, passed away at age 77 & was buried in the Knox Presbyterian Cemetery in
Mitchell, ON, where many of her Campbell family pioneers also now rest in peace.
In 1855, Mary Flora McCuaig/McLeod and her family emigrated from Islay to the Duntoon area
south of Collingwood. Eventually several of Mary Flora’s family members with their newly
adopted name, McLeod, ended up settling near East Linton, just north of Owen Sound.
In 1861 William (the younger) Campbell married his former Islay neighbor, Mary Flora
McCuaig/McLeod in Collingwood, ON. In 1862 just a couple of years before this church was
built, William and Mary Flora moved to Lot 22, Concession 10, by Sideroad 21 and Concession A
of Sydenham Township where they lived in a log home.
Originally the whole S ½ of Lot 22, comprising 100 acres was taken up from the Crown in 1848
by George Goodhue. Mr. Goodhue sold this land in 1858 to Benjamin Pyatt and Arthur Scott.
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Three years later they divided the 100 acres, Pyatt took the E ½ (later known as the Spence
Farm) and Scott kept the West 50 acres near the 10th line.
A year later, Pyatt divided his 50 acres, selling 10 acres at the Concession "A" Corner to William
Campbell and retained 40 acres for himself. The Sydenham Township land records show that
the lot was purchased for $200. Wm paid $90 in 1862 and was to pay $55 in 1863 & 1864 + 6%
interest per annum ($6.60 & $3.30). The mortgage was discharged in 1865.
This long and narrow 10 acre parcel of land remained in the Campbell name over 100 years.
This corner, at Concession A and 21st Sideroad is still locally known as "Campbell's Corner".
Today this property which is just down the road from this church is lined with beautiful new
homes.
William, the younger, worked in Owen Sound with McPhee, Thistle and Oatt and assisted in the
building of the schooner, Belle McPhee, the Francis Smith, The City of Owen Sound and other
vessels.
Two sons were born to William & Mary Flora. William James, my grandfather, was born in 1865
and Duncan Archibald in 1867.
They were both educated at the original school at Bothwell’s Corner. In an article printed in the
Owen Sound paper in 1932, my grandfather, “William J. remarked that when he started at the
school he could only speak Gaelic & he relates some amusing incidents which occurred when
teacher, Hector McKay would ask him to name an article in Gaelic and then ask William or
Robert Hatton, whose accent was decidedly Irish, to call the article by its Gaelic name. The
effort was almost jaw-breaking for the Hatton boys.”
Both Campbell boys became carpenters and building contractors. The newspaper article goes
on to report, “At 18 years of age William J. came to Owen Sound and learned the carpenter
trade under Charles Gordon receiving as remuneration $0.50 per day and board. Later while
working on the construction of the Patterson House and the chair factory he received $0.75 per
day and board.
After six years with Gordon the lure of the $2.75 paid on the American side of the border
induced him to go to as far as Marquette, Wisconsin and Duluth, Minnesota where he built
residences, mills, churches and saloons.
About 1893 William J. returned to Owen Sound and went into business for himself in
carpentering and building construction, a business that he carried on until he retired. On his
return to Owen Sound he purchased property and built his own home on 4th Ave East. Mr.
Campbell also built the match factory & several other buildings and homes. His skill as a builder
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is exemplified in the fact that that he was engaged as the overseer in the construction of St.
Andrew’s Presbyterian Church.”
In 1898 William J. married Sarah Ann King Gillesby, the youngest daughter of Barnard Gillesby
and Agnes Hutchinson who lived just south of Owen Sound on Highway 10 in Sydenham
Township.
In 1921 William J. built the Medical Building on 1st Ave West and 10th Street that just a few
years ago was taken down to make room for the new Shoppers Drug Mart. In 1927 William J.’s
pocket diary notes the hours & rate of pay for his work crews that at that time were building 5
houses in Hamilton.
Five boys were born to William J. and Sarah Ann King … William Barnard, known as Bill, took
over the contracting business; Albert James, known as Ab, became a doctor & moved to
California; John Wilfred, known as Jack, moved to Detroit and worked at the American Steel
and Wire; Edward Russell, my father, Russ, owned Campbell’s Drugstore in the Medical Building
on 1st Ave West; Clifford Gillesby, known as Cliff, became a doctor and practiced in Owen
Sound.
My grandparents William J. and Sarah Ann King are buried in a family plot in Greenwood
Cemetery. All five sons have since passed away. Three are buried with their parents in
Greenwood and Dr. Cliff and his wife Norah Richardson are buried here in this churchyard.
Before we leave the Campbell saga, let’s for a moment, go back to the 2nd son of William
Campbell, the younger, and Mary Flora McLeod … Duncan Archibald …
Duncan Archibald Campbell married Susan Dulsabel Mitchell, who, also, was raised in
Sydenham Twp by her parents William Alexander Mitchell and Susan Kerr Thompson. Duncan
and Susan were married in Detroit, Michigan in 1890 and as the birth records of their 5 children
indicate, moved every few years from Sarnia & Port Huron, Owen Sound & Derby Township, to
Hannah, North Dakota & finally to Saskatoon and Warman, which at that time was designated
as The North West Territories.
Duncan Archibald Campbell, like his father and older brother, William J., was also a carpenter
and builder. Duncan built the 1st home and school in Warman, which now, is a small town
located about 10 miles north of Saskatoon. For 30 years Duncan & Susan operated a hotel that
he built bearing the Campbell name. Their original home was taken down just prior to my visit
in 2001, but the hotel remains today with just a few alterations.
During my visit to Warman, Saskatchewan, I was directed to the elementary school where they
have the traditional sporting house leagues. One house is called the Campbell House after
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Duncan Archibald Campbell. In the hallway of the school over the sport’s display cabinet is a
picture of a very serious Duncan Campbell sitting in an open Model F Ford coupe circa 1905.
The caption under the picture reads, "Mr. Duncan Campbell - Carpenter - built the 1st Warman
School, plus many other buildings in the early days of Warman. - Hotel operator in Warman
1911-1935.”
Duncan passed away in 1935 at age 68, but Susan, his wife, lived until she was just one month
short of her 100th birthday in 1961. They are buried in the Woodlawn Cemetery in Saskatoon.
Their 2 sons are also buried there with their wives. A third son, Hudson, was killed in France
during the 1st World War.
Seven years ago on our visit to Islay, my cousin, Sandra Campbell and I experienced why all the
Ilichs loved their Islay and missed it so much when they immigrated … so much so that the last
word on their gravestone indicates ‘native of Islay’.
I am very grateful to the Friends of Leith who have taken such loving care of this pioneer church
and the surrounding cemetery.
As a child, my father, Russ, brought us to this special place on many, many occasions and today,
it is where I can easily come to be with the spirits of my Scottish ancestors.
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