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Campbell Ancestor possibly from Ireland

This is a pretty broad enquiry... but here goes! I have been trying to trace my Campbell ancestors who emmigrated from Scotland in 1856. They settled in the area of Ford Co. Illinois and in 1874 packed up and moved on to Barton Co. Kansas. I have some strong possibilites of people recorded in the 1841 census for Midlothian, Edinburgh, Scotland which is where family lore says they came from. However I have been unable to track down any sort of birth records or other informaiton to help build confidence that the two I have found living in old town Edinburgh within a mile of each other are my 2X great grandparents.

Recently I have found on two family documents, a death record of their daughter and a census of their son that Robert Campbell is listed as born in Ireland. At seeing the first one I thought it was potentially a mistake and then finding a second one makes me wonder if Robert was born in Ireland and emmigrated from Ireland to Scotland (and later to the US). He may have moved in with a Campbell relative before 1841. That year, a census places him at 18 YO in the Grassmarket working as a Carter and living with a James Campbell who is listed as 45 YO.

I started looking at the Tithe Applotment Books for Northern Ireland for a Robert Campbell... assuming his father may have also been a Robert (a name that has been carried down through Robert from Scotland's male ancestors up to my father, Bob - b.1935 d.2023). James who Robert lived with in the Grassmarket, Edinburgh could be his father but I found a likely death record that lists Robert as surviving or with him at thime of death, but not as James' son. This intuitively makes me think they are not father and son.

Another clue is the first US Census they show up on is the 1860. On that record Robert is 38 YO and his wife Mary Ann (Donaldson) Campbell, children, and a C. Campbell, 60 YO, Female are listed for the household. Their first daughter is named Christina so could be a family name and 'C' could possibly be Roberts mother. We believe we have found record of their ship passage to NY but it only lists Robert, Mary Ann, and an infant Robert (who appears to have died on board or before 1860). So this C. Campbell likely came separately - maybe from Ireland?

What would be the best way to tackle this needle in a haystack!?! I would like to find a birth record, or other records that would help identify where he was born in around 1822. Also records that can help increase confidence that he and Mary Ann are the two found living near each other in Old Town Edinburgh.

Any help is much appreciated! My tree is located on WikiTree Campbell-66063

Cheers! Karen Campbell

KCampbell

2 replies

The 1841 Scottish census recorded where someone was born. If born in Ireland, the enumerator recorded “I” in the right hand column. If born in Scotland, the left hand column was used and there was a question as to whether they were born in that enumeration county, or elsewhere in Scotland. In the case of Robert Campbell aged 18 in the Grassmarket area of Edinburgh, the census shows clearly that he and the other 4 Campbells living there (James, Ann, Sofia & Mary) were all born in Scotland and in that county, ie Midlothian.

There are 4 children born in Edinburgh between 1817 and 1834 to a James Campbell in the Church of Scotland parish records. None had a forename, sex or mother’s name recorded. But they could be James children.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Thanks for that, Elwyn. The range dates are very close the the four children listed in the census. So either the more current couple of records found noting (my) Robert Campbell as born in Ireland are incorrect or my sluething efforts finding (Grassmarket) Robert and Mary Ann Donaldson, who was living in White Horse Close, within a mile of each other are just conincidental. Sometime after James died in 1848, it appears Robert moves to within a block fo where Mary Ann is recorded living in the 1841 Census. He is recorded in the 1851 Census as a lodger living on the high street and he would have been 28. Tho Mary Ann is no longer enumerated as living there, she would have been 22. It is all very curious... but it sounds like the limited records of that time for everyday people might make it impossible to confirm. Thanks for looking into it!

KCampbell

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