HOME

WALKING TOUR

There is a wonderful map of 1878 St. Andrews at https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/s/3e367j.

As might be expected, the names on this map do not match the names given in the letter to the Bay Pilot, as there is about a 60 year time difference.

The author of this letter was John Campbell, son of Sheriff Colin and Amy (Campbell) Campbell.  The Dec. 16, 1886 issue of the Bay Pilot, a Charlotte County newspaper, stated that it was found among his effects. John and his wife, Martha (Stuart) Campbell, are buried in St. Stephen Rural Cemetery.  According to John’s stone, he was born on Dec. 31, 1813 and died on Dec. 19, 1884.  John’s obituary appeared in the Dec. 27, 1884 issue of the Daily Telegraph.  This tells us that he was born in St. Andrews and spent his boyhood there.  He married Martha in 1836, and they lived in St. Stephen until April, 1860, when they moved to San Francisco.

For unknown reasons, the family does not appear in the 1851 census for Charlotte County.  In the 1861 census, Martha appears in the parish of St. Stephen with the children, but there is no sign of John. In 1861, Martha was listed as 45, and the children were Frederic, 24; Marion, 15; Alexander, 10; Ann, 8; Vernon, 6; and Robert, 4. According to the record, Martha and the children were all born in New Brunswick.

Here they are in the 1880 census for San Francisco:

Census Place: 9th Ward, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
Source: FHL Film 1254075  National Archives Film T9-0075     Page 439D

This census record indicates that Annie and Vernon were born in California, which contradicts the 1861 NB census as above.  John and his wife and daughter returned to Charlotte County from San Francisco in September, 1883, according to the Sept. 20, 1883 issue of the Bay Pilot.

The author of this letter speaks of three younger brothers “finding their resting place beneath the ocean waves”.  A son of John Campbell, Duncan F. Campbell, wrote to the Saint Croix Courier (the Dec. 21, 1893 issue) with information on his family.  His letter is found at the end of Article XCIV in the Glimpses of the Past series, at http://www.carensecord.ca/locations/NewBrunswick/Glimpses/XCVI.html.

Duncan lists the children of Sheriff Colin and Amy Campbell:

"My grandfather, Colin Campbell, spoken of above, afterward sheriff, who died in 1843, had eleven children, all born in St. Andrews; Alexander, who died in Oakland, Cal., lately; John, my father, who died in St. Andrews in 1884; Colin, drowned in New Zealand, in 1847; James and Archie, who were lost at sea; Susan, Mrs. Thos. Watt; Margaret, Mrs. S. H. Whitlock; Mary Ann, Mrs. Andrew Stevens; Grace, Mrs. John McLeod; Jessie, Mrs. David Mowatt; and Miss Amy G. Campbell, all dead."

James and Archibald are mentioned in the cemetery where their parents are buried, Greenock Cemetery, in St. Andrews.

https://sites.rootsweb.com/~nbcharlo/cemetery/sagreenockcem.htm

Sacred / To / The Memory of / James CAMPBELL / Son of / Colin & Amy CAMPBELL / Who was drowned on a voyage / From Saint Andrews to / Liverpool, England / On the 28th day of January / 1828 / In the 19th year / of his age

Also / Archibald / … born in St. Andrews / Sept. 12. 1825 / Died at sea / Nov. 10, 1844

These records make it clear that John Campbell did indeed have three brothers who drowned: James, Archibald, and Colin, and they also tell us that James and Archibald, at least, were younger than John.

At the end of the letter, the author speaks of other former New Brunswick residents then living in San Francisco and area.  This is likely the Capt. Gordon Berry in the 1880 census:

Census Place: San Francisco, San Francisco, California
Source: FHL Film 1254079  National Archives Film T9-0079     Page 408D

His occupation is given as "Steam Ship Captain". This is likely one of his brothers:

Census Place: San Francisco, San Francisco, California
Source: FHL Film 1254077  National Archives Film T9-0077     Page 343C

This is probably the Joshua Lyle mentioned in the letter:

Census Place: San Francisco, San Francisco, California
Source: FHL Film 1254078  National Archives Film T9-0078     Page 89A

His occupation is given as "Capatalist".

Here is John Campbell’s brother, Alexander, living in Oakland, CA in 1880:

Census Place: 2nd Ward, Oakland, Alameda, California
Source: FHL Film 1254061  National Archives Film T9-0061     Page 128B