Genealogy of a Campbell Family from Virginia,

Some Descendants of Whitaker Campbell (1727-1814) through Nine Generations

Table of Contents

Preface

Who were the ancestors of Whitaker1 Campbell (1727‑1814) and William1 Campbell (1730‑1805), who were apparently brothers that resided in King and Queen County, Virginia?  The answer is not clear.  A major problem is that, while will and inventory records are available for Accomack County (formed in 1632‑1642 and 1663), such primary records for Gloucester (1651), New Kent (1654), King and Queen (1691), King William (1702), and Caroline (1728) Counties have long been destroyed by fires.  Many of Whitaker Campbell's 19th century descendants, however, have claimed a direct connection to the Campbells of Argyll. (Clayton Torrence, Virginia Wills and Administrations, 1632‑1800, 1930, pages ix‑x.)

William4 Campbell, III, a fourth generation descendant of Whitaker Campbell, has stated "... on my father's side of the house I was descended from Highland Scotchmen.  They were of the clan Argyll and had emigrated to Northern Ireland when the Campbells grew too numerous to find a livelihood in the sparse highlands of their native lands." (William Campbell, III, "Autobiographical Sketch," William and Mary Quarterly, Volume 9, q2 series, 1929, page 88)

According to Wingfield's History of Caroline County, Virginia, "When Mary Stuart was in prison she naturally expected aid from her cousin, the Duke of Argyll, who was in a number of conspiracies to effect her release.  When Elizabeth signed the bill permitting the execution of Mary she also signed another banishing certain noblemen, among them the Duke of Argyll.  He took up residence in France and was there many years before he was permitted to return to Scotland.  While in France, one of his sons fought a duel with a Frenchman and, killing his antagonist, was compelled to flee the country.  England being closed to him, he came to the Colony of Virginia, arriving at Jamestown about 1650.  He married and removed from Jamestown to a settlement in Accomack thence recrossed the bay to Gloucester County where he died.  His family later came to King and Queen..."  Wingfield sites only "Lewis" as the source for these remarks. (Marshall Wingfield, A History of Caroline County, Virginia, 1924, pages 395‑396)

Unfortunately, Wingfield is incorrect about the timing of the events and the status of the nobility at the time.  Mary Stewart, Queen of Scots, was in fact executed in 1587.  Her half sister, Jane Stewart, was married to Archibald Campbell (ca 1520‑1575), the 5th Earl of Argyll, but he was never banished.  The first "Duke" of Argyll was not created until 1701. 

 

Nevertheless, Wingfield has identified a series of events, as well as some folklore, which are the only clues we have at the moment for finding a link between the Campbells of King and Queen and the Argyll Campbell clan of Scotland.  We can only hope a careful study of the Argyll Campbells, with particular attention to those who were banished about the middle of the 17th century or those who immigrated to Ireland, will shed some light.

 

Details for living descendants have been suppressed for privacy.  Readers are encouraged to send additions and corrections to the author for inclusion in subsequent revisions. 

 

Prepared by:

William P. Stanton
2419 Bitterroot Lane
Golden, Colorado 80401-8078
Tel: 303-526-2228

Send e-mail to: wpstanton@comcast.net

This web site revised 2 Aug 2002 by Personal Ancestral File.