Scottish Roots
Little is known about his parents or birthplace in Scotland. His family Bible is dated 1818, so it appears to have been started when he was in his early 20's, probably around the time of his marriage. Inscriptions in the Bible indicate that he was born 1 September 1795 in Scotland. Genealogical research leads to a possible connection to the Campbells of Kirnan. Margaret (?) Campbell was the mother of Thomas Campbell (the well known Scottish poet), and her brother was Daniel Campbell. They had brothers and nephews in the West Indies and Virginia, as well as connections to the Muir family and Dr John Witherspoon. The Presbyterian roots of Dr Robert Finley are entwined with Dr. John Witherspoon, and the confluence of these families in Basking Ridge (at the time Baskingridge) and New Jersey is certainly more than coincidence. There is record of a marriage between a Charles Campbell and an Isobel Muir in the 17th century in Ayr Scotland. There are a handful of other Campbell's with Muir for a middle name - most notably William Muir Campbell, with several patents to his credit in Glasgow Scotland around 1840. There are also some MUIR names found in Jamaica. This reference to the Muir and Campbell descendants includes a reference to a James Campbell - although he pre-dates the "uncle James Campbell" of CMC by 150+ years.
The father of the poet, Thomas Campbell, had two brothers was mostly from the Glasgow area. There are marriages between Campbell and Muir families in Muirkirk parish, the county of Ayr, Scotland. The identity of CMC's parents would greatly clarify the source of his initial wealth and family ties. Thomas Campbell, the poet, would have been in line to inherit the entail estates of Ascog, etc. - had his uncle Frederick not returned from Virginia and become a naturalized British Subject by private Act of Parliament. {add ref to published Act on Google Books - } The estate of Ascog in Bute, Scotland, eventually did transfer to the Frederick Stewart Campbell heirs, but was subjected to lengthy lawsuits. More research is needed regarding Dr. Washington Tennant, or Anna Stewart - later Anna Tennant.
Read more about this topic: Charles Muir Campbell
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