James Stewart Campbell

BMDB data

     James Stewart Campbell was born on 13 Jan 1841 Muckhart, PER, SCT, (date assumes I've found the right James Campbell on the igi, certainly the place and year match other info).^1,2,3 He was christened on 21 Feb 1841 Muckhart, PER.¹
     James Stewart Campbell married Amelia Henderson, daughter of James Henderson and Amelia Millar, on 1 Jul 1875 in the Hse of James Henderson. Coquet St, Oamaru, OTG, NZ, Crystal⁴ said that they had no children and gave date as 1 Jul (the Int. to Marry shows cert. issued 23rd Jun, but this date can be up to 3 mths prior to the actual marriage date). James Stewart Campbell, farm grazier, 32 of Queen's Flat, in residence 2 yrs, Amelia H. 24 of Oamaru for 18 mths married by A B Todd.^5,6,4,7
     James Stewart Campbell died on 19 Mar 1881 Oamaru, OTG, NZ, at age 40; his dth notice in the North Otago Times reads: On the 19th inst., at Oamaru, James Stuart Campbell, late of Ngapara, aged 39 years, native of Muckhart, Perthshire, Scotland. Perthshire papers please copy. The funeral will leave the residence of his father-in-law James Henderson, Coquet St on Tuesday, the 22nd instant, at 1 o'clock. Friends will please accept this intimation. John Thompson, undertaker" (Crystal⁴ thought that his "horse shied and cart went over cliff").^2,4

Census/Where lived/Occupations

     James was not found in the census of 1861 Fossoway, KRS, SCT, where his parents and 5 of his siblings were, so may have emigrated to NZ by then.⁸ He was a farm grazier (2 yrs) in Jul 1875 of Queen's Flat, Oamaru, OTG, NZ.⁹
     By cir. 1880 James Stewart Campbell was a hotelkeeper (freehold sec 29) at the Railway Hotel, Ngapara, OTG, NZ, Aunt Millie¹⁰ adding "where Stone Hotel was later built."^11,10,12

Wills/bequests

     His estate was probated on 31 Mar 1881 Dunedin, OTG, NZ; indexed as: letters of admin for James Stuart Campbell, hotelkeeper Ngapara, held Dn Archives. In addition the archives also hold some "miscellaneous papers only."¹³

All the other info

     My Great Aunt Millie (Amelia Harbour, nee Henderson) noted that James "was of some ilk". Investigations to date show that his parents remained in Scotland, moving from Muckhart to Fossoway in nearby Kinross-shire where his father appears in the 1861 and 1881 census as a farmer of 75 then 72 acres respectively, so I suspect Aunt Millie was exaggerating, yet again.^10,14 Disaster struck on the 18th March, the North Otago Times reporting: "A serious and it is to be feared accident occured yesterday afternoon on the North Rd, Oamaru, OTG, NZ. Mr James Campbell, of Ngapara, was riding home from the races, and when about two miles and a half from town he lost control over his horse and was thrown. Constable King, who was riding in at the same time, made all haste into town , and sent a cab to Mr Campbell's assistance, and he was taken to his father-in-law's house in Coquet St (James Henderson), where he was attended by Dr Fleming. Mr Campbell seems to have fallen on his head, and it is feared that his injuries will terminate fatally."¹⁵ The next edition of the paper reported: "We regret to have to announce the death of Mr James Campbell, who was injured on Friday. He died about 4 o'clock on Saturday afternoon of compression of the brain, caused by fracture of the skull. (next para) Owing to the fatal accident which occured to Mr Jas Campbell, the sale of his stock, advertised by Messrs Fleming and Hedley, has been withdrawn in the meantime."¹⁶ This refers to an advertisement in the same edition of the North Otago Times that reported the accident that later killed James Campbell: "Great Unreserved Clearing Sale" in which Fleming and Hedley "favoured with instructions from James Campbell Esq, will submit to public competition ... All his valuable stud of draughts, harness and saddle horses; dairy cows etc" The list that followed included 4 bay mares, all in foal, 8 yr old Bell, prizetaker; 3 yr old Maggie; 8 yr old Nellie; 5 yr old Pollie (in foal to the Duke of Wellington); a bay filly 4 yrs "by Prince of Wales"; 3 bay geldings: Charlie 5; Damper 4; Jim 8; a 5 yr old chestnut gelding Lion; 2 six yr old black geldings: Scott and Prince; a filly and 2 colts; 4 1st class saddle and harness horses; 4 good saddle hacks; 5 1st class milking cows; a shorthorn bull, 15 mths old; a dog cart, set of 5-leaf harrows; 5 tons of potatoes, 10 turkeys and 12 ducks. The auctioneer adds: "the mare Bell has few equals in the county" (sale rescheduled for 14th April).^17,18 A few weeks later another ad appeared: "Great Unreserved Clearing Sale In the Estate of the late J S Campbell" in which Fleming and Hedley "favoured with instructions from the Administratrix will submit to public competition ... The list that followed was the same as the previous with the exception of there being 2 less "1st class milking cows"; the addition of a farm dray; a tip dray and no potatoes, turkeys or ducks. The auctioneer still added their piece about "the mare Bell: with her "few equals in the county". The auctioneers report in the Sat 16th edition stated there was "a very large attendance " and "every lot submitted were sold at what must be considered very full values. Good draughts from L35 to L45; medium from L18 to L27; inferior from L5 to L9; yearlings colts and fillies from L9 to L14; cows from L7 to L9; yearlings up to up to L14. Implements sold very well."^18,19
     James Stuart Campbell was interred with James Henderson and Amelia Henderson Block 49 plot 3, Oamaru Cem., Oamaru, OTG, NZ; H/Stone: Oamaru stone with squarish urn on top 7 feet: Erected by a loving wife I.M.O. her husband James Stuart Campbell (son-in-law of James and Amelia) of Ngapara, native of Muckert (sic), Scotland, died 19 March 1881, aged 39 years, death being the result of an accident. "In the midst of life we are in death." Also James Henderson, died at Oamaru, 19 August 1892, aged 78 years. Also Amelia Miller Henderson died 29 April 1894, aged 78 years.^20,21,3