Campbell Family Connection

This post is mostly for my family, exploring our Campbell Family roots. My grandmother, Alma, Campbell Price, was our family connection to the Campbell Clan. So far, we can only go up to my 3rd great grandfather, John N. Campbell.

Some folks on Ancestry have traced the family all the way back to Argyle. No doubt it goes there, but many of these people have erroneously chosen the wrong path, through a gentleman named Dr. John Hamilton Campbell. We wondered about this, and reached out to Ruby Campbell, the official Genealogist for the Clan Campbell Society of North America. Here is a summary of her assessment:

Despite claims of descent from Dr. John Hamilton Campbell made on the Internet by a number of individuals, this cannot be so. Dr. John never married and had no children. Proof of this is found in the US Census and at his grave site.

The 1850 US Federal Census shows Dr. Campbell, a physician, at age 42 living with his mother and his sister and family. In the 1880 Census, we find him at age 72 single and living alone.

The “Find A Grave Memorial# 24198371” shows that Dr John Hamilton Campbell, born 21 June 1808, died 16 February 1890, buried in Leeville Cemetery, Leeville, Wilson County, Tennessee, bearing the inscription: “Son of David & Catherine L.” No wife or children are attached, and the only family links given are those of his parents, David Campbell (1781 – 1841) and Catherine Bowen Campbell (1785 – 1868).

Dr. John was the grandson of Col. David Campbell, founder of Campbell’s Station, Tennessee (1753-1832) and Margaret (nee) Campbell (1748-1799), the daughter of “White” David Campbell of “Royal Oak” (1706-1790) and Mary Hamilton. Dr. John was the great-grandson of “Black” David Campbell, b. 1710 Ireland, and Jane Conyngham. An interesting family, indeed, and one to which many amateur genealogists with Campbell connections have claimed to belong. But in fact, While Dr. John Hamilton Campbell was living with his mother and sister in Wilson Co., Tennessee, in 1850, your ancestor, John N. Campbell, 37 year old farmer, was living in Robertson Co., Tennessee, with wife Minerva Jones Campbell, 34, and nine children.

So the mystery continues, but here is what we do know – or, at least we think we know. (Things always get “iffy” as the years go back.) We begin with a  picture of my grandmother, Alma Frances Campbell Price. She was born on 17 March 1906 in Brentwood, Williamson Co., Tennessee and died on 22 November 1995 in Davidson Co., Tennessee at age 89. Her parents, my great grandparents, were John Davidson Campbell and Frances Jane (Fannie) Grisham and are depicted beside her below:

Alma Frances Campbell

John Davidson Campbell

Fannie Jane Gresham

John Davidson Campbell was born on 24 February 1862 in Williamson Co., Tennessee, and died on 3 April 1951 in Madison (rural), Davidson Co., Tennessee at age 89. He was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, Nashville, Davidson Co., Tennessee. Another name for John was John Davis Campbell, which is the name shown on the death certificate. And, David was listed as his middle name on the affidavit of Alma’s birth. Likewise, we have seen Grisham spelled as Gresham. (You have to love genealogy!)

John was the son of George Clay Campbell and Lucinda Branham. Sadly, we have no pictures from this point. George, my 2nd great grandfather,  was born on 24 February 1838 in Robertson Co., Tennessee and died on 27 September 1926 in Nashville, Davidson Co., Tennessee at age 88.

His father, my 3rd great grandfather, was John N Campbell. He was born on 24 February 1838 in Robertson Co., Tennessee and (we believe) was married to Minerva JONES. More work could be done on this line, as this is as far as we have been able to go so far. We are most grateful for Ms. Campbell’s detailed assistance.

Here is a link to the complete text of Ruby Campbell’s report.