Hello everyone,
This is my first message to this list so I'll go into more detail. I am looking for
the birth place and date of my ancestor, Thomas Campbell, who immigrated to America before
1733. On 3 May 1733 he married Jane Davidson in Billerica, MA. They then moved 1734/5 to
Londonderry, NH, and later to Bedford, NH. They had at least the children Mary (b. 1738),
Nathaniel (b. 1740/41), John, and Hugh (1744-1810). I descended from Hugh. I assumed
that Thomas Campbell emigrated from Scotland, but there are no records of him leaving
Scotland on any of the ship passenger lists. His wife, Jane Davidson, emigrated in 1728
from Northern Ireland with her parents William and Mary (Alexander) Davidson and their
other children: Robert, Nathaniel, William, Elizabeth, John, and George. In America Mary
died and William married Margaret McCartney with whom he had the children: Mary,
Alexander, Francis, and Margaret.
Therefore, I am now considering the possiblity that Thomas Campbell emigrated from or
through Northern Ireland, perhaps even in 1728 on the same ship with his future wife, Jane
Davidson. What I would like to ask you is whether anyone knows anything about Thomas?
Also, where can I find passenger lists of ships from Northern Ireland (probably to Boston)
about that time? How does one go about researching ancestors in Ireland?
For further information: Thomas Campbell's son, Hugh Argyle Campbell (1744-1810)
married Mary S. Smith (1751-1819) both born in Bedford, NH, and had the children: Jean (or
Jane), Benjamin, Caty, Elizabeth, Mary, Margared, Hugh Jr., Robert, Thomas, Adam, and
David. I have considerable information about some of these children, especially Benjamin
from whom I am descended. Mary S. Smith was the daughter of Benjamin Smith and Catherine
McCurdy, both of whom emigrated from Norther Ireland.
George Campbell
g.campbell(a)yline.com