Duncan Campbell of St Vincent

Duncan Campbell, formerly of the Isle of St Vincent, now of Grafton Street, dying in c. 1797.

1. The will of Duncan Campbell formerly of the Isle of St Vincent now of Grafton St Fitzoy Square was proved 06/10/1797. He left an annuity of £500 p.a. to his brother-in-law Duncan Campbell and the latter's wife Mary, the full sister ('sister of the whole blood') of the testator; and left legacies of £1000 each to 5 half-brothers and 3 half-sisters, Farquhar, James, Alexander, Donald and Dugald, and Catherine, Helena and Mary Ann. The testator appears to have been Duncan Campbell son of William Campbell of Ormsary, South Knapdale Argyllshire, whose half-siblings appear on a genealogical site as including Farquhard [sic], James of Dunmore (m. Eliza Hope Baillie, d. 1829), Alexander of Auchadamuilan (d. 1821), Donald and Dugald, Catherine, Marion [sic] and Helenor [sic], plus three others (including Mary). Mary married Duncan Campbell of Ardnave and was the mother of Jane Macdonald nee Campbell (q.v.) and Barbara, the wife of the Prince de Polignac (q.v., under the latter). The will was dated 20/4/1796 which does appear to rule out this Duncan Campbell the testator as the brother of Alexander Campbell of Grenada (q.v.), who is known to have had brothers named Duncan and James, but who was himself executed in Fedon's Rebellion in 1795.

2. The will also bequeathed £500 to Duncan Campbell's godson Peter Baillie, eldest son of 'my friend Evan Baillie of Bristol.' It also provided a legacy of £20 p.a. to 'a mulatto woman called Molly Campbell of Grenada.' In referring to property on which his legacies were secured, he excluded an estate in Demerary which he held with Charles Hamilton. After the monetary legacies and the annuities, he left his estates on St Vincent (and his half share in of the Demerary estate) in trust for his two nieces, Jane and Barbara Campbell, the daughters of Duncan Campbell and his full sister Mary.

3. NB A Duncan Campbell of St Vincent died at Clifton 15/09/1797 'aged 56', and apparently another Duncan Campbell, Collector of Excise, died at Glasgow c. 1797. Vere Langford Oliver associates Duncan Campbell dying in Clifton in 1797 'aged 56' with the above will of Duncan Campbell of the island of St Vincent now at Grafton Street Fitzroy Square, but as indicated above the testator appears to have been Duncan Campbell son of William Campbell of Ormsary, whose date of birth is variously given as c. 1720 and 1745 in genealogical sites.

Caribbeana Vol. 2 p. 188; Scots Magazine 59 (October 1797) p. 782.

1. Caribbeana Vol. 2 p. 188; will of Duncan Campbell of Grafton Street Fitzroy Square proved 06/10/1797, PROB 11/1296/289; additional relationships identified via Familysearch.org online database accessed 15/11/2013.

2. Will of Duncan Campbell of Grafton Street Fitzroy Square proved 06/10/1797, PROB 11/1296/289.

3. The relationship, if any, of Duncan Campbell of St Vincent with Duncan Campbell of Bedford Square (q.v.) has not yet been determined. When the Duncan Campbell whom we identify as Duncan Campbell of Bedford Square married Harriet Young in 1798, he was given as late of Grenada and she was given as of Grafton Square.