Duncan Sinclair Darroch, born Kilian nr Inveraray, 1874

[Dougs123]

The biggest issue remains who is the father of Duncan.

Am I correct the only way to find this is through parish records? If so which church, where are the records kept.

[loobylooayr]

Hi Dougs123,

Unfortunately that is a question you may never resolve satisfactorily
Duncan's birth certificate has no father listed. The name you have is from his marriage certificate (and he could have made that up, many people did to make them look "respectable" , or he could have the wrong information, or he could be right ).
Surviving Scottish Kirk Sessions Records are not available to search online. They can be searched on computer at the National Archives - www.nas.gov.uk/about/101101.asp‎  Information can be found on this link, although at the moment the website is having problems and is down! Certain Scotlands People Centres around Scotland also have access, I believe, to the Kirk Session Records. There might be something relating to Mary Darroch in them  - maybe Parish of Inverary.
I'm not from Argyll, so I'm not sure what Church I'm afraid.
Same applies to christening records. There could be a record at the Parish church. But again like his birth certificate his father might not be named.
Good luck with your research,
Looby

[Dougs123]

What's the saying, don't dig to deep?

Jane MacNeils parents were Dugald MacNeil and Mary Dawson. There maybe more but I have they had 3 children John MacNeil born 1864, Helen, and Jane at Milton, Glasgow.

On the census provided by Monica there is a John MacNeil nephew born 1865 in Glasgow. I seems likely that  Jane's mother Mary Dawson was the sister to Hugh Dawson, Duncan's adopted father, making them legally first cousins. They however no blood relation, and truly step cousins, but this may have caused some issue if true.

However I still believe Duncan knew his father to be Archibald Campbell, he moved back to Inverary and established his name as Duncan Campbell, it would not have been accepted in this small community for this not to be true. Duncan could have easily just accepted Dawson as his surname if he wanted to appear ligitimate, he choose a more risky approach and changed his name again to Campbell, his father must have accepted him for this to happen. I even think the community near Killean knew what happened and may have persueded him to change his name.

[loobylooayr]

Hi again,

That's interesting that you think Duncan was related (step cousin) to his wife Jean McNeil . You could prove that if you found both Hugh Dawson and Mary Dawson's (Jean's mum) death certificate or marriage certs. I suppose in small communities, marriages to fairly close relatives would be fairly common.

Re Duncan's name change to Campbell and his reputed father Archibald Campbell, I think you have to look at what you know. Here I go, sounding like a party pooper Sorry!
Duncan was born to an unwed Mary Darroch - no father is listed on his birth cert. His father's name would have been recorded on the certificate if he had been present at the time of registration.
It is true that children could be known by their father's surname when the identity of the father was well known. But so far you don't know that this happened with Duncan.
Duncan is next recorded with his step father's name Dawson on 1881 Census.
By 1891 he is working away from home (not unusual at 17/18) as a Farm Labourer in Inverary as Duncan Campbell. Then he marries as Duncan Campbell in 1899 naming Archibald Campbell , quarrier as his father and his mother as Mary Campbell m.s. Darroch - this was not completely true as Mary was never married to Duncan's father.
He then continues to use the name Campbell.You are right to say that Duncan may have known who his father was and that he was an Archibald Campbell. He may have personally known him or he may never have met him. There is no proof either way.
 Duncan may have always been known as Campbell and the family recorded him as Dawson on the Census just to keep the names all the same.  But I'm guessing!
I could guess at other reasons he changed his name from Dawson to Campbell ( a family fall out , to differentiate between himself and his  younger adopted brother Duncan Sinclair Dawson  ). You will probably never know unfortunately , likewise you don't know his father accepted him in adulthood. And it's doubtful people in the community of Kilean would've persuaded Duncan to change his name - then again we'll never know
Tracing and identifying Archibald Campbell will not be easy, as mentioned earlier Kirk Session Minutes could help and you would be best to look at the 1871 Census for Archibald's in the area. 

Lastly I am still intrigued that Mary and Hugh Dawson adopted a Duncan Sinclair (as well as a Robert Dawson). Monica in reply 20 said that this Duncan's birth is on SP. Wonder who his parents were?? Another can of worms perhaps .

Looby