Stumped - Looking for Archibiald Campbell's parents from Perthshire

[lockhaven]

I've come to a roadblock in my search, and was wondering if anybody had any advice or could help me out. I'm on the hunt for my x3 great grandfather's parents.

Here's what I know...
- He was born in Perth, Perthshire. He moved to Govan around the age of 15 to work as a wright apprentice then become a furniture maker.
- He married Elizabeth Smith, and had 6 children, Mary, Catherine, Elizabeth, Colina Rebecca, Archibald and James Smith.

On ancestry, there are a couple options that could be his parents but I can't find firm proof of any. I can't find a birth certificate or a death certificate. (I was really hoping for this one since it might give me parents names) When I search I can't find a death certificate anywhere. I know he died after 1881 since he's in the census from then, but can't seem to find him in the 1891 census.

I found a marriage certificate for his son, Archibald Campbell & his wife Marion Findlay, which show him and his wife Elizabeth Smith. I was all excited to order the one for him and his wife Elizabeth Smith, but was incredibly disappointed that all it showed from the Parish in Govan was their names, that's all, no leads.

I have it listed that his parents were Dougal Campbell & Elizabeth Mckenzie, but when I look again, I'm starting to doubt that since I can find no hard proof to back it up, and I might have just gone on a wild goose chase with that one.

I'm not sure if anybody would have any info, or advice of where to go next? I'm seriously stumped.

Thanks so much!

[MonicaL]

Hi lockhaven

Welcome to RootsChat 

Sadly pre 1855 and the start of official registration in Scotland, entries in the Old Parish Registers seldome have any parents' details. Archibald still looks to be alive when son married. Have you tried to look for his death cert to see what it says about his parents' names?

Monica

[MonicaL]

Possble death for Archibald in 1887 in Govan, with a birth year of c. 1823.

Monica

[MonicaL]

There are a number of entries on Family Search that could fit for him and a birth place in Perthshire in the early 1820s.

With the children's names and order for names, I think this birth entry is the top candidate!

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X17V-5JL

Hopefully his death cert will let you confirm properly his details.

Monica

[lockhaven]

Hi Monica, thanks for the welcome and the help!

I've been searching all over for his birth & death certificate to no avail. I looked up the Archibald from 1823-1887 on Scotland People, and it doesn't look like him. Different wife, Steel Manufacturer, and no mention of Perth.

On all the censuses it lists his birthday as being 1825 or 1826, so I'm thinking 1823 might be too early for his birth? It might not be though?

[MonicaL]

Mmm...not that death is it  Wife and occupation is wrong. I saw that Archibald listed in the Wills & Testament section on Scotlands People.

Archibald's death is still to be found therefore. By the look of it, he did not die in Govan although he and the family lived there for many years didn't they.

Monica

[MonicaL]

This is Archibald in 1881?

Archd Campbell 56 Retired Cabinetmaker b. Perth, Perthshire
Archd Campbell 24
William Walker 10
Archd J Campbell 1
Marion Finlay 23

Address Pollokshaws Road (Breadalbane Pl.), Tradeston Galsgow/Govan

Monica

[lockhaven]

Yup, that's definitely him, his son & his wife, and their children.

I've also found this one as a possibility..... https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X17V-5J5

But there's no real way to prove it could be him, the death certificate would be really handy, but knowing that he died after 1881, and that's about it makes it hard. Archibald Campbell is such a common name!

[arthurk]

I've come to a roadblock in my search, and was wondering if anybody had any advice or could help me out. I'm on the hunt for my x3 great grandfather's parents.

Here's what I know...
- He was born in Perth, Perthshire. He moved to Govan around the age of 15 to work as a wright apprentice then become a furniture maker.
- He married Elizabeth Smith, and had 6 children, Mary, Catherine, Elizabeth, Colina Rebecca, Archibald and James Smith.

<snip>

I have it listed that his parents were Dougal Campbell & Elizabeth Mckenzie, but when I look again, I'm starting to doubt that since I can find no hard proof to back it up, and I might have just gone on a wild goose chase with that one.

I have a Dougal(d) Campbell and Elizabeth McKenzie from Perthshire in my tree, with son Archibald. Some of what I know is from another researcher, but his work looked good to me. This Dougald was son of my 3x great grandparents Archibald Campbell and Barbara Campbell; he and Elizabeth were married in Monzie in 1819.

If this is the family you were thinking of, then I suspect they are not yours. First, this wasn't Perth: Dougald and Elizabeth are found over a period of nearly 50 years from 1830 at Dalick, Glenalmond, Crieff, and in the 1841 census their household included Archibald, an agricultural labourer aged 15. (There is also a Janet Campbell whose age is given as 17; this precision (contrary to instructions) suggests that Archibald's age might really be 15, rather than the usual rounding down.) As it's 1841, Archibald's place of birth isn't given precisely, but a younger son's birth has been found in Monzie in about 1829, so Archibald may have been born there too.

Second, I haven't got round to looking for my Archibald after 1841 yet, but if yours was an apprentice in Govan at age 15, he may well not be the one I have.

Anyway, it's best to take one step at a time. As you've discovered, you're dealing with common names, and it's easy to get families mixed up.

Arthur