He lived very close to many of the Hanover Campbells. As discussed in a previous post, he treated the son of Daniel Campbell in August of 1778 and the wife of Nathaniel Campbell in 1781. It is believed that both Daniel and Nathaniel and their families had been living on their brother, Samuel's land. This farm was just three miles up the road from Dr. Clinton.
In 1768, Dr. Clinton wrote the following on page forty-four of his daybook:
"1768 Augt 2 Mr. James Campbell's wifeWho was this James Campbell and are we related?
Cathart 0 1 6
Cerat. Epulot. 0 0 6"
In 1768 Dr. Clinton's patients lived in an area that was part of the Precinct of Wallkill, the center of which was a four corners area close to where the Wallkill Meeting-House stood, now known as the Goodwill Church. It was not until 1772 that this eastern section of Wallkill was separated and became the Precinct of Hanover. It would be renamed "Montgomery" in 1782. Go here to read a more detailed explanation of the names by which this area has been called.
Dr Clinton's patients probably also shopped at the nearby store of Cadwallader Colden, Jr.
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| 1798 map showing some of the roads that were likely present in 1768 when James Campbell's wife was treated by Dr. Clinton. See location of Colden's home on right side of map. See it on a google map. |
Colden's home, and presumably the store also, were located a few miles from the Goodwill Church along the main east-west road that led to Newburgh.
Luckily for us the daybook of Colden's store from 1767 and 1768 still exists. Sure enough a James Campbell had done some shopping there. In fact, there appear to be at least two different James Campbells. The daybook contains nine entries for a James Campbell, six of them do not state a profession, but two are for a shoemaker, and one is for a millwright. In addition there are two other entries for a "Campble millright" which I assume to be James. (see transcriptions at the end of this article.)
There is no hard evidence that relates Joel to these James Campbells. I suppose it is circumstantial proof of relationship that they lived in the same small community, shopped at the same store, had the same family doctor, and had the same last name.
On the other hand, these Campbells had trades unlike Joel and his brothers (although Rueben would become a blacksmith and perhaps there are others I am not aware of.) And these James Campbells were gone by the 1779 tax assessment, unlike Samuel Campbell's sons (Nathaniel, Daniel, Jonathan, Reuben, Nathan, Levi, Samuel Jr) who all appear. [You probably see the hole in that argument as Samuel's son, Joel, does NOT appear in the 1779 tax assessment of Hanover even though he is still around? That is still a mystery.]
Two other "unidentified" Campbell's appear in the Colden Store; Duncan and Alexander. Perhaps the James Campbell relationships to us are connected with theirs? Alexander we know was a Tory and was banished in 1776 (this story will soon be a post on this blog) ...that does not mean he was not related to us. Many families were divided in their support of the War for Independence.
The "Duncan" Campbell connection has never been understood. He does not appear in future records of this community. [Note added on 2024_09_28: Duncan Campbell may have been part of the Lachlan Campbell party who were living near Colden's store awaiting their grant of lands in Argyle, Charlotte County (later Washington County), NY. See https://www.electricscotland.com/history/highlands/chapter7.htm. Others in that group included Neil Gillespie, Alexander Campbell, and Archibald McNeal...all of them made many visits to the Colden Store in Wallkill Precinct in 1767-68. A James Campbell also appears on the list of grantees for Argyle.]
On the same day, July 2, 1768, on which James Campbell purchased a half gallon of rum at the Colden store, Samuel Campbell sent his daughter (presumably this is Samuel Campbell Sr sending his daughter Mary Norris) to the store where she picked up a gallon of rum and a gallon of molasses. Is it possible that she walked from the area of the family farms with her relative, James, to the store? Maybe they talked about how much they missed New Jersey which they had left only a few years ago? My research indicates that Mary might have left her husband there. (see write-up on 1793 deed at the myfamily.com site for Joel Campbell) Maybe James had better opportunities in New Jersey as a millwright?
To add one more strange wrinkle to the story, in 1780 a James Campbell appears on the tax records of Newark, New Jersey. A map from this period shows a home for Ja.s Campbell at a mill site close to the old Campbell farms at Newark Mountain. There is no evidence that this is the same James Campbell - millwright that lived for a time in Wallkill, NY, but the colocation of a James Campbell with areas where our Campbells lived deserves future attention.
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| 1780 Millidge Map of Newark showing a Ja.s Campbell at the mill site at what is now South Mountain, NJ. |
In summary, there is probably a 50/50 chance we are related to at least one of these James Campbells, if not both.
On August 2, 1768 Dr. Clinton provided a laxative (cathartic) for James Campbell's wife. He also left her an ointment (cerotum epulotic) to apply to her sores. He left a bill for 1 shilling and 12 pence.
If the patient was the wife of "James Campbell the millwright" the treatment must have been successful, for on September 2, 1768 he purchased seven yards of linen and three spools of thread at the Colden store.
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Transcriptions for James Campbells' and millwrights' purchases at the Colden store, 1767-8.
November 15, 1767 Monday
James Campble {him}
2 blankets 1 8 0
1 qt Rum 0 1 0
1 # sugar 0 0 8
Buy copper sauce pan + ?
Honebutous Bakeruse 0 17 0
[TOTAL] 0 12 8
[a trade?]
Jan 18, 1768
Jeames Cammell Shuemaker
[long list w/ credit of ........ 1 0 0
.... for 3 pair of shoes. Immediately precedes Jonathan entry of Jan 19]
Feb 11, 1768
Jeames Cammell [did not transcribe more]
Feb 26, 1768
James Campble [Ironpot, sugar, molasses]
April 26
James Campble [molasses, rum, tea]
July 2, 1768
Samuel Campble {his daughter}
1 gal Molasses 0 3 0
1 Qt Rum 0 3 6
[Total] 0 6 6
James Campbell {him}
1/2 gal rum 0 1 9
July 27, 1768
James Camble (shoemaker) [did not record details]
Aug 15, 1768
Campble millright
6 gind bits {??]
¼ # pipe [??]
¼ # shott [??]
Sep 2, 1768
Jeames Cammell mill rite
7 yd check Linning [Linen?] 1 6 3
3 lhacus [??] thred 0 0 6
knife 10 newells [??] 0 1 1
Sep 13, 1768
James Campble
[trades bushel of potatoes for powder and shot]
Oct 12, 1768
Campble millright
3 y Ozenbrigo @ 19 [??]
John Hurley by order of Signey Conger
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