Campbell

(submitted by Bob McCordic)

Duncan Campbell, a native of Argyleshire, Scotland, came to Canada at the age of eighteen. He soon acquired a teacher's certificate and taught in rural schools in Middlesex and Lambton Counties for 20 years. Then he bought 100 acres of land in Warwick Twp. on Concession 6 NER on the east side of Nine Sideroad.

About that time he married Sarah Thomas. They had three children: John (c.1861–), William (c.1863–) and Helen (c.1873–). Sarah died when Helen was three years old.

Then Duncan married Jean Laidlaw Kingston. Two years later Agnes (1880–) was born.

Among Agnes' earliest recollections was the memory of her father taking her on his knee and teaching her to read after he had done the morning chores in the barn. When Agnes started to school, her older brother John (Jack) became the teacher of the school and continued teaching there for three years. Those years were not all sunshine as Jack, determined to show no favouritism to his little sister, even punished her with the strap. Duncan Campbell assisted Agnes in her school work. She was able to cover the eight grades in about five years. She passed the High School Entrance Examination when she was eleven years old.

In 1885 Duncan had a bad fall on the ice, and from that time until his death he was never well. This left the management of the farm on William (Will)'s shoulders. Will became interested in raising young stallions. He raised two, which he trained as drivers to hitch to a cart or sulky. The horses were spirited animals and Agnes was always afraid of them. One day when she was in a buggy coming home one of the stallions, Blitzen, broke loose from Will, ran out the gate to the road and reared with his front feet high in the air beside the buggy. No harm came to her and the stallion was later caught and taken back to the stable.

The care of Duncan fell on his wife. But his daughter Helen gladly stayed home after finishing public school work to help with the many and varied tasks on the farm. For one year after passing the Entrance Examination to high school, Agnes stayed at home and Helen spent the time in Forest learning dress-making.

Agnes' ambition was to be a teacher, so after her 14th birthday she entered Forest High School. There was little extra money in those days so it was necessary to room with another student. They paid a small rent for a room or two and prepared their own meals with food they brought from home.

In 1896 Agnes (Aggie)'s mother moved to town after the farm was sold. Agnes and her mother lived there together until Agnes married Francis McCordic in 1903.

Notes on the Death of Duncan Campbell

Chapter 24 of 25 - Campbell

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