JOHN ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL & ELIZA GEOGHEGAN

John Archibald CAMPBELL Junior was baptised in 1827 in Dunfermline, Fife. He married Eliza Geoghegan (born in 1834, Athlone, Ireland).

John Archibald Campbell, born 1827

Source: Barbara Gurney

John Archibald Jun spent two years as an apprentice chemist to his father (also named John Archibald) before the 1840s Depression hit Sydney, and many, including his father, were declared bankrupt. All property was sold to pay debts and John and the two assigned convicts had to fend for themselves. John the elder began travelling again as a doctor, possibly in the Newcastle and Illawarra area, as early pencil sketches have been found, before going back to sea.

There is evidence John the elder visited New Guinea in the 1840s, and this is possibly when he became interested in gold. Later letters he wrote while in England, 1860, 1868, 1870 -1872, allude to gold exploration, and a newspaper in Scotland reported a paper of his being read in Glasgow, about larger gold deposits that might be found in Australia.

Eliza Geoghegan

Source: Barbara Gurney

John Archibald Jnr, was among the first from Australia to sail for the Californian goldfields, but returned to Sydney no richer, and in 1852 married Eliza Geoghegan, who at 14, with her sister Mary, had been among the Irish orphans brought to Australia in 1849 on the ‘Digby’, by the Earl Grey Scheme. It is believed Eliza then worked as a housemaid for the Campbells.

John and Eliza’s travels in search of gold, which ended up in Gulgong, can be seen in the birthplaces of their children (Sydney, Yass, Tumut, Stieglitz (Vic), Wattle Flat, Mudgee, Pipeclay Station and ultimately Gulgong.

John and Eliza Campbell and family at ‘Abysford’, Slapdash ca 1860s.

Source: Barbara Gurney

Back row: Thomas Duncan, Eliza, Maud, John Archibald Jnr, Isabella, Robert

Front row: Lucy, Evelyn, Eliza & John (parents), Christina, Maria, Benjamin

Children of John Archibald CAMPBELL and Eliza GEOGHEGAN.

• Maria CAMPBELL b: 25 Nov 1851 Sydney, d: 06 Jan 1910 in Gulgong
• Christina Pillans CAMPBELL b: 1854 Yass, NSW, d: 11 Dec 1912 in Gulgong
• married 18 Jan 1871 at Reedy Creek, Gulgong: Alexander MARTIN (b: 20 Nov 1844 in Moulmein, Bengal, India, d: 27 Oct 1897 Gulgong)
• Thomas Duncan CAMPBELL b: 25 Mar 1856 Tumut, NSW, d: 1943 in Chatswood, NSW
• married 17 Jun 1885, at Gulgong: Ellen Mary DAVIS (b: 04 Apr 1863 in Petersham, NSW, d: 01 Dec 1933 in Manly, NSW)
• John Archibald CAMPBELL b: 15 Jul 1858 Stieglitz, Victoria, Australia, d: 13 Jun 1944 in Hornsby, NSW, 
• married 23 Sep 1902, at Gulgong: Alice Victoria DAVIS (b: 25 Feb 1877 in Gulgong d: 07 Nov 1905 in Gulgong)
• Eliza Jane CAMPBELL b: 27 Jun 1861 Wattle Flat, New South Wales, Australia, d: Mar 1949 in Wallsend, NSW
• Benjamin Lorn CAMPBELL b: 14 Nov 1863 Wattle Flat, NSW, d: 08 Jan 1947 in Gulgong 
• married 15 Jan 1890, at Gulgong: Mary Jane LEE (b: 28 Nov 1873 in Mudgee, NSW, d: 12 Nov 1961 in Gulgong)
• Robert James CAMPBELL b: 19 Apr 1866 Wattle Flat, NSW, d: 06 Oct 1956 in Argyll, Gulgong
• married 09 Mar 1892 at ‘Annandale' Gulgong: Clara WATT (b: 18 Nov 1869 in Mudgee, d: 06 Feb 1964 in Beecroft, Sydney)
• Louisa Mary CAMPBELL b: 10 Mar 1869 Pipeclay Station Nr Guntawang, NSW
• married 07 Feb 1907, at ‘Abysford’, Gulgong: William CARR (b: 1870 in Mudgee, New South Wales, Australia, d: 02 Apr 1941) 
• Evelina Ellen CAMPBELL b: 16 Aug 1871 Gulgong, d: 02 Feb 1924 in Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW
• married 25 Mar 1891, at Gulgong: Charles William LEE (b: 30 Sep 1868 in Rylstone, NSW, d: 03 Jan 1943 in Belmore, NSW)
• William CAMPBELL b: 23 Nov 1873 in Gulgong, d: 23 Nov 1873 in Gulgong,
• Maud CAMPBELL b: 07 Jun 1875 Gulgong, NSW, Australia, d: 25 Oct 1963 in Gulgong, 
• married in 1901: John William LEE (b: about. 1876, d: 01 Jun 1943 in Gulgong)
• Isabella Alice CAMPBELL b: 13 April 1878 Gulgong, NSW, d: 19 Feb 1957 in Lithgow, NSW
• m: 24 Mar 1909 at ‘Abysford’, Gulgong, James FENTON (b: 06 Mar 1871 in Rylstone, NSW, d: 17 Jan 1934, Gulgong NSW)

In addition to raising these children, John and Eliza took in Charlie Malco at the age of about 6 after his mother, Christina, died in childbirth.

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John's brother, Benjamin Pillans Campbell married Elizabeth Board and remained in Sydney but he was also involved with speculating, and invested in shares in gold mining.

Source: Campbell family history articles researched and written by Barbara Gurney. Photos from Barbara Gurney.

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1942 - [LONGEVITY]

The combined ages of four brothers, Messrs B. L .Campbell (Gulgong), 78 years, R. J. Campbell (Gulgong), 76, Thomas Campbell (Chatswood), 86, and John Campbell (Dural), 83, make a total of 323 years. With the odd months taken into account, the average age of these fine men is 81 years — something to be proud of, surely.

Source: Mudgee Guardian 6 April 1942

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Church gathering at the family home of John and Eliza Campbell, 'Abysford', Slapdash, 1900
For names of family members, click here.
Source: Barbara Gurney

Eliza Campbell nee Geoghegan with her daughters Bella, Maud and Maria and unknown baby

Source: Barbara Gurney

Eliza Campbell nee Geoghegan 

Source: Barbara Gurney

Eliza Campbell nee Geoghegan

Source: Libby Silla

Eliza and John Archibald Campbell, ca 1860

Source: Barbara Gurney

John Archibald Jun died in 1901 of "ASTHENIA CANCER OF GLANDS OF NECK" of 12 months duration. His death record lists him as a farmer/grazier. He was buried at Gulgong Cemetery.

John Archibald Campbell's headstone, Gulgong

Source: Barbara Gurney

Source: Campbell family history articles researched and written by Barbara Gurney. Photos from Barbara Gurney.