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WILL OF RICHARD MACKENZIE. CAMPBELL LETTERS

See Campbell letters below.

Will of Richard Mackenzie

1763 [NA, London, PROB 11/884]
[Abstract]

I Richard Mackenzie1 of London mariner commander of the ship Queen Charlotte do this tenth day of December 1762…make this my last will and testament…
I bequeath my real and personal estate of what nature and kind soever and wheresoever unto my executors…upon trust for the use and behoof of my two daughters2 Rebecca3 and Deborah4 Mackenzie until they shall reach the age of twenty one years or the day of their marriage…
Then I bequeath my whole real and personal estate and the interest and profit thereof to my daughters an the heirs of their bodies…to be equally divided between them…
But if my daughters Rebecca and Deborah should happen to depart this life under the age of twenty one years or without leaving any issue then I bequeath my whole estate unto Ann Dickson5 wife of John Dickson6 of the parish of Hanover millwright and my niece Margaret Stuart daughter of William Stuart late of London mariner deceased to be equally divided between them…and the part bequeathed to Ann Dickson shall be for her sole and separate use…
I appoint John Campbell7 of Salt Spring in the Island of Jamaica James Crooks8 of the parish of Hanover…William Reynolds9 of London merchant Duncan Campbell10 of London merchant and George Ireland11 of Fenchurch Street London periwig maker executors of my will and guardians and curators of my daughters during their minorities…
Signed, 10th December 1762

London Evening Post, February 15, 1763
"The Queen Charlotte, Capt. Mackenzie, bound from London for Jamaica, as mentioned in these papers to be aground near Dungeness,12 is gone to pieces; the Captain, First and Second Mates, Doctor, Carpenter and 13 seamen, also four gentleman passengers, are all drowned."

28th February 1763, will proved in London by the oath of Duncan Campbell

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1 Richard Mackenzie, husband of Anna Petronella Crooks (nee Launce) the widow of James Crooks senior, planter of Crooks Cove, Hanover [d.1740]

2 Two other children, Susannah [b.1754] and Richard [b.1758] did not survive

3 Born 1752, married in Hanover John Rankin, the parish coroner, 24 January 1767

4 Born 1755-1757, married in Hanover Dr. John Paterson of Baulk, near Lucea, 24 April 1776

5 Ann Dickson, only daughter of James Crooks senior, and half sister to Rebecca & Deborah Mackenzie,

6 John Dickson, from Lasswade, near Edinburgh, Scotland

7 John Campbell's mother, Ann Campbell (nee Launce) was a sister of Anna Petronella Crooks (nee Launce)

8 James Crooks, only son of James Crooks senior, and brother of Ann Dickson  

9 William Reynolds, was also merchant correspondent for Richard Haughton [d.1762] proprietor of Orange Cove, Hanover; and an executor of Haughton's will

10 Duncan Campbell, married in Hanover, 11 March 1753, his cousin Rebecca Campbell, a sister of John Campbell of Salt Spring. Duncan Campbell became merchant correspondent in London for his wife's cousins in Jamaica

11 George Ireland, wig maker, died in Edinburgh in 1790

12 Headland on the South East coast of Kent. A rendezvous for ships from London gathering for the Jamaica voyage


CAMPBELL LETTERS

Duncan Campbell, London merchant, to John Campbell of Salt Spring, Jamaica
London 9 December 1768

[This letter deals mainly with family manoeuvrings about the estate of Duncan Campbell of Kilduskland, referred to as 'Kill'.  Tied in with this was the estate of  Kilduskland's brother, James Campbell, formerly of Jamaica, who had died in Scotland in 1758.  Both men were uncles to the writer, their mother being Henrietta, a sister of the writer's father.
James Campbell had named no executors and his will and inventory were registered in 1761 [NAS, CC12/3/6].
In 1765, Kilduskland appointed John Campbell of Salt Spring, Hanover parish, Jamaica, 'factor and attorney' for James' estate in Jamaica [NAS GD64/1/279/4].
Kilduskland died between 1765 and 1768 and before any of his brother's monies had arrived from Jamaica.
Following Kilduskland's death, the writer travelled to Scotland to meet Dugald Mactavish of Dunadry and Patrick Campbell of Knap, a son of Duncan of Knap.  Both men were dealing with Kilduskland's estate, and by this letter it seems that Mactavish was aiming to expunge his debts to that estate by a late and unattested claim for board and lodging..
Reference is also made to the writer's sister Anne Somerville whose husband, John Somerville, had died the previous year and to Richard Betham, another brother-in-law, living in the Isle of Man.]

I wrote you on the 12 October per the 'Carolina Merchant' Capt. Wilson to which I beg you to refer. I was then just setting for Scotland from whence I returned only 3 days since, upon my coming up I found Mrs. Campbell1 shipt sundries agreeable to your directions so that I had not time to examine them minutely however from my having given particular charge to the tradesmen I flatter myself you will find in answer your expectations. The saylor having neglected to load some pieces of cloath with the load I have sent it in a small parcel with Ratcliffe.2 The amount of those articles for yourself as per favour enclosed is £24.18.9 & for Miss McKenzie3 £9.17.2 in all £34.15.11 charged to you debit. I have not got a regular bill of lading for these matters but you have the mate's receipt which is equal.
You will naturally expect me to say something on the head of my Scots jaunt. I went to Inverary & appointed Dunardry4 & Knap5 to meet me there.  The first I saw but the last disappointed me as well in meeting me then as in the low country though he engaged to meet me afterwards. If a man can believe another Dunardy promised everything that was fair towards my nieces and myself. He declared that the first money that came from Jama[ica] should be applied towards the payment of these legacies but I should be very doubtful of the event if the money was once within his clutches. I hope therefore it will come through mine first. You will think this the more ………… when you examine the inventory of the papers found in my uncle's6 desk at his decease which I send you enclosed. By that you will see Dunardry seems to be considerably in arrears by ………. & bond but by an amount which would appear Da…….. at after my uncle's death. He means ………. says to extinguish most if not all of his debt to the estate. He faithfully promised to send me the particulars of all the accounts referred to in the inventory by an express which he declared should meet me at Glasgow in order that with Knap's assistance we might examine & reject …. or confirm them as residuary legatees but from that time to this I have not had the scrape of a pen from him though I have written. By this power he w[ou]ld own the greatest part of his charge consisted of board for Kill7 & horses but if the lawyers I have consulted informed me right few of his charges will be admitted. Kill has left Dunardry's Daughter & Son8 both legacies and gave up as a present to him to paying Debts which was owing in token ….. which I am told will by law be set against the charge for board & all & indeed the late bills you will see granted by him to my uncle is a strong presumption & a convenience for all matters of that sort has made me fear the granting of such bills. In short Knap & he has got already too much in their hands.
They have too £600 which James's9 widow10 has laid out in part to secure her dower. She has given security according to law that the money shall be made good to the La… Estate after her death. Dunardry has received that debt of Lamont's when the while I am going to take such steps as the Law directs to bring him to an account & to oblige him to prove his debt against the Dec[eased] and in the meantime to lodge the securities in his hands in a more proper place. Perhaps this step will chagrin him but it is no more than he rightly deserves at my hands. I rely when you having taken such steps towards securing and collecting the monies in Jamaica11 as will put it out of his Power to receive these monies through any other hands than yours and mine otherwise he may attempt that game for to be candid with you his conduct on this occasion has made me detest him.
My sister Mrs. Somerville12 having occasion to pay some little arrears, requested me to advance her legacy which I have accordingly done. In this I may have an opportunity of stop[p]ing in my own hands. Kill has left nearly as many legacies as will exhaust his whole subject with James's added the half of all which must lay sunk as a fund for the support of the two widows Dower & if a claim large makes for his mother's …… when Kill's estates is found just these will not be sufficient to pay his legacies even after the widows death when the money is to be divided.
I must therefore entreat you will use your utmost endeavours to receive the Jamaica money as soon as may be for by this token hand alone can any of the legatees have an expectation of possessing James's.  [difficult to follow this insertion which is minutely interlined]
Poor Betham13 writes me a few days since he has made a favourable purchase of a farm in the Isle of Man which must be all paid for by August neat and he says he relys when the little that was left his wife and daughter to help them out. I wish it could be so accomplished.
A few days since I had a letter from Capt. Neil14 of[f] the Capes of Delaware with a fair wind so that I hope he is long ere this time safe with you. I flatter myself his cargo will turn out per Better Acct. than it did last year. If he leaves your island as soon as such he may take 40 or 50 pun[cheons] of good rum in returns for his cargo if it could be bought not higher 2/3 or 2/4 but if higher there is some risque though I would rather take rum than sugar even at 2/6. if you ship rum on Acct. of owners please advise me in time that I may make insurance. Inclosed you have current sales of your ten pun[cheons] of rum per Orange Bay & A per Capt. Darling. I was out of luck in the last sale for rum took a rise soon after when I little expected it. However I hope you will believe my best judgement was used for your interest thought it ………………. You have likewise Acct. sales of the 20 pun[cheons] of rum & 11 hhds. Sugar on Acct. the owners15 the profit upon which remittance is stated at B whereof the sales £30.9.6 is carried to the credit of the owners General Account which I send you inclosed for your own and the other owners satisfaction. If you see any errors therein please advise me & they shall be imediately r……… The sum to be divided amongst the owners is not sufficient to pay the bills drawn for lumber16 by £200. I also send you herewith your Account Current to this date balance due me £ [amount not written]            
I have not charged you with Mr. Tho…….on of the O[range]:B[ay] till I have an answer to my letters to him & you on that head.
I hinted in my last that I should have the Command of £1,300 for year or two by means of my sisters family17  I fancy I could enlarge it to £2,500 if it could be laid out to advantage but as I had no imediate call for it I have laid out the girls and the widows money in Glasgow on Bonds not payable in less than 9 mths from this time after that they can & will ……… be put in my hands if I could make benefit of it. I would not med[d]le with [it] but with a very advantageous view indeed could not that with some further assistance from our Counting House make you easy & bring about the so much wished for Conclusion?18 Please write me fully on this head. Mrs. Campbell sends you some pickles by this conveyance and requests of you to send her some Ginger by Neil if you can with conveniency. Thank god she may be …….. on such …….. but is better since she came to town. Douglass19 is well they both write by this conveyance & to them I refer. I have this evening a message from Currie20 telling me Ratcliffe is just going which finds me here adding nothing than to request you will dispatch Neil as soon as possible. All mine join in love to you & I ever am    Dear Jack

Endnote
In 1776, John Campbell of Salt Spring and James Kerr, also of Hanover parish, Jamaica, produced a copy of James Campbell's will in London [NA, PROB11/1025] after which probate was granted to the writer as 'the lawful attorney of Ann Somerville, the niece of the deceased'. By this means the Jamaica money was presumably secured to pay the legacies due Duncan Campbell's sisters and their daughters.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1 Rebecca Campbell, sister of John Salt Spring
2 Captain Charles Ratcliffe, [d. 1776 in Hanover, Jamaica]
3 Deborah Mackenzie, orphaned daughter of ship master Richard Mackenzie [d.1763] and Anna Petronella Launce of Jamaica who was an aunt of John Salt Spring, Deborah's cousin and guardian
4 Dugald McTavish of Dunardry
5 Patrick Campbell of Knap, son of Duncan of Knap and Elizabeth Campbell the writer's aunt
6 Duncan Campbell of Kilduskland whose sister Henrietta was the wife of the letter writer's father, Neil. It is assumed that Jamaica money refers to that of Kilduskland's brother, James Campbell of Kames, late of Hanover, Jamaica
7 'Kill', presumed to be family shorthand for Kilduskland
8 Lachlan Mactavish, writer in Edinburgh
9 James Campbell of Kames, Duncan's younger brother, also late of Jamaica, at Salem in Hanover parish had died in 1758.
10 Margaret Lamont, daughter of Patrick Lamont of Strontier
11 Duncan Campbell of Kilduskland, James Campbell's elder brother, had previously appointed John Campbell of Salt Spring 'factor and attorney' for the collection of all James's Jamaica monies, a commission sent to Jamaica dated 22 May 1765. Lachlan Mactavish, writer in Edinburgh, had been a witness to the papers
12 Ann Somerville, now a widow, husband of John Somerville who had died in 1767
13 Richard Betham, the writer's brother in law, the husband of his sister Mary
14 Neil Somerville, the writer's nephew, commander of the Orange Bay, the son of his sister Ann and John Somerville
15 Six of Duncan Campbell's Jamaica cousins and relations by marriage owned shares in the ship
16 Principal cargo on the Orange Bay, from America, was oak staves for the making in Jamaica of barrels for sugar and rum
17 Presumed to be an inheritance from his brother in law, John Somerville
18 Possibly a reference to the intended clearing of Salt Spring's debts to Colin Currie
19 Douglass Campbell, sister of John and Rebecca Campbell, who later married Dr. John Sherwen of Enfield, London
20 David Currie, merchant of Billiter Square, London, and son-in-law of John Campbell of Black River[d.1740]; or Colin Currie his son, both merchants in partnership with John Shakespear of London whose wife was Colin Currie's sister Elizabeth


John Campbell of Salt Spring to Dugald McTavish of Dunardry & Patrick Campbell of Knap, Argyllshire.
Lucea, 8th July 1769

[This letter follows up the matters raised in Duncan Campbell's letter of 9 December 1768 to his brother-in-law in which John Campbell was warned of the behaviour of Dugald McTavish and Patrick Campbell of Knap in dealing with the estate of the late Patrick Campbell of Kilduskland.
John Campbell appears to have used delaying tactics to slow McTavish's attempt to control all of Kilduskland's estate by this late reply to Kilduskland's administrators/
He also vested to himself authority over the debts due from John Campbell of New Hope and claimed that debts due from the late Colin Campbell of Black River had not yet been re-assigned]

Dear Cousins,
        Your favor of Oct 1st I received some months ago and intended answering it by some of the Clyde vessels that have sailed from Savanna la Mar this year but it happens so unlucky that I was at a distance at the time they all were going and only now being suddenly called form home to the other end of the island upon particular business I cannot be so full at present as I proposed. I am now here upon my journey and leave this to go by the Bell Captain Malkinshaw who I understand sails soon. I am greatly obliged to you for the kind and friendly manner in which you express the satisfaction it gave you to hear my health was better than from reports you had received  to think was the case. There was a little foundation for the surmise at the time but thank God I am now and have been for some time by past tolerably well only at times affected with the head air but much less than formerly.
As to business I have to acquaint you that it was not till 18th May last that Mr. John Campbell1 eldest son of our deceast cousin Colin2 of Westmoreland came to a settlement with me for what his father's estate stood indebted to the estate of our cousin James3 deceased when he gave me a bond for £1,556.10 currency which bears interest at 6 percent from the date. The bond is in my name that I may have a right to demand the money without troubling you to send a power of attorney. Next year the interest will be punctually paid which shall be duly remitted. The debt due from the estate of the Honourable Colin Campbell4 deceast remains as it did it must do so till some of those who may become securities takes the payment of it upon them and then their bond will be taken for the whole as has been done in the other case.
A fellow traveller hurrying me to proceed obliges me to conclude which I do with best wishes for your welfare and I am Dr. Sir your affectionate cousin & most humble servant John Campbell

I must beg Knap will excuse my not writing to him particularly at this time which I intended doing but cannot for the reasons abovementioned.5
~~~~~
1 John Campbell of New Hope, Westmoreland
2 Colin of New Hope died in July 1760, buried at New Hope
3 James Campbell of Kames, late of Salem Jamaica, who died in Scotland in 1758
4 Colin Campbell, son of John Campbell of Black River. Colin had died in Kingston, 26 January 1752
5 Campbell was on his way to Kingston to meet John Dickson and assist in arranging a mortgage on Salem plantation at Orange Bay, Hanover [letter of Duncan Campbell, dated 21 November 1769 refers]. James Campbell of Kames had been at Salem but it is not known whether he had any heritable interest in the plantation.


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