27 JOHN CAMPBELL—A SQUATTER of '41. (By Thomas Welsby). (Read at a Meeting of the Historical Society of Queensland on November 24, 1936)
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27 JOHN CAMPBELL—A SQUATTER OF '41. (By Thomas Welsby). (Read at a meeting of the Historical Society of Queensland on November 24, 1936). One of the pioneers of the Moreton Bay Settle ment was John Campbell, said to be of aristocratic Scottish birth, and one with a remarkable aptitude for adapting himself to circumstances, and turning them to his own profit. He was not "the first Queensland squatter," as some have declared him to be, and his claims to fame as a pastoral pioneer can be best understood by a consideration of his own words when he wrote: "The country on the north side of the river being the best, my cattle camps were made on the Queensland side, and thus I was accidentally the first stockowner in Queensland—I mean as a squatter, there having been a Government stockman at Ipswich years before." The river to which he refers in that statement had been named by Campbell himself as the Mayne, in honour of the then Crown Lands Commissioner of New South Wales. Later on Campbell found out that this river Mayne was none other than the Duma- resque of Allan Cunningham (1827). That stream, however, is to-day kno"wn generally as the river Severn. The real first Queensland squatter was Pat rick Leslie, who took up Toolburra on the Darling Downs in March, 1840. John Campbell has left but few records of his early life in New South Wales, or even in Queens land before and after Separation. Luckily, from cer tain of his blood relations still living, I have been able to obtain possession of a part of what he re corded in regard to the Queensland of 1840—1850. Property On The Hunter. The actual date of his landing in Sydney is not known, but I have good reason for believing that it was about 1833. His real business occupa tions from that time up to 1840 can only be con jectured, but he appears to have made a fair amount of money for, before 1840, he owned landed property on the Hunter River. In that year Camp bell sold out his Hunter River property and, journey ing to Kittah Kittah, as he called his station, he 28 engaged in cattle raising with a fair amount of suc cess. Crossing the Severn River later and coming into Queensland territory he was fortunate enough to encounter Arthur Hodgson and Joseph King, and, acting on their advice, he established himself at Westbrook. He thus became the fifth squatter on the Downs, those before him being Patrick Leslie at Toolburra in 1840; Sibley and King at Clifton; Hodg son and Elliott at Eton Vale; and Hughes and Isaac at Gowrie, all in 1841. The "Clock Maker." Some time prior to 1833 a publication en titled "The Clock Maker, or the sayings and Doings of Samuel Slick, of Slick Vale," by Judge Thomas C. Haliburton, of Nova Scotia, first saw the light. Prob ably a knowledge of the date of its issue would assist materially to determine the year of Campbell's sail ing for New South Wales. On December 25, 1836, a letter from one Samuel Slick, of Pugnose Farm, River Philip, was sent to a Mr. Howe, apparently the pub lisher of the work above named, and though no doubt written by Judge Haliburton himself, has a definite reference to the name of Campbell. I quote from a postscript of that letter, giving it verbatim: "I see in the last page it is writ that the Squire is to take another journey round the shore, and back to Halifax with me next Spring. Well ... I did agree to drive him round the coast, but don't you mind . We'll understand each other, I guess, afore we start. I conceit he'll rise considerably early in the momin' afore he catches me asleep again. I'll be wide awake for him next hitch, that's a fact. I'd a ginn a thousand dollars if he had only used Camp bell's name instead of mine, for he was an most almighty villain, and cheated a proper raft of folk and then shipped himself oflF to Botany Bay, for fear folk would transport him there . .' . You could-n't rub out Slick, and put in Campbell . could you . that's a good fellow? If you would I'd make it worth your while . you may depend." Now John Campbell had not been long in Aus tralia before he received the sobriquet of "Tinker" Campbell, this epithet, or nick-name, being attached almost throughout the whole of his career, and ever 29 resented by (not himself alone), but by all his family. Why, I do not know. Judge Haliburton portrays Samuel Slick as a pedlar of various articles, includ ing tinware, but more especially clocks of all sizes and descriptions. So if this John Campbell was the only and original Sam then the title of "Tinker" was fittingly assigned him. I have every reason to be lieve that he was the original individual, for, from casual and unpremeditated remarks from his own sons to me, it was very apparent to me that these two were one and the same. Ere I complete this address there will be added a final testimony of its correctness—at least I think so. Pedlar Becomes Pastoralist. Personally, I am quite satisfied in my belief that Campbell had been in Nova Scotia and that, on his arrival here in the colonies, he did roam the country —then the suburban part of Sydney—pedlaring, and that clocks were amongst his merchandise. From this roaming vocation he made good money, and thereupon entered into the pastoral ventures with which I propose to deal. Campbell, without doubt, had a small cattle station on the Hunter River, for in 1840 he sold whatever belongings he had there, and betook him self to the Severn. Crossing that river for better feeding country he entered Queensland territory and, in 1841, took up Westbrook. It was on the ad vice of Hodgson and King that he decided to settle on the Downs. Blacks were numerous and inclined to be troublesome. At that time there was only one wooden and bark humpy—the hut at Toolburra— upon the whole of the Darling Downs. Supplies for the settlers on the Downs were then coming from Brisbane by teams passing through Cunningham's Gap. Campbell remained but a few years at West brook, as he sold out to a Mr. E. W. Hargraves, of Niew England, and came to Brisbane. On his way, he passed through Limestone (now Ips"wich) where, at the time, there was only one house, a small brick cottage in the occupation of Mr. George Thorn Senior, whose son of the same Christian name was Premier of Queensland for nine months in 1876. 30 Adventurers Three. Campbell soon became well known in the More- ton Bay settlement—also the fact that the nickname of "Tinker" had been borne by him in Sydney. There was little doubt that he had come from Nova Scotia in a brig called the "Mic Mac," which he had chartered, and loaded up with all sorts of trading material, and an enormous number of clocks. With him were two travelling companions who were also adventurers—one named Sneddon, and the other Smith, both being trained tinsmiths. After disposing in New South Wales, of the whole of this trading stock, and thus making a very substantial profit, Campbell started these two men in Sydney proper, as tinsmiths, equipping them with all requirements, in cluding finance. On its becoming knowm that he was backing the tinsmiths, some of his boon companions, in merry mood, christened him "Tinker" Campbell, a name that stuck to him throughout his career. At the first sale of Moreton Bay lands, which was held at Sydney in 1842, Campbell purchased ten acres at Kangaroo Point, and 27 acres of the best land in the Valley—it was not known as Fortitude Valley until some years later. He cleared and fenced the land in the Valley immediately. When leaving North America he was accom panied by his wife. Temperance Perkins Campbell, and one son, John Edwin Campbell, who had been born in 1832. Two other boys were born in Austraha, viz., Frederick Foster Campbell, at Murrurundi, in New South Wales, in 1838, and Robert Perkins Camp bell at Kangaroo Point in 1843. There was also a daughter bom in Australia. Beef-curing Venture. The problem of providing for his family and for the future was no easy one. Owing to the extreme drought conditions it would have been folly to take up grazing land anywhere, and the travelling of cattle over any distance was out of the question. When the suggestion was made to him that the cur ing of beef might be profitable, Campbell decided to use his land at Kangaroo Point for an experiment m that direction. An agreement between certain Sydney business men, some Queensland squatters and John Campbell was drawn up under which the 31 last-named was to find salt, casks and labour, and to cure the beef at 25/- per cask, the beef to go to the providers of the cattle, and Campbell to retain as his quota all hides, tallow and offal. Operations were commenced on June 23rd, 1843, and Campbell was able to turn out a prime and marketable article. The squatters, however, failed to keep up a steady supply of cattle as they had undertaken to do, and it was impossible to keep all the men fully employed.