27 JOHN CAMPBELL—A SQUATTER OF '41. (By Thomas Welsby). (Read at a meeting of the Historical Society of on November 24, 1936). One of the pioneers of the 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 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. Even with the hides and tallow as his share of the output, Campbell was losing heavily, though the squatters, or cattle suppliers, were making at least something out of the business. Some retired pastoralists in Sydney, hearing of Campbell's difficulties, came to Brisbane and dis­ cussed matters wath him wdth the result that an­ other start was made. These gentlemen had brought with them infor­ mation that a Mr. O'Brien, of Yass, had discovered that fat sheep could be boiled down for their tallow, and made to pay. A public meeting was called in Brisbane to dis­ cuss the continuance of the beef curing, and the boiling dowm of fat sheep, and to nominate a person to undertake to put up the pots, and boil down at the lowest cost. By a unanimous vote again John Campbell was selected to the post on his undertaking to perform the boiling down of the sheep at a certain price, provided he was guaranteed a continuous supply of sheep. Boiling Down Works. Unfortunately, Campbell was doomed to disap­ pointment again, for, although he carried out his part of the contract faithfully, not 25 per cent, of the promised supply of sheep came forward, and this venture proved a disastrous loss. His organisation from the first had been admirable, and he had been able to give steady employment to butchers, tallow chandlers, coopers and others, most of whom had been brought from Sydney at a heavy cost to him­ self without any guarantee that they were compe­ tent to do the work for which they had been en­ gaged. The procuring of suitable timbers for the making of the casks was a matter of serious diffi­ culty, and experiments had to be made with various 32 local varieties before he finally selected silky oak as admirably suited to the purpose. Finally, admitting defeat, although not completely impoverished, he closed down the works. In after years, Campbell told his three grown-up sons that, although he had suffered heavy losses, his experiments in the curing of beef, and the boiling down of sheep, had been the turning-point of good fortune to the squatters of Queensland. Nothing else, he said, could have saved them from ruin, for in the year 1848, owing to the low price of wool, and the general tightness of money, neither the bankers nor the merchants of Sydney were willing to make advances upon stock. Nor, indeed, were such ad­ vances made to any extent until liens upon stock and wool were authorised and controlled by an act passed a little later by the New South Wales Parlia­ ment. This had the effect of relieving greatly the pressure upon stockowners and squatters in bad seasons. After the closing-down of his works, Campbell was faced wdth the necessity for selling his boiling- dowm establishment and fellmongery at Kangaroo Point, together with the land there, and at the Valley. For these 37 acres of freehold land, and all the plant and machinery across the river, he received, less commission and charges, the magnificent sum of £600. One may well ask: Is not this the story of the pioneer, all over again? Partnership with Towns. Missing a few years of John Campbell's life story, we next find him a legal partner of Robert Towns, a prominent figure in Australian commercial life, and the founder of Townsville, in North Queens­ land. The partners took up land at Redbank, where they engaged in cattle raising and dealing, and were the first to open up the coal resources of the locality. Much of the coal mined by them was used by the steamers running between Brisbane and Ipswich. Before Campbell joined in partnership with "Bobby" Towns, there is every reason to believe that he worked either in conjunction with, or under some business arrangements with Joseph Fleming, of Redbank. Fleming, so Campbell states, contributed 33 more than anyone to the early settlement of Bris­ bane, and of Redbank. He was one of the largest employers of labour and capital in and about the Moreton Bay district, and was a member of the first . The absence of any record of John Campbell's activities either in conjunction with Fleming, or with Robert Towns is regrettable, creating as it does, a lamentable hiatus in the life history of a man who endeavoured to help towards the progress of Queens­ land. Neither manuscript or written note of any kind has been found relating to his doings from the time he abandoned the boiling-down venture to the day when he abruptly left Brisbane to seek seclusion on the islands of Moreton Bay. Acquaintance With Leichhardt. John Campbell was present at a public dinner in Brisbane arranged in honour of the explorer, Ludwig Leichhardt, when the latter was preparing to start on his expedition to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Camp­ bell sat next to Leichhardt and discussed with him the plans for the overland journey, criticising some of the details of the routine suggested and giving the explorer advice on certain points. Westbrook station was at that time owned by Campbell, and Leichhardt accepted an invitation to make a short stay there. Campbell then gave the explorer one strong old working bullock, some cows and four calves. These young cattle were killed on the jour­ ney, and one old poley animal actually travelled with the expedition the whole way to Port Essington. Leichhardt made Westbrook his headquarters for over six weeks. When he undertook the expedition, acting on the advice of Campbell, he achieved success, but his last long journey in which he relied upon his own judgment, ended tragically. John Campbell always regretted that Bunce, the eminent botanist did not accompany Leichhardt on that expedition, for he was a thorough bushman, with good capacity for leader­ ship. Campbell was convinced that mutiny had brought about the disastrous ending to the under­ taking. Costly Litigation. After leaving Kangaroo Point, Campbell wdth his wife and family went to live at Redbank. The part- 34 nership with "Bobby" Towns and Company was car­ ried on in the cattle industry. Many acres of land were taken up in and about Redbank, in the names of Towns and Campbell, and of the latter's eldest son, Edwin. The partnership was far from a peace­ ful one; and, after repeated disputes, the partners became involved in litigation. Two lengthy cases came before the Supreme Court in 1865, dealt with by Justices Cockle and Lutwyche. James Garrick (after­ wards Sir James) acted for Towns, and the firm of Little and Browne briefed Charles Lilley (also sub­ sequently knighted) on the side of the Campbells. The cases, after long-drawn-out proceedings, ended in a mutually-arranged settlement, but Campbell's losses amounted to £20,000 and left him almost ruined. His health began to fail, and he sought the quietness of Cleveland, overlooking the tranquil waters of Moreton Bay for refuge and peace. His sons were young, healthy, and strong. They stood by their father in every way, and made him their leader in other undertakings. While living at Cleveland, Campbell heard that Wildash had taken up certain land on Stradbroke Is­ land, in the southern low lying part of Swan Bay, near Currigee. He corresponded with this old-time squatter and was of material assistance in the herd­ ing of a small number of horses and cattle there. Salt Making Operations. In 1865 there had been a duty on salt here in Queensland, so the Campbell family went into salt manufacturing at Caniapa, near Russell Island. Later he removed the works to the coastal side of McLay Island, immediately opposite to a place named Karra-Garra, building there a brick store­ house. A fair tonnage of salt was turned out at Karra-Garra, but when' the duty was taken off, Camp­ bell was compelled to cease manufacturing it. Need­ less to say, he was much discouraged at this. In 1870 he lived at the north-western end of McLay Island and engaged in sugarcane growing. He also made a garden of some size, planting it with various plants, shrubs, and trees, obtained from the grounds of the Acclimatisation Society, near Bowen Park. He also cultivated cotton on behalf of the firm of J. and G. Harris, merchants, of Brisbane 35 employing there coloured labour from the islands. At this time the was allow­ ing a bonus of a halfpenny per pound on all cotton produced, this bonus being the outcome of the Civil War in America. A little later, however, the bonus was stopped and Campbell was once again left lamenting.

Succession Of Failures. Next he tried sponge-collecting on the eastern side of Lamb Island, but this also proved a failure. Nothing daunted, he put his hand to the burning of coral for the production of lime, but, although he had some measure of success, it was not profitable. He planted castor-oil trees on McLay Island, with the intention of erecting a crushing plant with wooden rollers for the extraction of the oil, but again success eluded him. He tried unsuccessfully to float a com­ pany to deal with a South Sea Island proposition, the necessary capital not being forthcoming. He at­ tempted the breeding of Angora goats, as Lands­ borough had done at Caloundra, but found it im­ practicable to carry on. Among his other activities John Campbell played a part in the opening up of the timber resources of the Redbank district. John Campbell's only daughter married a Mr. Owens, a station manager, who was killed by being thrown from a horse. A few years later she married a Mr. Gossett and she died at Roekhampton about 1870. After the death of their parents the three brothers Edwin, Frederick, and Robert, engaged themselves in Moreton Bay,, fishing, oystering, and dugong netting. It was at Amity Point, when so engaged, that I first made their acquaintance and friendship. They have "gone west." Edwin, the eldest, died at Myora on the 9th February, 1898, from dengue fever. "Fred" was drowned from a boat in the bay, near the Moreton Island sand hills, on the 2nd November, 1898. "Bob" died at Wynnum on the 30th March, 1918. The eldest and youngest 36 brothers lie side by side in the private cemetery at Dunwich. "Bob," the youngest, was the only one who married. On his deathbed "Bob" Campbell told me, with a smile, that his father really was "Tinker" Campbell, and the original "Sam Slick" of Haliburton, Nova Scotia.