Two let­ters from Octo­ber 22, 1876 from Hugh Mac­Cul­loch, Ball­yarton, Ire­land, to Col. Robert Camp­bell, St. Louis, MO.

A great let­ter for any fans of The Camp­bell Quest!  Hugh Mac­Cul­loch is mar­ried to Robert’s niece, Mar­garet Camp­bell Mac­Cul­loch.  The two live in Ball­yarton House, which still stands in North­ern Ire­land today.  These two let­ters are pri­mar­i­ly con­cerned with busi­ness, specif­i­cal­ly Robert sell­ing prop­er­ty in Ire­land.  However, they also men­tion Robert’s fam­i­ly, their vis­it to Ire­land in 1867, and Hugh and Mar­garet’s fam­i­ly.  Hugh and Mar­garet Mac­Cul­loch are the great-grand­par­ents of Patrick Camp­bell Mac­Cul­loch, author of “The Camp­bell Quest”.  The house they lived in, Ball­yarton, is also fea­tured on the post­card which first began Pat’s search for his fam­i­ly his­to­ry — it can be seen on the cov­er of the book.  Read the first hand accounts of Hugh and Robert, whose respec­tive lega­cies would lead us to today!

Ball­yarton 22nd Oct 1876
Col Campbell
Dear Sir
I have received two let­ters from your solic­i­tors since I wrote you which I enclose and as request­ed write you all particulars
Upon receipt of your let­ter I men­tioned to sev­er­al per­sons of my acquain­tance like­ly to pur­chase that it would be sold. Mr. Gra­ham broth­er in law to Charles Dunn who bot. [sic] Augh­a­lane promised to give me an offer. He told me last week why he did not. Mr Dunn intend­ed to pur­chase I hoped not for no rea­son but sake of peace and Robert told me the day I was up he was not intend to buy it. I there val­ued your prop­er­ty at Three Hun­dr. R Dunn and peo­ple I was talk­ing with thought I was too high. I advise your solic­i­tors to sell by pub­lik [sic] auc­tion but after enquiry find­ing there was no papers to prove title and your name not being in any writ­ing (yet know­ing cer­tain­ly the prop­er­ty was yours) but oth­ers would not risk full val­ue and I was not offerd [sic] above Two Hun­dred pounds with those views my opin­ion was to either pur­chase myself to pay say 5 &c — or you to hold on and get name entered in rent book and rents pain in your name (Mar­garet thought you would pre­fer sell­ing to a stranger) I was desirous my very gen­er­ous friend would real­ize the full val­ue of your prop­er­ty and I am now hap­py to say after some delay all will be per­fect­ly cleared up for pub­lik [sic] auc­tion and every dif­fi­cul­ty set aside. I thought there was a want in the will not being forthcoming.
That is all arranged upon receipt of Mr. Ander­sons last let­ter I wrote Mr Dunn Mr Kings man­ag­er in office to write me how it was held I have yet no answer. I wished to keep from them the fact we had no writ­ings. I sent for Old Den­nis McKen­na a ten­ant of yours and on Sat­ur­day heard from him there was a joint deed tak­en by your father and oth­ers about the year 1786 of one quar­ter of Glen­cop­pagh that the deed I should have been
in pos­ses­sion of Charles McCauley and sup­posed to be in pos­ses­sion of the Gra­hams I men­tioned I was very much rejoiced and wrote your solic­i­tors that I would hunt up more par­tic­u­lars soon as pos­si­ble. He gave me oth­er par­tic­u­lars as to quan­ti­ty 13 lots about 34 Cun­ning­ham ________ in all about 18 arable and mead­ow & I will send all those to your solic­i­tors and I can assure you Dear Sir it has giv­en me the great­est plea­sure to do even the small­est kind­ness and could wish I had it in my pow­er to show any grat­i­tude for your great kind­ness to us and as _________ is very low here at present I expect a good price will be obtained _______ _____ ______ is con­sid­ered a safe instru­ment in ___________ land in this coun­try for some time, being in sev­er­al lots is rather against it.
I am glad to say that Mar­garet is improved in strength but grieves very much still about her dear Aunt. I often think of her and also think it is well she has entered into her eter­nal rest and to be away from friends she loved though erring [?]. I hope to have head­stone rail­ing & com­plete this week. Mar­garet joins in kind­est respects to you and Mrs Camp­bell Mas­ter Hugh James & Haslett [sic] also to Mr and Mrs Hugh Camp­bell & Miss Kyle how well we remem­ber you vis­its to Ire­land such plea­sures are passed away but not for­got­ten by us if ever I can in the small­est way serve you the favour [sic] will be dome to me in being allowed to do so. Believe me your sin­cere and ever thank­ful friend
Hugh McCullagh
PS please kind­ly excuse my let­ters being often called off by customers
H Mc

Ball­yarton 22nd Oct 1876
Col Campbell
Dear Sir
I have
Received two let­ters from your
Solic­i­tors since I wrote you which
I enclose and as request­ed write
You all particular
Upon receipt of your let­ter I
Men­tioned to sev­er­al persons
Of my acquain­tance like­ly to
Pur­chase that it would be sold
Mr Gra­ham Broth­erin­law to
Charles Dunn who bot. Aughalane
Promised to give me an offer
He Told me last week why He
Did not, R Dunn intend­ed to
pur­chase I hoped not for no
rea­son but sake of peace and

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that is all arranged upon
receipt of Mr Ander­sons last
let­ter I wrote Mr Dunn
Mr Kings man­ag­er in office
To write me how it was
Held I have yet no answer
I wished to keep from
Them the fact he had no
Writ­ings   I sent for
Old Den­nis McKen­na a
Ten­ant of yours and on
Sat­ur­day heard from him
There was a joint deed
Tak­en by your Father
And oth­ers about the year
1786 of our quar­ter of
Glen­cop­pagh that the
Deed should have been

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Robert told me the day I
Was up He was not intend
To buy it    I then valued
Your prop­er­ty at Three Hundred
R. Dunn and peo­ple I was
Talk­ing with thought I was
Too high I advise your
Solic­i­tors to sell by public
Auc­tion but after enquiring
Find­ing there was no papers
To prove title and your having
Not being in any writing
(yet know­ing cer­tain­ly the
prop­er­ty was yours) but others
would not risk full value
and I was not offered above
two hun­dred pounds with
those views my opinion

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was to either pur­chase myself
to pay say 5 H — or
you to hold on and get
name entered in rent book
and rents paid in your name
(Mar­garet thought you
would pre­fer sell­ing to a
stranger) I was desiring
my very gen­er­ous friend
would real­ize the full value
of your prop­er­ty and I am
now hap­py to say after
some delay all will be
per­fect­ly cleared up for
pub­lick auc­tion and every
dif­fi­cult­ly set aside I thought
there was a want in the
will not being forthcoming

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in pos­ses­sion of charity
McCauly and supposed
To be in pos­ses­sion of the
Gra­hams I mentioned
I was very much rejoiced
And wrote your solitary
That I would hunt up
More par­tic­u­lar­ly soon as
Pos­si­ble He gave me
oth­er par­tic­u­lar­ly as to
quan­ti­ty & 13 lots about
34 Cun­nign­ham being in
all about 18 arable and
mead­ow & I will send
all those to you solicitors
and I can assure you Dear
sir it has giv­en me the
great­est plea­sure to do

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Even the small­est kind
Ness and could wish
I had in my pow­er to
Show any grat­i­tude for
Your great kind­ness to
Us and as I sit here very
Low here at present I
expect a good price will
be obtained 4 &
count is con­sid­ered a safe
invest­ment in perpetuity
land in this country
for some time, being in
sev­er­al lots is rather
against it
I am glad to say that
Mar­garet is improved

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in strength but grieving
very much still about
her dear Aunt I often
think it is well she
has entered into her
eter­nal rest and to be
away from friends
she loved though
erring I hope to
have head­stone railing
& com­plete this walk
Mar­garet joins me in
kind­est respects to you
and Mrs Campbell
Mas­ters Hugh James
& Haslett also to Mr
and Mrs Hugh Campbell

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& Miss Kyle how well
we remem­ber your
vis­it to Ire­land such
plea­sures are passed away
but not for­got­ten by
us if ever I can in
the small­est was serve
you the favour will
be done to me in being
allowed to do so Believe
my your sin­cere and
ever thank­ful friend
Hugh McCullouugh

Ps. Please kind­ly excuse my
Let­ters being often called off by
Cus­toms   H.M.