Hi Jill,
This is much more complicated than I had ever imagined.
I have a fairly comprehensive Campbell lineage document, going back to the late Eighteenth Century, tracing the Descendants of John and Jannett Campbell, through their son Robert, who married Susanna McDowell of County Down about 1801. I will let you have a copy of this, in due course.
This traces the history of that line down to my Grandfather Hugh Alexander Campbell and beyond, and who who married Charlotte Elizabeth Bestall, sister of Audley William Bestall, both children of George Bestall, by his first wife, Mary Jane Caldwell.
I note that you are searching for George Bestall, and his remaining posterity, with his second wife, Mary P Campbell. Well, you may, or may not know that, from the Campbell records, she seems to have been an Aunt of my Grandfather, who married Charlotte Elizabeth.
Could it be that after Mary died, George was left with several children, and times were hard in Tyrone, so he took them to America, perhaps only for a while, and came back later. That would involve Liverpool and passenger lists. I have not checked any dates on this, so they may be away out, but my Uncle David Campbell did tell me once that his mother had been orphaned, and had been mainly raised in America.
Finally, I also have a writing box (an expensive looking one, handed down through the Campbell line), which bears a brass presentation plate. It bears the inscripion:
Presented to Hugh Alexander Campbell, JP by
Audley Bestall Jeanette Mc Cormick
Lottie Howe Audley S Leary
Xmas 1902
There is no clue as to which Audley Bestall this is, but perhaps the other names might provide a clue, as presumably they were his friends/relations, at the time.
I hope this moves things on, and I entirely agree that we should exchange E mail addresses.
Perhaps we can both ask the Moderator to do this.
Best Wishes,
Hugh
