Scottish astronomer
Colin Campbell FRS (died 26 January 1752) was a Scottish astronomer.
He grew up in Jamaica and died there in Kingston in 1752. He matriculated at Glasgow University, in 1720. He was invested as a fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1733. He studied Newton's theory of the diminution of gravity away from the equator. He made astronomical observations, in correspondence with Edmund Halley.[1]
He held the office of Member of the Council (Jamaica) in 1742.
After 1742, he sold his astronomical instruments to Alexander Macfarlane.[2]
In 1748, he lived at St. George Hanover Square, London.
In Jamaica, Campbell was a slaveholder and planter. In his will, Campbell bequeathed to his wife, Margaret Campbell, "the use and enjoyment of any of my Negroes at her own choice".[3] In his will, he also bequeathed to his son, Colin, his "Negroes" at his two sugar plantations, Orange Bay and Fish River.[4]
Family
He was the son of Colonel John Campbell and Katherine Claiborne. He married Margaret Foster who died in London in 1786;[5] they had children
- John Campbell b. 8 January 1735.[6]
John Campbell left Jamaica in 1756 "owing to a bad state of health"[7] but returned in 1767[8] to dispose of the estates in order to clear his debts.
- Elizabeth Campbell born 15 December 1736.[9]
- Margaret Jane Campbell born a 6 January 1739.[10] She died in Surrey in September 1771.[11]
- Colin Campbell1 b. a 1747.[12] He was a Lt. Colonel in the 1st Guards and died at Portman Square, London, in 1793 having contracted "the Dunkirk fever" while campaigning against the French in Flanders.[13]
