The Highland Clearances followed the Battle of Culloden in 1746. The way of life for the Highlanders came to an end; England had finally found a means of eradicating the threat from the North. England began a policy to destroy Highland life. The Highlander, dependant upon the Chief of the Clan who held the Clan lands was cast aside as the Chiefs began to promote sheep rather than the Clan members, which had existed since the beginning of time in Scotland. Rents were raised which were beyond the ability of the Clansmen to pay. In the clearing of Strathnaver in Sutherland, in fourteen days 430 people were evicted. Many times the homes of the Clansmen were burned or torn down, forcing the occupants to leave their homes. Atrocities including cold-blooded murder, senseless brutality and eviction were the result of the Chieftains greed and lack of caring for their Clansmen and kin. The flow of Clansmen to the Americas was relentless.

The Highland chiefs, following Culloden, had become landlords rather than fathers of the Clan family. The clan lands were divided for the first time in history. Prior to Culloden, the Clan lands were held in joint by the Clan. Only after Culloden were the Clan lands the property of the Clan chief. The chief was now in a position to demand rent from those Clan members remaining on "his" land. As the chieftain's expenses increased from his gregarious lifestyle, the rents were consistently raised upon those Clan members remaining. Many of these Clan lands had been forfeited because of Clan participation in Culloden and the residing landlord was not a member of the Clan at all. It was not until 1785 that the real clearances began. Forced emigration became policy. Though there had been widespread emigration prior to 1785, it had not been forced.

It was in 1785 that Macdonnell of Glengarry allowed his wife, Marjorie to evict five hundred tenants from glen Quoich to make room for a sheep walk. The atrocities during the clearances have become one of the greatest tragedies in modern history. People died of murder, fatigue, cold and sheer fright. Old men and women, children and babies were not exempt from the blood curdling horror. The factors and constables seemed to delight in the mistreatment of the old and sick as well as pregnant women. The homeless were left in the cold and rain with no food nor shelter and the moans and wails of the abandoned people were heard throughout the land.

Ancestors that could have come to America during the clearances:

John McAuley

Rachel Kerr

Jane Blair

James Patterson

John Cummins

Margaret Campbell

Many of the prisoners of the Battle of Culloden were transported to the Americas. Many of these would be brought to Wilmington, NC. It is from this group of prisoners that perhaps some of our ancestors were included. Included in this group are:

Passengers on the packet boat LE DE SPENCER from Falmouth to Carolina, Feb. 1774 CAMPBELL, Colin

Cumberland County, NC became the Scots refuge. There the kilt and dirk were still worn and Gaelic was the common language.
1790 Cumberland Co., NC
Campbell, Farquhard 2 3 3 0 50 (early landowner in Campbelltown)
Campbell, James 2 0 4 3 2
Campbell, John 2 0 6 0 1 (son Robert)
Campbell, John 1 4 5 0 4 (surveyor)
Campbell, Daniel 1 0 1 0 0
Campbell, Collin 1 0 3 0 0
Campbell, Edward 1 2 2 0 0
Campbell, Dugal 1 1 6 0 0
Campbell, Duncan 1 0 1 0 3
Campbell, Dugal 1 2 1 0 0
Campbell, Alexander 1 0 1 0 0
Campbell, Alexander 1 1 2 0 0
Campbell, Duncan 1 0 3 0 6
Campbell, Niel 1 0 1 0 0
Campbell, Katy 0 0 4 0 1
Campbell, John 2 1 3 0 0 (Rock Fish)
Campbell, Alexander 2 1 2 0 0 (Rock Fish)
Campbell, Laughlan 3 3 4 0 0
Campbell, Mary 1 0 1 0 0
Campbell, William 2 0 3 0 0
Campbell, Daniel 2 0 3 0 0
Campbell, Malcolm 1 1 2 0 0
1790 census Fayetteville Town
Campbell, Archibald 2 0 2 0 0
Campbell, Duncan 1 0 1 0 3
Campbell, Alexander 1 0 5 0 1
Kerr, The Revd. Mr. 3 2 2 0 3
1767 Grants
Names of persons and families [with acreage], natives of Great Britain from Isle of Jura, in Argylshire who landed at Brunswick 4 Nov. 1767, allowed by His Excellency grants of vacant land opposite their respective names, clear of all fees in Secretary's Office., to be taken up in Cumberland or Mecklenburg Counties at their opinions.
John Campbell, wife, 1m 300