Campbell's Creek
According to Decks Awash magazine, researchers at Memorial University say that:
"most early settlers of Campbell's Creek came from Antigonish, Nova Scotia, were Roman Catholic, Gaelic-speaking, and of Scottish origin. Steve and Daniel Campbell (sometimes called Donald), were among those who came from the Western Islands in Scotland to Cape Breton in 1853." Their knowledge of the West Coast and in particular this area is inaccurate and misleading to say the least.
Decks Awash states:
"When it was learned that land in Cape Breton was to be taxed by 1854, they moved to Newfoundland, where it was still free for the taking, and Daniel Campbell settled in the Codroy Valley at Little River, now known as St. Andrew's. Stephen Campbell went to Sandy Point and John Campbell ended up in Piccadilly before moving probably in 1853 to Campbell's Creek, which was then known as Pieroway's Cove, named for Pieroways from Sandy Point who fished there in summer. John's son Archie is said to have brought the first cow through the woods in 1854. He died in 1937."
Most or all of the Campbell families may have been of Mi'kmaq ancestry - if they are in fact descendants of the Camus families who are documented Mi'kmaq.
In issue # 16.4 of the Newfoundland Ancestor, a publication of the Newfoundland and Labrador Genealogical Society, an article called: The Camus (Cammie) Family of Bay St. George, Nfld. by Allan Stride #339, states that:
"The Sandy Point R.C. register has a birth entry of a child for one Stephen Camet (pronounced Camay) during the year 1854 which is somewhat mysterious. Light has been shed on the possibility that certain members of the Camus family actually changed their name to Campbell. This Stephen Camet in later entries of the church registers is identified as Stephen Campbell, so is this person a Camus or has the Reverend Alexis Belanger made a mistake in the entry?"
Decks Awash adds that "Mike and Don Campbell may also have been early settlers and Captain Archie Campbell built a 30-35-ton schooner in the community. Several families arrived later from Margaree, Cape Breton. Other early residents were French speaking families named LaCosta and Marche, along with Scots MacDonald and Gillis, and English families Gale, Noseworthy and Hall." They omitted that the Marche family is Mi'kmaq and French speaking. It seems that there is little knowledge of the Mi'kmaq families who were a large part of the fabric of community life on the Port au Port Peninsula. Decks Away says:
"Campbell's Creek was unusual in its mix of people, perhaps understandable since it was a long distance from Cape St. George but not linked to either Piccadilly or Port au Port West and East.
"Salmon, cod and lobster fisheries generated most income in those early years, and nearly all families kept domestic animals. Wool was sent to the Codroy Valley and Stephenville to be carded, and there were several fox farms. In 1913, a silver fox pelt was reputed to have been sold for $1,750, but since even $17.50 would have been considered a good price at that time, it's likely the decimal point was incorrectly noted. The only fox farm remaining belongs to a LaCosta family.
"The first school, built in the early 1870s, was phased out in 1955 with the coming of regional schools. There was no church, however, until 1947, several years after the road to Port au Port was completed.
"The community became well-known for producing first-rate sea captains, including Archie Campbell, first settler John's son; Steve Campbell, captain of the Gloucester; Mike Bruce, whose father was from Abraham's Cove; John Hall, another captain of the Gloucester; and Danny Campbell's son Stan
"A Mrs. MacDonald, known locally as Mrs. Mac, was the first postmistress, and the mail was delivered by [Mi'kmaw] Roddy Benoit, first by horse and sleigh or cart, and later, in winter, by snowmobile. The Canadian National Telegraph and post office run by Alice Nosewort closed in 1970. Until very recently, most people in the commun were self-sufficient, fishing and farming. That way life died out with the downturn in the fishery, but men found work to supplement their incomes until recent years, when unemployment prevalent on the peninsula has also begun to affect some of the 160 or so residents who call Campbell's Creek home."
Other place names in Campbell's Creek area:
Campbell's Cove
Pierways Hill
Pieroway's Cove