Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-12-27
Settlement of Perth Amboy
and East Jersey by Scots

however. associated the original In
dian name of the locality. ."Amboge'
(Amboy) with its given lame, and 1t
gradually became better known as
Perth Amboy. a name which was Of
ticiallv confirmed when Governor
Robert Hunter. a native of Ayrshire.
granted to it its City Charter in i11S,
making it the first city of the State
of New Jersey.
The year 1854 saw a large influx
of Scottish settlers; at least two
ships are on record as having ar
rived from Scotland bringing with
them over 200 souls. among whom
were many younger sons of promi-
nent Scottish families. including
Thomas and Charles Gordon. of
Straloch, Robert and Thomas Full
lerton of Kinnebar. James Johnston,
of Spotswood. John Barclay of Uric,
John Forbes and Andrew Alexander.
who had been induced, largely
through the influence of Robert
Barclay. TO take an interest in the
Province by the purchase OF frac-
tional shares thereof.
So strongly did this opportunity
appeal to Scottish people OF mean
that before a year was over, one
half of the Proprietary interests
passed into their hands by purchase
from the English P~roprietors. and
by the wear 1857 at least fifty Scots
men owned fractional shares in the
Province. Many of these cast their
lot with the country and became
planters therein, not only on ac-
count of the prospects of material
benefit that might accrue to them,
but also and more particularly on
- - 49, aa,-t1 I'D NAlfofnNtz
freedom guaranteed to them by the
Proprietary Government. which had
been denied them in their homeland.
Lord Neil and Archibald Campbell
The following year, 1855. known
as the KILLING time" in the annals
of Scottish history. saw the acces-
sion of King James VII to the throne
of Scotland, in opposition TO whom
the Earl of Argyle led an
full rebellion, in which he was cap
tured and beheaded at the Edin-
burgh Cross. Many of his followers
suffered a like punishment, while
others were forced to flee the coun-
try for safety. His brother, Lord
Neil Campbell and Lord Neil's son,
Archibald, were among those who
found it to be to their best interests
TO migrate to East Jersey, where he.
in partnership with Robert Black
wood, of Edinburgh. had purchased
one-half of one full share OF the
Province. He secured passage for
himself. his son and over fifty of his
clan and friends, and landed at New
Perth early in November, 1856. The
Projectors. thinking to add prestige
to the Colony. appointed him to re-
place Gawen Lawrie as Deputy-Gov-
~pp ,.hfOl, nnG;tjan he ocGrnNn1 in
October, 1886, and built a home for
himself on Water street. Perth Am
boy, where he resided with his son
during his term of office, which was,
however, snort. He was succeeded
by Colonel Andrew Hamilton of Ed
inburgh. who later became the first
Postmaster-General or this CONT
nent. and was the last of the Gov
ernors of New Jersey under the Pro-
prietary Government.
In anticipation of the Argyle re-
bellion. of which he had been Sc
cretly informed, King James had or
derel add the Covenanting prisoners
who filled the jails of Glasgow, Stir
ling, Edinburgh and Leith, to be re
moved to Dunotter Castle. in Kin
caroline shire. where they suffered
the tortures of the Wing vault. Scot
lands Black Hole of Calcutta, for
three months until the excitement
of the rebellion had subsidized. whom
they were brought back to Leith and
there offered their freedom on con
dition that they acknowledge the
Kings authority as supreme in mat
tiers spiritual as well as temporal:
this the most of them refused to do,
choosing rather the alternative of a
1ifa-Innu ba abr from fhair ma
tive land, with all that separation
from friends and kind meant to
those humble, honest, strong minded
men and women. in spite of which
they bravely stuck to the principles
for which they had fought and suf-
fered. undauntedly adhering to the
Covenant which they had signed
with their own blood.
Among those released from prison
at hal time was George Scott, of
Pitlochie. Fifeshire. a o of Sir
John Scott, of Scotstarvet. who had
been confined to Bass Rock prison
for a period of five years. on account
of his Covenanting activities, and
was given his freedom on condition
that he deport himself and family to
the American Plantations. After
carefully investigating the various
colonies then established on this
continent. that of East Jersey
seemed best to him. and accordingly
he decided to go thence; at the same
time he conceived the idea of pro-
viding for many of his fellow coun-
trymen, who were in a similar posi-
ton as himself, to go along with
him, and chartered the Henry and