Watt Campbell was born in 1792 and was enslaved with his family at St. Inigoes plantation in Maryland. Watt and his wife Theresa (b.1792) had nine children: Frank (b.1819), Sam (b.1823), Rachel (b.1827), Alexander (b.1828), Charlotte (b.1829), Emeline (b.1830), Watt (b.1835), Daniel (b.1840), and an unknown child born in 1837 who died young. Eight of the couple’s nine children joined the couple as passengers on the ship the Uncas.
Although the entire family was initially sold to Louisiana plantation owner Jesse Batey, the family was split when various members were resold to other slave owners in Louisiana. Theresa was sold to Armogene Robichaux for several hundred dollars less than her son, who was sold to Joachim Gueno. H.M. Thibodaux purchased sisters Rachel and Charlotte, while Evariste Porche purchased their younger sister Emeline. Their brothers, Alexander and Watt, were sold to Edward Murphy and Leufroy Barras. These individuals were recorded as “one family” in the bill of sale records, yet were almost entirely split up on arrival in Louisiana. Watt died between 1839 and 1850, and had 20 grandchildren. Theresa lived to be at least 75 and died between 1870 and 1880.
