Background
He was the son of Sir Duncan Campbell, 1st Baronet and Lady Jane Stewart, a daughter of John Stewart, 4th Earl of Atholl.
He was the son of Sir Duncan Campbell, 1st Baronet and Lady Jane Stewart, a daughter of John Stewart, 4th Earl of Atholl.
Sir Duncan was the 7th Laird of the Glenorchy branch of Clan Campbell, and his shrewd, ruthless dealings as "Black Duncan" had capped a spectacular rise in the family fortunes to national prominence in Scotland, with a Nova Scotia baronetcy. Sir Colin was a man of general culture, and devoted much effort to the family seat Balloch Castle. He employed both a German artist and George Jamesone to paint a series of portraits for lieutenant
The German artist having painted male ancestors, Jamesone produced a series of Ladies of Glenorchy, eight portraits of wives of lairds.
He also improved Barcaldine Castle. Childless, they fostered Archibald Campbell (later 9th Earl of Argyll).
This fostering repeated in the next generation that of Archibald"s father Archibald Campbell, 1st Marquess of Argyll, who became Clan Campbell"s head, and had been happily fostered (a custom of the period, but also with political ramifications within the clan) by Sir Duncan.