John Campbell

John Campbell was a travelling director of the London Missionary Society.  A man short in stature and large in character, he kept on his person, a black umbrella to ward off the sun and a bottle of brandy to subdue a pestering thirst.  He visited South Africa twice, initially in 1813 and then again in 1819.   At that time, there was no mission station between Kuruman in the South West, the Great Fish River in the South East and the equator.  The LMS envisioned big pickings in this vast land.

Campbell's first destination was Dithakong, a collection of rustic dwellings, home to almost eight thousand people.  Through the hard work of Campbell and missionaries from Kuruman, an introduction was secured to Bechuana chief, Mothibi.  With diplomacy and determination, a missionary presence in Dithakong was arranged.  This  post was filled by the as yet not so famous, Robert Moffat.

Dithakong in 1801, a painting by Samuel Daniell.