John Campbell (Ian Bàn), overseer on the estate of Shirvain, Argyleshire,
was born about the year 1705, in the parish of Glassary, in the same
county. He was entirely uneducated in youth, and never attained any
knowledge of the English language. Becoming intimately acquainted with
the Scriptures in his vernacular language, he paraphrased many passages
in harmonious verse; but, with the exception of fifteen hymns or sacred
lays which were recovered from his recitation by the poet Duncan
Kennedy, the whole have perished. The hymns of John Campbell retain much
popularity among the Gael.