John Campbell
The earliest ancestor of which we have any account was Duncan Campbell, of Argyleshire, Scotland. He married Mary McCoy in 1612, and removed to Londonerrv in Ireland the same year. He had a son, John Campbell, who married in 1655, Grace Hay, daughter of Patrick Hay, Esq., of Londonderry. They had three sons, one of whom was Robert, born in 1665, and who, with his sons, John, Hugh and Charles Campbell, emigrated to Virginia in 1696. and settled in that part of Orange County afterward incorporated in Augusta. The son, Charles Campbell, was born in 1704, and died in 1778. In 1739, he was married to Mary Trotter. He had seven sons and three daughters. He was the historian of Virginia. His son, William, born in 1754, and died in 1822. was a soldier of the Revolution, and as such had a distinguished record as a General at King's Mountain and elsewhere. He married Elizabeth Willson, of Rockbridge County, Virginia, a member of the distinguished Willson family. They had eleven children. Their son, Charles, was born December 28, 1779. and died September 26, 1871. He was married September 20, 1803, to Elizabeth Tweed, in Adams County. He had five sons. The third was John Campbell, of Ironton, born January 14, 1808, in Adams County, Ohio.
The Willson family intermarried with the Campbell family, who also have a distinguished record. Colonel John Willson, born in 1702, and died in 1773, settled near Fairfield, then Augusta County, Virginia, and was a Burgess of that county for twenty-seven years. He once held his court where Pittsburgh now stands. His wife, Martha, died in 1755, and both are buried in the Glebe burying ground in Augusta County, Vir ginia. His brother, Thomas, had a daughter, Rebekah. born in 1728, and died in 1820. who married James Willson, born in 1715 and died in 1809. This James Willson, with his brother, Moses, was found when a very young boy in an open boat in the Atlantic Ocean. They were accompanied by their mother and a maid. The mother died at the moment of rescue and the maid a few moments after. The captain of the rescuing ship brought the boys to this country where they grew up, married and spent their lives.
James Willson had a large family of sons and daughters. His daughter, Elizabeth, born in 1758 and died February 27, 1832, married William Campbell, the Revolutionary General. Her brother, Moses, was the father of Dr. William B. Willson, of Adams County, who has a sketch in this work, and also of James S. Willson, the father of Dr. William Finley Willson, who also has a sketch herein. Judge John W. Campbell, United States District Judge, who has a sketch herein was a son of the Revolutionary General, William Campbell, who removed from Virginia to Kentucky in 1790 and from Kentucky to Adams County. Ohio, in 1798. Our subject was a resident of Adams County from his birth until 1857, when that portion of Adams County where he resided was placed in Brown County. He was reared on his father's farm and received what education he could obtain at home. He clerked for his uncle, Wiliam Humphreys, who had married his father's sister. Elizabeth, at Ripley, in 1828. After learmng enough of the business, as he thought, he induced his uncle to go in partnership with him and they started a store at Russellville, Ohio. Here John was popular with every one and would have succeeded, but the place and business was too slow for him. He had $600 saved up and he sold out the business and put his capital in the steamboat, "Banner," of which he became clerk. The boat was in the Cincinnati and Pittsburg trade. After his second trip on the steamboat, he made up his mind that was not his vocation. While coming down the river on this trip he met Robert Hamilton, the pioneer master of the Hanging Rock iron region and made inquiries for any opening in the iron business. Mr. Hamilton invited him to get off at Hanging Rock. He left the boat and accepted a clerkship at Pine Grove Furnace. This was in 1832. Mr. Campbell was anxious to stand well in the estimation of Mr. Hamilton. Shortly before his steamboat venture, he had met in Ripley, a young lady named Elizabeth Clarke, niece of Mr. Hamilton's wife. He fell in love with her. She made her home with her aunt, Mrs. Hamilton, who was a daughter of John Ellison and a sister of William Ellison, of Manchester. Naturally, Mr. Campbell would accept an invitation to go to Pine Grove Furnace. He was ambitious to succeed as a business man and he believed he could do so under Mr. Hamilton's teaching. He wanted to marry his niece who stood to Mr. Hamilton as a daughter. He succeeded in both purposes. The next year, 1833, he took an interest with Mr. Hamilton in building the Hanging Rock Forge at Hanging Rock. The same year he and Andrew Ellison built Lawrence Furnace for the firm of J. Riggs & Co. This year was formed the celebrated partnership of Campbell. Ellison & Company, of which he was a partner and which continued in existence until 1865. In 1834, he and Robert Hamilton built Mt. Vernon Furnace and he moved there and became its manager. The furnace was the property of Campbell, Ellison & Company for thirty years, and largely the source of the fortunes made by the members of that firm. It was at this furnace Mr. Campbell made the change of placing the boilers and hot blast over the tunnel head, thus utilizing the waste gases, a method after generally adopted by all the charcoal furnaces of that region and in the United States.
On March 16, 1837, he was married at Pine Grove Furnace to Miss Elizabeth Caldwell Clarke, already mentioned, and they began housekeeping at Mt. Vernon Furnace.
In 1837, he had an interest at Vesuvius Furnace, and he induced the other owners to test the hot blast principle. This was the first hot blast put up in this country and though it met with srong opposition through expectation of bad results, the experiment proved satisfactory in producing an increased quantity of iron for foundry use. Mr. Campbell was always among the first to project any useful enterprise. He was largely concerned in the first geological survey of the State, and by reason of his study of local geology he purchased lands extensively in the Hanging Rock region with a view to future development of their mineral resources.
In 1845, he left Mt. Vernon Furnace and took up his residence at Hanging Rock.
In 1846, he and Mr. John Peters built Greenup Furnace in Kentucky, and in 1846, Olive Furnace, Ohio, to which was added Buckhorn. In 1847, he built Gallia Furnace, and in 1848, he and others built Key stone Furnace. In 1849, while residing at Hanging Rock, he evolved the project of establishing the town of Ironton. The Ohio Iron and Coal Company, composed of twenty-four persons, was formed. Twenty of the organizers were iron masters. He became the president of the company and was its soul, so far as a corporation is capable of having a soul. The company purchased forty acres of land, three miles above Hanging Rock, and undertook to form a model town and succeeded as near as any one has ever succeeded. Mr. Campbell gave the town its name, "Ironton." He was one of the projectors of the Iron Railroad which was designed to make the furnace, north and east of Ironton, tributary to the town. In 1850, Mr. Campbell moved to the city of Ironton which there after was his home during his lifetime. The same year he purchased La Grange Furnace. The same year was built in Ironton the foundry of the firm of Campbell, Ellison & Co. In 1851, Mr. Campbell became one of the founders of the Iron Bank of Ironton, afterwards changed to the First National Bank. In 1852, he was one of the organizers of the Ironton Rolling Mill, afterward the New York and Ohio Iron and Steel Works. The same year he took half the stock in the Olive Furnace and Machine Shops. The same year he purchased the celebrated Hecla Cold Blast Furnace. In 1853, he became one of the largest stockholders in the Kentucky Iron, Coal and Manufacturing Company, which founded the town of Ashland, Kentucky.
In 1854, he, D. T. Woodrow and others, built Howard Furnace. The same year he built a large establishment to manufacture an iron beam plow, and also built Madison Furnace. This year he took stock in the Star Nail Mill, one of the largest in the country and now known as the Belfont Iron Works. In 1855, he, with V. B. Horton, of Pomeroy, organized a company and built a telegraph line from Pomeroy to Cincinnati. In 1866 he organized the Union Iron Company, owners of Washington and Monroe Furnaces, and was its president for many years. From his majority he had been opposed to the institution of slavery, and was an Abolitionist. His opinions on the subject of slavery were no doubt largely formed by his associations with Rev. John Rankin and men of his views, but as he grew older, his views against the institution intensified. His home was one of the stations on the Underground Railroad, and there the poor, black fugitive was sure of a friendly meeting and all needed assistance.
Mr. Campbell acted with the Whig party, and after its death, with the Republican party. He was a delegate to the State Republican Con vention in 1855. He never sought or held any public office until 1862, when, in recognition of his great and valuable services to the Republi can party and to his country, President Lincoln appointed him the first Internal Revenue Collector for the Eleventh Collection District of Ohio, and he served in the office with great fidelity and honor until October 1, 1866, when he was succeeded by Gen. B. F. Coates.
In 1872, Mr. Campbell reached the height of his fortune. He was then worth over a million of dollars. Up to that time he had invested in and promoted almost every enterprise projected inside the circle of his acquaintance. He had not done this recklessly or extravagantly, but from natural disposition to promote prosperity.
In 1873, the Cooke panic overtook the country and from that time until 1883, there was a steady contraction in every enterprise with which Mr. Campbell was connected. In 1880, it was largely through the influence and work of John Campbell that the Scioto Valley Railroad was completed to Ironton and eastward.
In 1883. the Union Iron Company failed. For years Mr. Campbell had sustained it, and for some time had been endorsing for it personally, hoping to sustain its waning fortunes, but its failure was too much for him and he was compelled to make an assignment in his old age, but he went down with that grand and noble courage, which in his youth and middle life had caused him to go into every business venture. No one who knew Mr. Campbell ever thought any less of him on account of his failure, bui he had the sympathy and good will of every man who had known him in a business way. His changed financial condition never affected the esteem in which he had been held or lessened, in any way, the great influence he held in the community. He survived until August 30. 1891, but owing to the condition of business affairs and his advanced age, was never able to retrieve his lost fortunes.
In the case of Mr. Campbell, it is most difficult to make a just and true character estimate which will truly display the man. He had so many excellent qualities that there is danger that all may not be mentioned. He had a wonderful faculty of looking forward and determining in advance what business enterprises would succeed The writer does not know a proper term by which to designate this feature of his character. He could and would predict the success of a proposed business venture when all others were incredulous. He lived to see his business judgment verified. He never hesitated to act on his judgment of the future, and personally, he was never mistaken or wrong. He had a wonderful influence over his fellow men. He could bring them to his views and induce them to carry them out. He was never haughty or proud. He was approachable to all. He took a personal interest in all men of his acquaintance who tried to do anything for themselves. He was always the friend of the unfortunate. The colored people all loved him. In the slavery days no fugitive ever called on him in vain. He was sure of aid, relief and comfort in Mr. Campbell. His judgment was incisive. He examined a matter carefully and made up his mind, and when once made up, he was immovable. He possessed a most equable temper. He never got impatient or. angry. Under the most trying circumstances, he was calm and gentle. He was, in his time, by far, the most conspicuous figure in the Hanging Rock iron region. He was identified with every public enterprise in Ironton from the foundation of the town. Many of the important industries in Ironton owe their success to his excellent judgment. No one went to him to enlist him in a worthy public enterprise who did not succeed. No meritorious appeal for aid was ever made to him and refused by him. He was always ready to aid any deserving man or association of men, either in business or charity. The universal sorrow expressed on the occasion of his death and funeral show how he stood among his fellow citizens. There was a public meeting called to prepare resolutions expressive of the sentiments of the community. The bar of the county met and passed resolutions, though he was never a member of that body. The city council also met and made public record of its sentiments. He had the confidence, the respect, the esteem and love of the entire community. The attendance at his funeral of itself demonstrated the regard in which he was held. No greater funeral was ever held in Ironton. The city police were mounted, the city and county officials and the bar attended as bodies. All the church bells were tolled and all business suspended. It was well that the whole city mourned, because to John Campbell, more than to anyone else, was it indebted for its existence and its prosperity. In the space allotted in this book, justice cannot be done to the career of Mr. Campbell. We have given and can give but a partial view of his career and character. His wife survived him. They had five children, three daughters and two sons, who grew to maturity. His eldest daughter was Mrs. Henry S. Neal, who died be fore her father. His second daughter is Mrs. William Means, of Yellow Springs, Ohio. His daughters Emma and Clara are both now deceased. His son, Albert, resides at Washington, D. C, and his son, Charles, at Hecla Furnace. His wife died November 19, 1893.
From History of Adams County, Ohio from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time - by Nelson W. Evans and Emmons B. Stivers - West Union, Ohio - Published by E. B. Stivers - 1900