Pictorial and Genealogical Record
of Greene County, Missouri • 1893

Together with Bibliographies of Prominent Men of Other Portions of the State, Both Living and Dead


MRS. M. G. WEAVER. The story of the pioneer families of Greene County would be incomplete without the history of Ezekiel Madison Campbell and Joseph John Weaver, the father and husband of Mrs. M. G. Weaver, the subject of this sketch. They were honored and respected citizens of Greene County. The Campbell family springs from sterling Scotch stock of the famous highland clan of that name, celebrated in song and story and who marched to the tune "The Campbells are coming" in all the noted border frays of Scotland. Members of the family were among the very oldest colonial settlers of Pennsylvania. They were sturdy Scotch Presbyterians and were pioneers in the beautiful Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania. At the time of the fearful massacre of the settlers of this peaceful valley by the Indians two young sons of a Campbell family were carried into captivity by the Indians. One of them either escaped or was recaptured by his friends. The other was held a captive until he was twenty-one years of age, when he returned to his family. He proved to possess a very roving disposition and finally settled in South Carolina. From him this branch of the Campbell family descends. Traces of the family are still to be found in the history of both the Carolinas as pioneers, soldiers and prominent men, and it is known that they took a gallant part in their struggle for independence in 1776. John Campbell, the Grandfather of the subject of this sketch, is supposed to have been born in North Carolina. He married in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Matilda Polk. He was a soldier in the War of 1812 and, it is believed, fell fighting the British with Jackson, at the battle of New Orleans. The Polk family from whom Mrs. Weaver descends through Matilda Polk, an aunt of James K. Polk, former president of the United States, by her marriage with John Campbell, were one of the oldest colonial families of the South, and distinguished as gallant soldiers in the Revolutionary War, and have always been a family of prominence and importance in Tennessee and other Southern States. Ezekiel Polk and his brother William-who was the grandfather of Ezekiel M. Campbell, when soldiers in the Revolutionary War, were captured by the British, probably at the battle of Eutaw Springs, and confined on a prison ship in Charleston Harbor. They were treated with great cruelty and suffered extremely, William being so greatly reduced that his death was imminent. The brothers were offered their liberty if thev would take an oath of allegiance to the British crown--to save the life of William they did so. William repudiated his oath and became a distinguished officer in the Continental army and received a large grant of land in Maury County, Tennessee. He was the ancestor of Bishop Leonidas Polk, of Tennessee, who was killed at the battle of Chicamauga. Ezekiel became a British subject and held his oath inviolate. He was the grandfather of James K. Polk and the father of Matilda Polk who married John Campbell and who came a widow to Greene County with her sons. She was a well-known pioneer. She was the mother of E. M., John P., William, Junius, Samuel, Campbell and Mrs Matilda (Campbell) Blackman- all of whom came to Greene County about the same time. Ezekiel M. Campbell, son of John, the soldier of 1812, and father of our subject, was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, and went to Tennessee, when a young man and married there, Rebecca Adkins, and they became the parents of ten children: William, John, Elijah, Orphelia, Margaret, Matilda, Rebecca, James, Mary and Robert. This is the order of their birth. In October, 1832, Mr. Campbell moved to Greene County, where his brother, John P. Campbell, had settled the year before. Mrs. Weaver was an infant of but three months old when her parents brought her to this county, and thus nearly all of her life has been passed here. Mr. Campbell first settled where Springfield now stands and after a few years he moved to Polk County, M, where he settled on land and where he passed the remainder of his days. Mr. Campbell was a man of property and a slave-owner. He was a typical representative of our best Missouri pioneers, of stalwart frame, and with a noble and dignified appearance. His likeness, preserved to this day, shows him to have been a man of more than ordinary brain power and intelligence. Mr. Campbell was a very devout and prominent member of the Baptist Church, and was one of its main supporters in southwest Missouri, and was always liberal with his means to aid the preaching of the gospel. He was a man of high character and a stanch adherent to honest principles. By birth and training he was a strong southern man, and his sons, William, James and Robert, were all Confederate soldiers. The latter died from exposure, during the war, and was buried at Camden, Ark. Mrs. M. G. Weaver, our subject, was born in Maury County, Tenn., July 9, 1832, and, as before related, was brought by her parents to Greene County, when an infant of but three months old. She received her education in Mrs. Peck's private school in Springfield. Her parents recognizing the discipline of work, brought her up to be industrious and she learned when young to be a skillful.housekeeper. Throughout her life shehas found these lessons to be most valuable, as they have enabled her to become on efficient and self reliant woman. On November 18, 1852, at the home of her parents, in Polk County, she was married to Joseph John Weaver-born March 1, 1828, in Maury County, Tenn. He was the eldest son of Maj. Joseph Weaver, a soldier of the War of 1812, and one of Greene Counties' best-known pioneers. Joseph J. Weaver had received a good common-school education for his day and became a stock dealer and farmer in which business he prospered. At the breaking out of the war he was a clerk in the Greene County Bank of Springfield and was at one time a prominent merchant. He was, in political opinions, a stanch Democrat and was mayor of Springfield at one time, and was one of the early members of the Masonic Fraternity in this city. He was a man of prominence and was well known throughout Greene County for his integrity of character and possessed the confidence and respect of the people. He was prosperous in his undertakings and left a goodly property to his wife and child. Mr. and Mrs. Weaver were the parents of one child, a daughter, Judith Rebecca. She was well educated at_______ Seminary, of St. Louis, Mo., and married Samuel Young, of Springfield. She died in December, 1885, leaving, one daughter, Matilda. She was much lamented by her relatives and friends. Mr. Weaver was a member of the Christian Church and was always ready with his assistance. He died December, 1880. Mrs. Weaver has been a resident of Springfield since her marriage and is well known as a liberal contributor to her church. She gave the money, $10,000 with which to build the pleasant and commodious Christian Church in North Springfield and was one of the largest assistants in erecting the South Street Christian Church and has throughout her life devoted much of her means to assist in the support and spread of the Gospel. She is one of those Christians who believe in practical works, and that the salvation of mankind depends upon the increase of the churches and spread of the Gospel, and with generous and unstinted hand has erected a monument to her memory which will remain for many years. The benefactions have not only added to the religious growth of Springfield but have increased its material prosperity, for wherever the church stands and finds firm supporters, there will be found a virtuous and thrifty people. Mrs. Weaver is a woman of great force of character. Having learned when young the value of work and industry, she has, since the death of her husband, become a practical business woman and attends to all matters of business personally, including the collections of her rents and the improvement of her properties. Mrs. Weaver's name in Spring- field is a synonym of honor, virtue and Christian effort.

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