Springfield-Greene
County LibraryEarly and Recent History and Genealogical Records
of Many of the Representative Citizens
IRVIN H. CAMPBELL. The old Keystone state has furnished many of her good citizens to the newer western states who have been of inestimable value in developing them, for it seems that they have ever been people noted for their enterprise and courage. Although poor when they came into the wilder west, many of them, a few years finds them in possession of good homes, for they work with a will, are not thwarted by obstacles and make good citizens in general. One of this number was the late Irvin H. Campbell, for many years a successful agriculturist, later devoting his time to railroading, and was one of the trusted employees of the Frisco System for a number of years.
Mr. Campbell was born in Huntington, Pennsylvania, January 8, 1848. He is a son of Armstrong Campbell and wife, both natives, of the state of Pennsylvania, where they grew up, were educated in the early-day schools and married, later removing to Ohio, and from that state moved finally to Illinois, the mother, however, dying while the family lived in Ohio. Armstrong Campbell devoted his life to general farming. His death occurred in 1893. He was twice married, the only child by his first wife being Irvin H., the subject of this memoir. Four children were born to his second marriage.
Irvin H. Campbell grew to manhood on the home farm and he assisted his father with the general work on the same during the crop season, and during the winter attended the district schools in Ohio. However, he had little opportunity to receive an extensive education in his boyhood, but he developed himself and always depended upon his individual resources.
Mr. Campbell was a soldier in the days immediately following the Civil war, having enlisted, in May, 1865, in Company I, One Hundred and Thirty-second Regiment, Ohio National Guard. This was during the reconstruction period and his service was about the same as if he had enlisted during the regular period of the Civil war, in which he would gladly have served had he been old enough. He saw some service, however, and was in one skirmish. He was honorably discharged, and not long thereafter came west to Bureau county, Illinois, where his father had previously located, and there he took up farming, which he followed until March 8, 1881, when he came to Springfield, Missouri, where he first secured employment in the Queen City Mills, with which he remained some time, then went to work for the Frisco railroad, remaining with this company until about a year prior to his death, when he retired from active life, after a faithful and successful career as railroader.
Mr. Campbell was married June 5, 1869, in Illinois, to Anna S. Ott, who was born in Maryland, April 21, 1853. She is a daughter of Jacob D. and Margaret Ann (Houck) Ott, both natives of Maryland and representatives of old Southern families. Mr. Ott was a tanner by trade. When the wife of our subject was five years old the Ott family moved to Illinois, and later came to Missouri, where the death of the father occurred in 1904. The mother is still living, making her home in Springfield. Mrs. Campbell is the oldest of ten children, all living. She received a good education in the common schools in Illinois.
Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Campbell, namely: Eva. M., born October 30, 1870, makes her home in Springfield; Blanche E., born April 30, 1872, married J. E. Ledman, and they have one child, Margaret Ann, born March 17, 1913; Lillian B., born August 30, 1874, has remained unmarried; William E., born October 8, 1885, died in infancy.
Politically, Mr. Campbell was a Republican in his earlier years, but later was a Socialist. He was a Christian Scientist in his religious beliefs, and he was formerly a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, but in later years dropped his membership in the same. He was a man of fine character and had a large number of friends here.
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