Springfield-Greene
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JOHN POLK CAMPBELL. Agriculture is the greatest among all the arts of man, as it is the first in supplying his necessities. It favors and strengthens population; it creates and maintains manufactures; gives employment to navigation and transportation, furnishing materials for commerce. It animates every species of industry, and opens to nations the safest channels of wealth. It is the strongest bond of well-regulated society, the surest basis of internal peace, and the natural associate of correct morals. Among all the occupations and professions of life, there is none more honorable, none more independent, and none more conducive to health and happiness. One of the successful farmers of the pioneer period of Greene county, Missouri, was John P. Campbell, a native of this locality, having been among the early white children born here, and, here, amid the wilderness scenes of the early times, he spent his life, dying many years ago when still a young man.
Mr. Campbell was born in Springfield, Missouri, January 2,1835. He was a son of Junius T. and Mary (Blackwell) Campbell, who came to Greene county, this state, from Tennessee in the earliest frontier days and located their permanent home on a farm, and here our subject grew to manhood, and assisted his father clear and develop the place. He received his education in the early schools of Springfield; later attended school in Fayetteville, Missouri, for some time. Then young Campbell, after leaving his paternal roof-tree, began farming for himself, and became owner of a good farm five miles from Springfield, where he engaged successfully in general farming and stock raising until his death, which occurred on October 18, 1878.
Mr. Campbell was married on January 20, 1857, to Sue E. Gray, a daughter of Elijah and Anna (Brooks) Gray. These parents were natives of Virginia, where they grew to maturity, were educated in the early schools, and there were married and began housekeeping, later removing to the state of Tennessee, where they remained some time, then came to Springfield, Missouri, when their daughter, Sue, was but two years of age and here she grew to womanhood and attended the common schools.
Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. John P. Campbell, three of whom are living at this writing, namely: Mary Frances, who married Charles W. Doling, formerly a merchant of Springfield and a well-known citizen here, now deceased, his death having occurred on May 27, 1892, leaving four children, James Francis, Rafe Campbell, Charles Lee, and Lillian Elizabeth. Mrs. Doling is at this writing principal of Berry ward school in Springfield and is one of the popular educators of the county. She and her daughter, Lillian Elizabeth Doling, are both members of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The other children of J. P. Campbell and wife were James Madison and Richard Huntly, both deceased; John Polk is farming in Greene county, this state; James is deceased; Robert Bruce is living on the old home place near Springfield, which he operates; Russell Vinton is deceased.
Politically Mr. Campbell was a Democrat, and he was a member of the Christian church. Mrs. Campbell, now advanced in years, is living on South Jefferson street, Springfield.
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