BIO: David Henshey CAMPBELL, Huntingdon County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JO Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ********************************************************** __________________________________________________________________ Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley: Comprising the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata and Perry, Pennsylvania, Containing Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens and Many of the Early Settlers. Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Co., 1897, pages 358, 361. __________________________________________________________________ REV. DAVID HENSHEY CAMPBELL, Mount Union, Pa., is the pastor of the Presbyterian churches of Mount Union, Mapleton, and Newton Hamilton, which are connected with the presbytery of Huntingdon. This position he has successfully and acceptably filled since 1884, at which time, on November 18, he and his family became residents of Mount Union. Mr. Campbell was the ninth child and sixth son of John and Barbara (Henshey) Campbell, and was born in the village of Davidsburg, July 28, 1846, the year in which "little Blair" became one of the counties of Pennsylvania. On his paternal side, Mr. Campbell is of Scotch extraction, and on his maternal side, of German origin. His great- grandfather, Robert Campbell, was born in County Down, Ireland; he emigrated to America in 1746, and settled in Chester, Pa., but removed to Kishacoquillas in 1774. His grandfather, Robert Campbell (2), was born in 1770, in Big Valley, Mifflin county, Pa., of which valley John Campbell, father of Rev. David H., was also a native. Mrs. John Campbell was born near Chambersburg, Pa., in 1809. Mr. Campbell's ancestors were endowed with more than ordinary ability, and were leaders in their day. His father served as justice of the peace for thirty years, and as ruling elder of the Logan's Valley Presbyterian church for forty-four years. The early years of David H. Campbell were spent on his fathers farm, or in assisting in his father's tannery. His elementary education was obtained in the common school. When but a youth, he was mustered into the United States service during the Civil war, at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, Pa., July 12, 1864, as a member of Company G, (Capt. Telico Johnson), of the First Independent Regiment of Hundred Days men, Maj. Jacob Szink commanding, and was mustered out of service November 10, 1864, at the expiration of his term of enlistment. Soon after his return home, he entered the drug store of George W. Kessler, of Altoona, for the purposed of becoming a druggist. He became interested in the compounding of prescriptions, and gave good satisfaction to his preceptors. He was careful and reliable, and won the confidence of his employer and family, as well as that of the large patronage of the store. During a revival service in the First Presbyterian church, Altoona, early in 1867, under the ministry of Rev. R. M. Wallace, the plans of Mr. Campbell for his future life were entirely changed. At that time, he not only was converted, but felt called to devote his life to the work of the gospel ministry. In the following May, he left the drug business, and entered Logan Academy, at Bells Mills, with the intention of preparing for college. He remained there until the fall of 1868, when he entered Tuscarora Academy, at Academia, Pa., and spent one year there. In September, 1869, he was admitted to the sophomore class of Lafayette College, and graduated there in 1872, having stood well in his class. He entered Union Theological Seminary, New York City, in the fall of 1872, and completed his course there May 10, 1875. He was licensed to preach the gospel by the presbytery of Huntingdon in June, 1874. On the completion of his course, Mr. Campbell at once accepted a very cordial call to the pastorate of the Fruit Hill Presbyterian church, and immediately entered upon the work. It was a country charge and a hopeful field. At an adjourned meeting of the presbytery of Huntingdon, held June 17, 1875, he was ordained to the gospel ministry and installed pastor of that church. On June 23, 1875, Rev. Mr. Campbell was married by Rev. J. Mathers to Miss Anna Helen Peelor, only daughter of David and Lavinia (Brown) Peelor, of Johnstown, Pa. He has a happy family of two daughters and a son. His ministry in his first field lasted nearly ten years. It was a most successful and prosperous pastorate. Two churches costing at least ten thousand dollars were built, and the parsonage was enlarged and greatly improved. The church grew both in numbers and in the grace of giving. More than two hundred new members were added. In September, 1884, Mr. Campbell was unanimously called to his present field. This came unsought. It was with sadness that he severed his relation with a church where he had worked happily for almost a decade; but it seemed to be the leading of Providence. Rev. Mr. Campbell and his family met with a very warm reception when they came to this field, where he was installed November 25, 1884. The work here has gone on encouragingly up to the present time. In connection with the churches of Mount Union and Mapleton, he was also installed on the above date as pastor of the Shirleysburg church. On May 1, 1892, his pastoral relation with the church at Shirleysburg was dissolved in order that he might become pastor of the Newton Hamilton church, for one-fourth of his time. During Mr. Campbell's ministry the work has gone steadily forward; the Sabbath-school membership has been doubled; congregations have increased, five hundred and thirty-two persons having been added to their membership; and the sacrament of baptism has been administered to two hundred and eighty-three children and adults. Mr. Campbell received the degree of Master of Arts from Lafayette College in 1881. At the last commencement of Lafayette College, held June 23, 1897, the honorary degree of D.D. was conferred upon him by his Alma Mater. He represented the presbytery of Huntingdon in the meeting of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian church at Buffalo in 1881, and at Saratoga Springs in 1894. He has for a number of years been chairman of the standing committee on Sabbath-schools in the presbytery. He took an active part in the Prohibition Amendment campaign in 1889, and did much to help increase the vote of Huntingdon county. He has been identified with all that has made for the progress and prosperity of his town, and to some extent, of the county. He has declined several calls to other charges since coming to his present field. His people have shown their confidence in him by presenting him with a Remington Standard Typewriter in 1888, and increasing his salary in 1893. David Peelor, the father of Mrs. Campbell, was for three years in the State Department of Pennsylvania under Governor Curtin, and ably filled the position of civil engineer with the Cambria Iron Co. at Johnstown for about thirty years. He was a man of strong intellect and of inventive powers. He had a system of telegraphy carefully thought out and far on the way to its completion some years before Morse's invention was made known.