BIOGRAPHY: John I. CAMPBELL, Cambria County, PA 

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From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 449-50
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John I. CAMPBELL

JOHN I. CAMPBELL, of Gallitzin, Pennsylvania, is the son of Robert and Mary 
(Kunz) Campbell, and was born in Carrolltown, this county, October 8, 1866. His 
father was also born in Carrolltown, and moved to Gallitzin in 1878, where he 
made his home up to the time of his death in 1893, at the age of 52 years. He 
was a member of the Catholic church. In 1864 the elder Campbell enlisted as a 
private in Company F, Seventy-Fifth regiment Pennsylvania volunteers, and served 
until the close of the war. A saddler by trade, he carried on that business for 
several years. He at one time served as burgess of Carrolltown.
     John Campbell, the grandfather of our subject, was of Scotch descent. He 
died at Carrolltown, Pennsylvania. Mr. Campbell's mother was a native of Baden-
Baden, Germany. She came to the United States when twelve years of age, with her 
parents, who located in Carrolltown, Pennsylvania. She died in 1883 at the age 
of forty-two years. She also was a member of the Catholic church. His maternal 
grandfather, Ignatius Kunz, was a native of Germany. He died in Carrolltown. 
Soon after his death his family moved to Minnesota, where they now reside.
     Mr. John I. Campbell was reared in Carrolltown and Gallitzin. He was 
educated in the public schools of this county and finished his education in the 
classical course at St. Vincent college in Latrobe. After leaving school he 
entered the service of the Pennsylvania Railroad company as a laborer between 
Cresson and this borough, and soon after drove a mule in what is now known as 
the Gallitzin Coal and Coke works. Subsequently he accepted a position as clerk 
in the general store of F. J. Cristy, of Gallitzin, where he remained until 
1885, when he embarked in the newspaper business, starting the Gallitzin News, 
an independent journal, and the first newspaper published in Gallitzin. In this 
enterprise he continued for two and a half years, when he sold his plant to Mr. 
Kilduff, who continued the publication under the name of the Gallitzin 
Vindicator. It is now owned by W. S. Strickland and has been rechristened the 
Gallitzin Tines.
     After disposing of his newspaper Mr. Campbell, in partnership with his 
father, engaged in the harness and saddlery business until April 9, 1888, when 
he was appointed railway postal clerk in the service between New York city and 
Pittsburg. On receiving this appointment Mr. Campbell turned over his interest 
in the harness business to his father. Strict integrity and fidelity in the 
discharge of his duties have left him undisturbed in his position, where he has 
remained continuously since his appointment, and he is at present clerk in 
charge of the railway service. He has been in a number of serious wrecks, 
notably that near Newport, Pa., when, with all his clerks he was injured, and 
again in 1895, when the fireman and engineer were killed. Mr. Campbell has 
served as a member of the school board in his district, and is popular among his 
neighbors and fellow-citizens.
     May 30, 1889, he was married to Miss Alice, daughter of Stephen Reilly, of 
Gallitzin. They have two sons: Lawrence D. and William L. The family are all 
members of the Catholic church, and Mrs. Campbell is the organist of the church 
at Gallitzin.