George Campbell Bio.  Hancock County, WV

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Submitted by: Valerie Crook <vfcrook@trellis.net>

The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 247
Hancock County

GEORGE CAMPBELL. During a long, useful and active
career George Campbell has applied himself to the vocation
of agriculture with such good results that he is now ac-
counted one of the substantial men of the Holliday's Cove
community of Hancock County. He has brought to his
work industry, energy, careful application of modern
methods and intelligent management of the various depart-
ments of farm work, and has thus developed a property as
attractive as it is valuable. Also, while so doing he has
gained and held the well wishes, esteem and confidence of
his fellow citizens.

Mr. Campbell was born on the farm where he now lives,
June 7, 1851, a son of Robert and Margaret (Purdy)
Campbell, the latter a sister of James Purdy, the father
of James A. Purdy, a sketch of whose career will be found
elsewhere in this work. Robert Campbell was born Sep-
tember 27, 1803, at Furnace Place on King's Creek, Han-
cock County, a son of Alexander Campbell, who should not
be confused with the old minister of that name, being not
even of the same immediate family. Alexander Campbell
was a son of James Campbell, a native of Scotland, who
settled here about 1780, and it is thought that Alexander
was born in this locality. James Campbell bought the old
Tarr Furnace, which was the first west of the mountains,
and at which much of the ammunition and cannons were
manufactured for Commodore Perry on Fort Erie, as well
as ammunition used by General Jackson at the memorable
battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812.

Alexander Campbell married Jane Bell, a neighbor girl,
whose nephew, William Bell, still follows the vocation of
collier in the same community. Following his marriage
Mr. Campbell came to the "Hill," as a certain section
is known, a part of which is included in the present farm
of George Campbell and is located about one mile from
Weirton. His father, James, then died, leaving him 500
acres of land in a tract that had been secured from the
Government when Patrick Henry was governor of Virginia,
and in addition to this Mr. Campbell also owned other
lands, so that he was able to give farms to his five sons.
Later he sold his remaining property and went to Illinois.
His sons were: Alexander, who sold his farm, removed to
Illinois, and died in the West; Archibald, who removed to
Van Buren County, Iowa, where he died; David and Daniel,
twins, the latter of whom also removed to the West and
passed away there; and Robert. David and Robert, the
only sons to remain, received the 500-acre farm with one
sister, Elizabeth, who married a Mr. Casson and lived near
Parkersburg, West Virginia. Polly, another sister, mar-
ried Morris Baker and removed to Hardin County, Ohio,
and a third sister. Patience, remained a maiden and died
in old age at Steubenville, Ohio. David continued to live
on his farm during the remainder of his life, and since his
death the property has been sold.

Robert Campbell, as before noted, secured a part of the
500-acre farm, on which he spent his entire married life,
during which he added 165 acres to the property. This
he gave to his eldest son, John P., who is now living in
Arkansas at the advanced age of ninety-one years. Robert
Campbell died at the age of seventy-eight years. His wife,
Margaret, having died when she was sixty-three years of
age, in his declining years he married Alice Linduff, who
survived him some years, without issue. By his first mar-
riage he had the following children: John P.; Jane, who
married Daniel Stansbury and died in Hancock County;
Cyrus, who became a physician and surgeon and went to
Missouri, where he practiced until his death; William, who
removed to Missouri and died there; Elizabeth, who mar-
ried Ephraim Evans and died on a farm in Washington
County, Pennsylvania; James, who went to New Mexico
as a prospector and miner and died there; Robert A., who
followed carpentry at Chester, West Virginia, until his
death; Julia, of Wellsville, Ohio, the widow of James
Wright; Susanna, who married Francis Ralston and still
resides in the Holliday's Cove neighborhood; George, of
this notice; and Hiram T., a retired agriculturist now liv-
ing at Holliday's Cove.

George Campbell was reared on the old home place,
attending the public schools, and some time after attaining
his majority, in company with his brother, Hiram, he
purchased the old farm. They continued to operate the
property as partners for twelve years and then divided
the land, George securing 150 acres. He sold a part of his
coal when it was worth only one-half or one-third what it
is today, but for the past several years has mined quite
successfully, has received a comfortable income from his
extensive orchards and has been prosperous in his work as a
breeder of Poland China hogs. He has kept his business
on the farm and has found fortune and contentment in his
work. Mr. Campbell is a democrat, as has been the family
for generations with the exception of two brothers. With
his family he belongs to the Presbyterian Church at Holli-
day's Cove.

At the age of twenty-four years Mr. Campbell was united
in marriage with Miss Alice Hammond, daughter of Wil-
liam Hammond, an old-time teacher now living at the
Cove.  Mrs. Campbell became her father's housekeeper
when she was fourteen years of age, and continued to act
as such until she was married. Four children have been
born to Mr. and Mrs. Campbell: Charles L., a sketch of
whose career will be found on another page of this work;
Robert Elmer, of Holliday's Cove, formerly a teacher in
the public schools but now a ear inspector on the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad, married Bessie Brice and has three chil-
dren, Robert Brice, Mary Brown and Kenneth; Walter
Hammond, formerly a ear inspector on the Pennsylvania
Railroad and now carrying on operations on a part of
the home farm, married Ila Leonora Gilmore and has four
children, Fred H., Walter B., Pauline Roberta and Vir-
ginia Belle; and Jessie Agnes, the wife of David Dickie
Mercer, of East Liverpool, Ohio, formerly a teacher, as
was she, and later a machinist in the foundry, and now
deceased, and they had two children, Alice M. and Walter.