Campbell, Lewis

CAMPBELL, BOWER, KISER, STURGEON

Posted By: mjv (email)
Date: 9/9/2020 at 14:15:28

Lewis Campbell, farmer and stock-raiser, section 20, Dutch Creek Township, was born Feb. 16, 1821, in Huntingdon County, Pa., and is the son of Robert and Lydia (Bower) Campbell, the father being of Scotch descent and the mother of German. His grandfather Campbell was in the Revolutionary War. In 1821, Mrs. Campbell went to Perry County, Pa., and made her home with her father, where Lewis also lived until he was eleven years of age. About 1829, Mrs. Campbell was again married, to Isaac Kiser, who was a native of Pennsylvania.

The subject of this sketch made his home with his mother and step-father until about seventeen years of age, assisting in the farm work, and attending the district schools as the opportunity was afforded him. At the age of seventeen he commenced working at the carpenter’s trade, and in 1844 cast his lot with the pioneers of Iowa. In 1845 he purchased 160 acres of land, forty of which was in timber, the remainder being in prairie. He made this purchase by the advice and assistance of Dr. Mealy. On the 28th of November, 1845, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary J. Sturgeon, a daughter of Samuel and Olivia Sturgeon, who were natives of Ohio. In 1847 he sold his first land and with a land warrant which he had purchased, secured 160 acres of prairie land and forty of timber, where he now resides on sections 17 and 20 in Dutch Creek Township. He has 154 acres in Seventy-Six Township, making in a 314 acres. The home farm has good building and is under a good state of cultivation.

Mr. and Mrs. Campbell have had nine children, three sons and six daughters: Samuel died in infancy; Frances died at the age of six; Harmonia, wife of John Latta, a Cumberland Presbyterian minister resided at Hill’s Ferry, Stanislaus Co., Cal; Kossuth, born Dec. 4, 1854, died March 6, 1872; Cyclonia, born April 17, 1857, is now the wife of Charles Mills, a stock-dealer in Richmond, Iowa; Hortensia, born April, 7, 1860, now the wife of Thomas Gregory, a farmer residing in Seventy- Six Township; Cora, born Jan. 6, 1863, died April 17, 1864; Vitelia, born April 16, 1865, at home; Norman, born April 21, 1870, died Jan. 20, 1879.

Mrs. Campbell’s father was a minister of the Associate Reformed Church. He was a faithful laborer and a missionary for many years of his life. He was attending Presbytery at Keokuk at the time of his death. Her mother was a devoted Christian and was always ready to speak a kind word to any and all. Mrs. Campbell was brought up in the faith of the Presbyterian Church, but they are both firm believers in Spiritualism. Miss Vitelia Campbell is a school teacher and has taught several successful terms in the Paris school. She is a young lady of excellent ability. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell are well known throughout the township and enjoy the confidence and respect of all for their good qualities of head and heart.

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington County, Iowa (1887). Excerpt from Biographical Sketch of Lewis Campbell, pages 595-596.