WILLIAM J. CAMPBELL

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         One of the many citizens of Louisa county who went to the front in defense of their country in the early ‘60s is William J. Campbell, a retired agriculturist of Elliott township. He was born in Perry county, Illinois, on the 18th of August, 1839, and is a son of William S. and Nancy (McComb) Campbell, the father a native of Mercer county, Pennsylvania, and the mother of Chester county, South Carolina, but of Irish extraction. They were married in southern Illinois and soon afterward removed to Henderson county, that state, where they resided until 1857, when they came to Des Moines county, Iowa. They continued to make their home on a farm until 1864, when they disposed of that property and went to Northfield, where the mother passed away in 1867. Subsequently the father again sold his home and removed to Chariton, this state, where he was residing at the time of his demise in February, 1878. Mr. and Mrs. William S. Campbell were the parents of seven children: Mary Ann, the widow of Fred Courts, of Quincy, Illinois; William J., our subject; Moses F., now a resident of California; Thomas H., who is deceased; Eliza, the widow of Wesley Cowles, of California; Theodore, who is deceased; and one who died in infancy.

         William J. Campbell acquired his early education in the common schools, following which he attended college, remaining at home until the opening of the Civil war. He first enlisted for four months, going to the front under Captain Streator. During that period he saw much active service, the two most important engagements probably being those of Dug Springs and Wilson Creek. At the expiration of his period of enlistment he returned to St. Louis, being . . .

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. . . mustered out there on the 20th of August, 1861. He returned home but re-enlisted October 10th, and on the 15th of November, 1861, was mustered into service, going to the front as captain of Company K, Fourteenth Iowa Volunteers. His second period of service covered three years and he participated in the battles of Fort Donelson and Shiloh, being taken prisoner during the latter conflict and held for six months and eleven days. When paroled he returned home, where he remained for two months, during which time he was married. Shortly afterward he again joined his regiment, remaining at the front till the close of hostilities, when he was mustered out at Davenport. After the close of the war he came to Louisa county and bought a farm, which he cultivated until 1907, when he retired and removed to Oakville, where he continues to reside, but he still owns two hundred and forty acres of land in section 34, Elliott township.

         Mr. Campbell was united in marriage on the 20th of November, 1862, to Miss Mary Jane Johnson, who was born in Wapello township, this county, on the 10th of March, 1843, a daughter of George and Margaret Johnson, natives of Fayette county, Ohio. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Campbell were born twelve children: Anna E., who is now deceased; Elmer E., a resident of this county; Susan J., also living in this county; George W., who is operating the old homestead; Maggie M. and John T., twins, the former the wife of Frank Swise, of Oakville, and the latter also residing in Louisa county; Frank W., living in Minnesota; Robert S., also in Minnesota; Charles, deceased; James A., now living in Oakville; Emma A., the wife of D. D. Marshall, of Oakville; and Thomas W., deceased. Mrs. Campbell died on the 5th of December, 1910, being survived by nine of her children and twenty grandchildren, and was laid to rest in Northfield cemetery, Des Moines county. She was a member of the Methodist church.

         His first vote Mr. Campbell cast for Abraham Lincoln and has ever since given his support to the candidates of the republican party. He has always taken an active interest in all political affairs and has filled a number of the township offices. Through the medium of his membership in the grand Army of the Republic Mr. Campbell maintains relations with his comrades of the Civil war, of whom there are but few left. He is one of the highly esteemed citizens of Elliott township, as in all of his relations in life he has shown the same just spirit and loyalty which characterized him as a soldier and officer on the battlefields of the south, where he rendered such efficient service.