Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/285

 VIRGINIA BIOGRAFIIY

745

Clarence Jackson Campbell. The land on which Clarence Jackson Campbell, of this narrative, was born, in Amherst connty,\'ir- ginia, has been the property of the Campbell family for more than two centuries, three thousand acres in Rocky Creek Valley hav- ing been granted to Joel Campbell, the immigrant ancestor of the line, who came tc America from Scotland, the homeland, in the history of which country no name plays a more conspicuous part than that of Camp- bell. Here lived and died Lewis Campbell, the son of Joel Campbell, who received the estate upon the death of his father. Lewis Campbell married a member of the Monroe family to which President James Monroe be- longed, one of his sons being Joel Henry, of whom further, father of Clarence Jackson Campbell.

Joel Henry Campbell, son of Lewis Camp- bell, was born on the homestead in Amherst countv, A'irginia, in 1820, died there in 188". Throughout his life he managed the old e.'^tate, engaged in the cultivation of its acres, and when war between the states broke out recruited a company in the vicin- ity, being elected its captain, and entered the Confederate service. He later fought in this conflict under Colonel Mosby. Joel Henry Campbell married Maria Louise, born in Amherst county, \'irginia, daughter of Wil- liam .A. Staples, a farmer and merchant of Amherst and Lynchburg, his wife dving in 1882, aged forty-eight years. Children of Joel Henry and Maria Louise (Staples) Campbell : Clarence Jackson, of whom fur- ther : Roxanna, married John Monroe Camp- bell, a first cousin, and resides in Roanoke, \ irginia.

Clarence Jackson Campbell, son of Joel Henry and Maria Louise (Staples) Camp- bell, was born in Amherst county, Virginia, on the Campbell homestead. May 31, 1863. His home was on the farm until 1890, and he obtained his education in the Amherst high school (Kenmore), the .Sunny Side high school at Bradford, and the Lexington Mili- tary Institute, whence he was graduated in 1884. He was then for three years a school teacher in the .\mherst high school, where he had previously been a pupil, and for the eleven following years was surveyor of .Am- herst county. While teaching school he had begun the study of law, gaining admission to the bar in 1894, and since that time has been engaged in practice with such regu-

larity as his public duties and business con- nections have permitted. In 1S90 he became owner and editor of the ".\mherst News," and is now rounding out a quarter of a cen- tury of successful ownership of this pros- perous journal. Mr. Campbell was elected to the V'irginia legislature in 1 89 1, holding a seat in that body until 1894, three years later being returned to that body and par- tici])ating in the sessions of 1897 and 1898. During his latter term he was a member of the staff of Governor Tyler, and later re- ceived an appointment as judge of Amherst county, serving thus for five years. In the year that he was first elected a member of the X'irginia legislature, Mr. Campbell was also elected to the constitutional convention, being present at all of the important delib- erations of that body. Mr. Campbell holds ar- importanr position in the life of the county, exercising, personally and through the periodical of which he is owner, con- siderable influence, which has always been cast on the side of the right. As a public servant he has been willing and efficient, giving to the position or office of which he v>as the incumbent the best of his energies, talents and abilities, while in his business and professional enterprises he has been uni- formly successful. He is the owner of a farm extending to the corporate limits of Amherst, and he there resides, his home comfortable and attractive. He is a mem- ber of the Order of the Mystic Shrine, the Modern Woodmen of the World, and affili- ates with the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Campbell married, November 26, T884, .'^arah Freeman, born in .Amherst, Vir- ginia, daughter of Captain Thomas W. and Sarah (Smith) Parr, her father an officer of the Confederate States army, her mother dying when her daughter was three years of age. Children of Clarence Jackson and Sarah Freeman (Parr) Campbell: Fannie T'^velyn, died in infancy : Moncure, post- master of Amherst, Virginia, under appoint- ment by President Wilson : Mary L., mar- ried W. R. Pendleton, deceased, and resides with her brother at .Amherst, A^irginia ; .Addie F., married II. R. Mills, associated with Mr. Campbell in the pulilishing of the ".Amherst News :" Thomas Parr, local edi- tor of the ".Amherst News ;" Marguerite, married Edward Jones, of Lynchburg, A''ir- ginia ; Annie, lives at home ; Bland Massie, lives at home.