WILLIAM CAMPBELL was born in county Tyrone, Ireland, April 18, 1818, on the same farm on which his father, Archibald Campbell, and his grandfather, William Campbell were born. This farm was owned by his grandfather, who passed his entire life on it. William Campbell, Sr., was a member of the Episcopal Church, and in that faith reared his family. Archibald Campbell, like his father, spent his whole life on the farm on which he was born. He lived to the ripe old age of eighty-nine years. The maiden name of his wife was Elizabeth Stewart, she being a native of the same vicinity, and a daughter of James Stewart, who was a native of Ireland and a descendant of Scotch ancestry. Mrs. Campbell died in Ireland, aged seventy-eight years. The names of their six children are: Mary, William, Catherine, James, Archie and Ann. James and Archie are deceased. Mary is the wife of Samuel Shaw, and resides in Dixon, Illinois. Catherine married Hugh Gibney, and lives in Canada. Ann still makes her home in Tyrone, Ireland.

William Campbell, the subject of our sketch, was reared and educated in Ireland, and as soon as he was old enough aided in the farm work. In 1840, bidding farewell to the Emerald Isle, he sailed from Londonderry, May 10, and landed at New York after a voyage of thirty-one days. From New York he came direct to Illinois, making the journey via water, rail and stage, to Pittsburg, and thence by way of the Ohio, Mississippi and Illinois rivers to Beardstown. Then he came by team to the vicinity where he now lives. At that time Cass county was sparsely settled, some of the land still being owned by the Government. He spent a few months with his brother-in-law, Samuel Shaw, and at this time was taken sick with ague. Seeking a change of climate, he went to St. Louis and took charge of a livery stable, remaining there three years. At the end of that time he came back to Cass county and bought a farm three miles and a half west of Virginia. This farm, consisting of 100 acres, he purchased for $5 per acre, a log house and stable and fifty acres under cultivation comprising the improvements on it. Five years later he sold out at an advance, and bought the farm on which he now resides, two miles west of Virginia. The improvements on this place at the time of purchase were a log house with a frame addition, and a frame stable. He has since replaced them with a good set of frame buildings, has purchased other lands at different times, and is now the owner of upwards of 1,000 acres in Cass county.

Mr. Campbell was married in 1845, October 10, to Mary D. Sudbrink, daughter of Frederick and Catherine Sudbrink. She was born in Germany, and came with her parents to America when young. Their four children are Henry I., Alfred, Emma Ann, and Edwin.

Mr. and Mrs. Campbell are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Politically he affiliates with the Democratic party. He has served as a member of the Board of County Commissioners.