John Edwards Campbell. Undoubtedly one of the noble and uplifting emotions of mankind is pride of ancestry, this cherishing of a heritage leading to emulation, and through it families have perpetuated great deeds as well as famous names. No matter how a man may have prospered through his individual efforts, he is never beyond feeling that inward dignity that comes from a realization of being well-born, of having a family background of stable ancestry. There are some historic names–no land can claim them all–that embellish the pages of history and for ages have furnished themes for song and story. Claimed originally by Scotland, but, through generations honored in many countries, has been the name of Campbell. From early settlement in Virginia, the Campbell “clan” as the bearers of the honored name love to call the great family, has spread farther and farther westward and for many years past Oklahoma has been enriched by such citizenship. The records of few families offer so much to interest the general reader.

John Edwards Campbell, president of the First National Bank of Nowata, Oklahoma, was born March 23, 1847, at the old family homestead, “Stony Mead,” in Frederick County, Virginia. This old homestead still recalled with tender memories, was beautifully situated on a gentle slope near a famous stream in the Shenandoah Valley, shaded by hoary old trees and inviting in appearance through’ the beauties of its old fashioned gardens and riot of honeysuckles. Here John Edwards Campbell spent his boyhood and early youth.

The earliest records of the Campbell clan now available, relate to James Campbell, of the North of Ireland, and his wife, Mary (Reed) Campbell. Their son, William Campbell, the grandfather of John Edwards Campbell, appears to have settled in Virginia in the latter part of 1700, and died at his home near Round Hill, Frederick County, in 1839. He was twice married, three children being born to his first union, and seven to his second, with Mary Johnson, the fourth member of the second family being Robert Madison Campbell, the direct ancestor of John Edwards Campbell.

Robert Madison Campbell was born at Aspen Shade, Frederick County, Virginia, April 4, 1809, and died January 7, 1892. On June 19, 1833, he was married to Rebecca Anne Lockhart, a daughter of Gen. Josiah and Nancy (O’Dell) Lockhart, and a granddaughter of Robert and Margaret (Denny) (Wilson) Lockhart. Josiah Lockhart was born on the place of his parents, in Frederick County, Virginia, near the line of Hampshire County. He served in the war of 1812 and was in Hull’s surrender. Afterward he went to Ohio and married Nancy O’Dell, daughter of Rev. Thomas and Grace (Austin) O’Dell. In 1843 Robert M. Campbell and wife moved to what was called the Greenwood farm, near the head of Opequon Creek, but a few years later he purchased “Stony Mead,” situated a half mile farther down the creek, where they reared a large family, consisting of seven sons and four daughters, one daughter having died in infancy, in 1853. Those who reached mature years were: Josiah L., Mary E., William H. H., Bean C., Nannie R., Robert M., John Edwards, Emma E., Roberta B., Herbert C. and Allan W. Robert M. Campbell and wife were permitted to see their children become well settled in life, all the sons prominent in affairs, in their own localities and all the daughters reflecting the virtues of an admirable mother. In 1889, Mr. Campbell gave up the management of his farm to his youngest son, retiring then to a home in the neighborhood which had been purchased for his parents by their son, John Edwards. For over fifty-five years Mr. Campbell and wife were permitted to travel life’s path together, this happy association being broken by his death in 1892. She survived until June 3, 1897. Her birth took place in Adams County, Ohio, January 26, 1815. They rest side by side in Mount Hebron Cemetery, at Winchester, Virginia. For years they had been identified with all Christanizing movements in their neighborhood. In 1840 they had united with the Loudoun Street Presbyterian Church of Winchester, and in the summer of 1841 Mr. Campbell was ordained a ruling elder. In 1880 he assisted in forming an organization as Round Hill Church, a few miles from Winchester, where he served as ruling elder the remainder of his life. His influence in that vicinity for well nigh two thirds of a century was of that character which commanded respect from all.

Josiah I,. Campbell, the eldest son of the family, was born in 1834. in Frederick County, and died at Nowata, Oklahoma, February 12, 1912, a physician of note for many years, organizer and captain of a company in the Confederate army in the early days of the war between the states, later becoming division surgeon in the army of General Lee, still later a member of the General Assembly of Virginia For some years previous to his death he spent the summer months in West Virginia and the winter season at Nowata, Oklahoma. Twice married he is survived by his second wife and one daughter, Mrs. William B. Thraves, of Nowata.

Mary E., the eldest daughter of the family, was born in 1837. As long as her parents lived she gave them unceasing and tender care. A few years afterward she established her homo at Prairie Grove, Arkansas.

William H. H. Campbell enjoyed the educational advantages offered by the old Winchester Academy and other good schools and chose medicine as a career. He served faithfully as a soldier in the war between the states, later moved to McDonough Institute, Maryland, married Jessie Gorsuch and has seven children. Bean C. and Robert M. Campbell, third and fourth sons of the family, served prominently and faithfully through the war between the states and after the surrender of General Lee returned home and engaged for a time in farming and then removed to Missouri, Robert M. subsequently settling on a fine farm in Kansas.

Nannie R. Campbell became the wife of W. W. Glass and they reared a family that has given a ’good account of itself. John Edwards Campbell was the seventh born in the family Emma, the next in order of birth, was married to Lincoln Maupin, and they have descendants. Roberta, the next daughter, married Henry Clay Magruder and became the mother of a large family.

Herbert Campbell, the sixth son of the family was graduated in medicine at Baltimore but later joined his brother, John Edwards, in Oklahoma, and in the eighties was a cowboy. He is a resident of Nowata, Oklahoma, and is the owner of large and important interests here and also in Texas.

Allan W. Campbell was the last of the sons to leave the old homestead after some years as a farmer. He was prominent in church affairs and was a ruling elder in the Round Hill Presbyterian Church. After the death of his parents he removed with his family to Indian Territory.

John Edwards Campbell, with his brothers and sisters, was given educational advantages including attendance at Winchester Academy. When the war between the states came on he desired to accompany his brothers into the conflict, but finally submitted to wiser counsel and continued his studies until he was declared competent to teach school, and during 1868 he taught the public school near Romney, Virginia. He was ambitious and as he realized that the crippled condition of his native locality would necessarily limit local opportunity for many years, he decided to leave the shelter of home and start out for himself, starting westward on September 18, 1869. When he reached Missouri he found a school that needed a teacher and remained in the same locality until early in April, 1870, when he made his way to Kansas, and in preempting a claim there, exhausted his resources. Mr. Campbell’s stories of those days of deprivation, hardship and adventure are thrillingly interesting. Although some of his friends in Virginia had sought to discourage him when he announced his determination of seeking a home in the great West, he had assured them that he was confident that he could make at least fifty cents a day and that would sustain him. However, he sometimes found that a difficult matter at first, not from lack of will but from lack of opportunity and gratefully accepted such tasks as working in a sawmill, driving an ox team and cutting railroad ties. He had not been reared to manual labor but as he found no use for his educational abilities, he was wise and courageous enough to accept any employment that came his way. And thus, in great part, has Mr. Campbell built up his large fortune, his lands and herds making him one of the wealthy men of the West, courage, enterprise and business foresight combining with recognized opportunity to lead the way to fortune.

When Mr. Campbell reached Kansas, which was in 1870, he located at a village in Wilson County that was then called ambitiously New Chicago, but the present town bears the name of Chanute. As his fortunes grew a little better he was able to more satisfactorily choose his occupation and after leaving Kansas went into the Osage country and for two years was employed as a clerk in a trader’s store and afterward for about two years was with John Florer, a United States post trader, at Pawhuska. In December, 1875, he assumed the duties of manager of a store for J. H. Bartles, in the Cherokee Nation. This continuance of business experience proved very helpful and in 1880 he embarked in a mercantile business for himself at Lightning Creek, which he was later instrumental in having changed to its present poetical name of Alluwe. Soon after he became interested also in the cattle business and in 1887 he opened up a new enterprise, founding the first mercantile business at Nowata, Oklahoma, erecting what was the first store building. Mr. Campbell may justly be called the father of Nowata, for when he located here the only other building was the railway depot not then completed. In 1898 he established the Nowata bank, of which he was vice president, it later becoming the First National Bank of Nowata, with Mr. Campbell at its head. His interest in all matters pertaining to the welfare of the town continues and it is with pardonable pride that he has watched the place develop.

When Mr. Campbell came first to the Cherokee Nation it was as a stranger, but ere long, through pleasing personality and fair and upright dealing, he ingratiated himself with the leading members of the friendly tribes and was virtually adopted by the Delawares, and on January 17, 1878, was united in marriage with Emeline Jonrneycake. She was born November 29, 1852, on the Delaware Reservation near Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, and is a daughter of Rev. Charles Jonrneycake, the last chief of the Delawares. Her ancestry may be traced in history as early as the sixteenth century, on down through the many changes until in 1870 the Delawares were incorporated with the Cherokees. Mrs. Campbell is educated according to accepted standards and is an admirable woman in every way. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell have had three children: Roberta Emma Jane, born October 31, 1878, was married to Eugene B. Lawson, October 31, 1901, and they have one son, Edward Campbell Lawson, born October 7, 1905; Robert Charles, who was, born July 29, 1880, died September 30, 1881; and Herbert Lockhart, who was born July 25, 1885, is a merchant at Nowata, Oklahoma, and was married February 27, 1907, to Flora Dougherty and they have one son, John Edward Campbell, born July 5. 1908.

In his political affiliation, Mr. Campbell has always been a democrat. He has not chosen to accept public office, for the magnitude of his private interests have largely absorbed his time, but he has ever been generous in giving wise counsel and in forwarding every commendable business enterprise of this section as a private citizen. He belongs to Nowata Lodge No. 1151 Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and his record in Masonry is probably uneqnaled in the state, belonging, as he does, to Sunset Lodge. No. 57 A. F. & A. M.; Chapter at Independence, Kansas; Muskogee Commandery K. T.; Southwestern Consistory. Kansas City, Thirty-second degree; Ararat Temple A. A. O. N. M. S., Kansas City, Missouri. Prompted by the purest of family affection, he has been the means of making others comfortable in their surroundings and enjoys, as he deserves, their tender attachment.