Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Campbell, George M 1848 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 4, 2007, 11:47 pm

Author: Portrait & Biographical Album, 1890

GEORGE M. CAMPBELL, Secretary, Treasurer and General Manager of the Joliet 
Stone Company, is one of that class of men who have been instrumental in 
advancing the material interests of the city. A residence of nearly twenty-
eight years, during which he has made for himself a good record, both in 
social and business circles, has fully established him in the esteem and 
confidence of all who know him. With the exception of three years, one of 
which was spent in the South, and two at his old home in New England, he has 
been a continuous resident of Joliet since April, 1862. The native place of 
our subject was in Unity, Waldo County, Me., and the date of his birth January 
5, 1848. He is the son of John B. and Margaret W. (Norton) Campbell, the 
former of whom was a native of Montville, Me. The father of our subject, grew 
to mature years in his native town, and at an early age went to sea and 
followed a sailor's life for four years, in the meantime becoming first mate 
of a vessel. He then learned the trade of a carpenter, and finally became 
expert as an architect and a skilled mechanic. After marriage he moved to 
Medford, Mass., and thereafter lived in several places in the Bay State until 
1857, employing himself as an artisan. That year he resolved to seek the far 
west and removed with his family across the Mississippi to Lynn County, Iowa, 
settling at a point sixty-five miles beyond a railroad. He still continued at 
his trade and took the lead in the building interests of that section of the 
Hawkeye State, putting up some of the best structures in the surrounding 
country, including Central City. At that place he built the first church and 
schoolhouse and left the marks of his handiwork upon various other important 
structures, remaining there until 1862. In the spring of 1862, Mr. Campbell 
returned East as far as Joliet, Ill., where he followed his trade one year, 
and then on account of an accident which crippled one of his hands, he turned 
his attention to portrait painting, taking up the art readily and becoming 
very proficient. He subsequently returned to Iowa, where he lives at a 
pleasant country seat, called "The Pines," situated two miles east of the 
capitol building at Des Moines. He was first identified with the Whig party, 
and is now a stanch Republican and one of the leading men of his county. The 
parental family of our subject consisted of three children, the youngest of 
whom died in infancy. The survivors are George M., our subject, and Susan E., 
now the wife of Gurdon Fox, of Des Moines, Iowa. The mother is likewise 
living. She was born January 16, 1827, while the father was born September 15, 
1822. Mrs. Campbell was in her girlhood Miss Margaret W. Norton. She was born 
near Bucks Harbor, Me., in what is now the town of Brooksville, in the same 
house under whose roof her father first opened his eyes to the light, though 
at the time of his birth the place formed a part of the State of 
Massachusetts. George M. Campbell pursued his early studies in the Joliet 
schools and completed them in the English and Classical Institute at 
Springfield, Mass., where he spent two years. He then occupied himself as a 
teacher in Tennessee at the foot of Lone Mountain for five months. We next 
find him in Joliet, where he followed the trade of a carpenter, which he had 
learned from his father, and he soon commanded journeyman's pay. While at 
school he had taken a commercial course and became fitted for an accountant 
and now occupied himself in this capacity from July, 1867, until May, 1875. 
The next move of Mr. Campbell was to embark in business for himself, having as 
his partner, Mr. George H. Monroe. In 1875, the Joliet Stone Company was 
formed and incorporated two years later with Mr. Monroe as President and Mr. 
Campbell as Secretary and Treasurer. The latter also became interested in the 
Crescent Stone Company, Joliet, and is at present one of its Directors. He is 
also engaged in real estate to a certain extent. Mr. Campbell has always been 
an active worker in the Republican party but with the exception of serving as 
Assistant Supervisor of Joliet, he has declined to assume the responsibilities 
of office. He was married December 25, 1873, to Miss Elizabeth R., daughter of 
the Hon. Henry Snapp. Mr. Snapp in former years was a noted attorney and 
represented this district in Congress. He is now living retired from the 
active duties of life in San Jose, Cal. Mrs. Campbell was born in Joliet, this 
county, August 25,1851, and obtained her education in the common schools. She 
possesses considerable musical talent and perfected herself in this 
accomplishment in Chicago. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell have two children, Jessie M. 
and Ida A. Our subject and his estimable wife are members of the Universalist 
Church. The Joliet Stone Company was incorporated in 1877 with a capital of 
$30,000, which later was increased to $100,000. The principal quarries are 
near the foot of Richards Street and from them are obtained the largest output 
of any quarry in this part of Illinois, the district covering an area of about 
eighty acres from which is taken all the varieties of stone known to this 
region. The main office is at Joliet and there are five branch offices in 
Chicago to which is run a fleet of boats owned by the company and operated by 
a force of two hundred and fifty men during the busy season. They have 
connection with all the railroads centering in Joliet, being the only quarry 
enjoying such ample transportation facilities. On another page of this Album 
appears a lithographic portrait of Mr. Campbell. 

Additional Comments:
Portrait and Biographical Album of Will County, Illinois, Containing Full Page 
Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens 
of the County; Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1890

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/will/bios/campbell1318nbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/

File size: 6.4 Kb