BIO: John A. CAMPBELL, Beaver County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Joe Patterson Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/beaver.html http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/beaver/bios/bbios.htm Index for this bio book. _________________________________________________________________ BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES. This Volume Contains Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Buffalo, N.Y., Chicago, Ill.: Biographical Publishing Company, 1899, pp. 378-381. _________________________________________________________________ JOHN A. CAMPBELL, junior member of the firm of D. Campbell & Son, contractors in heavy masonry, is one of the most successful and prosperous men of Beaver Falls. He was born near New Galilee, Beaver county, Pa., in 1863, and is a son of David Campbell, whose father was John Campbell, a native and life-long resident of Scotland. David Campbell, the father of John A., was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, and received a thorough mental training in the common schools there. He was then bound out as an apprentice to the trade of a mason, and after serving his time, worked as a journeyman until he came to this country. He located at Beaver Falls, Beaver county, Pa., in 1864, at the age of twenty-two years, and at once resumed work at his trade, being employed on the Ft. Wayne R. R. construction. He subsequently started in business for himself, as a general contractor, and being one of the first business men in the district, Beaver Falls, at that time, not having a population of more than two hundred, he laid the foundations for nearly all the buildings built in that section of the county. He worked on the construction of an arch at Wallace Run. This was a long and difficult task, the wall under ground being thirty feet thick; and it required three years for its completion. He did alt the masonry work for the cutlery shops, built the Economy Bank and Geneva College, did the masonry on the File Works and Axe Factory, and also considerable work on the P. & L. E. R. R. He has for many years been one of the foremost business men and most reliable citizens of Beaver Falls. In 1861, he was joined in wedlock with Margery McKim, of Scotland, and nine children resulted from this union, as follows: James, deceased; Jeanette (Gaston); John A., the subject of this personal history; Robert, a stone mason by trade; Samuel, who follows the occupation of a master plumber; Elizabeth, deceased; Jane, deceased; Margery; and Myrtle, a graduate of the Beaver Falls High School, and of Beaver College, who is now a successful teacher at College Hill school. Mr. Campbell is a strong supporter of the Republican party, but has never accepted office. He is a member of the F. & A. M., and of the mother lodge in Scotland; the Ancient Order of United Workmen; and the; Odd Fellows. John A. Campbell received his education in the public schools at Beaver Falls, and upon completing his schooling, became associated in business with his father. In 1887, he purchased the interest of Mr. Moffit in the BEAVER COUNTY 381 firm, and has since devoted his entire time to its success. Although it has always been the leading firm of the kind in that district; since our subject has been identified with it, its business has increased steadily until it encounters some difficulty in keeping apace with its contracts. At the present time it has a contract to build the shops of the Atlantic Tube Company, which will cover three acres of ground, at Moravia, Pennsylvania. The subject of this sketch is an enterprising and energetic young man, popular with his fellow citizens and he has a host of friends wherever he is known. Mr. Campbell was joined in hymeneal bonds with Mary C. Robel, a daughter of Lewis and Sophia (Cleis) Robel, of Germany, a native of Morgantown, West Virginia, where she received her education. Our subject is a Republican in politics, and like his father, is a member of the Presbyterian church, of which he is an elder.