Northumberland County PA Archives Biographies.....Camp, David 1834 - living in 1899 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com July 2, 2005, 4:06 pm Author: Biographical Publishing Co. DAVID CAMP, who is interested in several of the most important enterprises in Mount Carmel and formerly was a very prosperous merchant, is known as one of the most enterprising and public-spirited residents of Mount Carmel, this county. Mr. Camp is a son of Benjamin and Magdalena (Hinkle) Camp and was born November 22, 1834, in Elysburg, Northumberland County, Pa. His paternal grandfather, Henry Camp, and maternal grandfather, Abram Hinkle, were pioneers who were farmers near Elysburg. Both died near Bear Gap and were buried in the Reed Church cemetery. Henry Camp and his wife reared a family of seven children: Benjamin, the father of our subject; Samuel; David; Lambert; Mary, who became Mrs. John Long; Sarah, who married Daniel Hill; and a daughter who was the wife of Daniel Bloom, all of whom are dead. The father of our subject, Benjamin Camp, was born in Northumberland County. He was a carpenter and builder by trade, also a farmer, combining both occupations very successfully. In 1837 he removed from his farm near Elysburg to the lower part of Columbia County, this state, where he died in 1870 at the age of seventy-two years. In politics the father was an ardent Republican, having formerly been a Whig, but he never sought office. He was an active and influential member of the Lutheran Church. To him and his beloved wife was born a family of twelve children, two of whom died in infancy, and the others were reared as follows: Abram; William, who was killed in a coal-breaker August 8, 1854, at Green Ridge, Pa.; Lavinia, widow of David Everett; Samuel, a farmer residing at New Media, Columbia County, Pa.; Benjamin, who is in the employ of the Dupont Powder Company, at Ashland, Pa.; Daniel, who resides in Mount Carmel; David, the subject of this sketch; Mary, the wife of Jacob Gulp of West Shamokin; Hannah, wife of Joseph Boyer of Mount Carmel; Sarah, who is Mrs. Joel Cox and resides near Millville, Columbia County, Pa. Our subject, David Camp, was reared in Columbia County and he received a meagre education. He attended a "subscription school" and up to the age of twenty-one years educated himself by reading and hard study, at the same time learning his trade as a carpenter with his father. When he reached his majority, in 1854, David set out on his own account and removed to Bear Gap, remaining there two years; then moved to Mount Carmel, where he resided one year; he then went to Centralia, in 1859, where he conducted a drugstore for five years, doing unusually well in that and in his trade, building many of the largest coal-breakers. In 1872 Mr. Camp removed to Mount Carmel and engaged in the lumber business, in addition to following his trade as a builder. For thirteen years he was so engaged, building as many as thirty houses in one year and putting up many of the most substantial and modern residences and stores erected in Mount Carmel during the period of time referred to. He later engaged in the real estate business and, being far-sighted and a good judge of values, was very successful. In November, 1866, he engaged in business as a general merchant and for several years conducted one of the largest and best general stores in Mount Carmel. In 1894 he practically retired from active business operations and has since devoted part of his time to the interests he holds in some of the principal corporations of Mount Carmel. Mr. Camp was one of the organizers and is president of the Mount Carmel Iron Works; he was one of the organizers of the Mount Carmel Banking Company and is its vice-president, which position he has faithfully and satisfactorily filled since the company began business; he has been president of the People's Building & Loan Association since its formation in 1894. In politics our subject is an enthusiastic and active Republican. In 1890 he was the nominee of his party for the legislature, but suffered defeat with the rest of the ticket of his party, making a run, however, which amply demonstrated his great popularity with the voters in the district. He has served as overseer of the poor for two terms, as a member of the school board for two or three terms and as a member of the borough council several terms. Mr. Camp is a prominent member of Mount Carmel Commandery No. 22, Knights of Malta; also of Mount Carmel Lodge No. 378, F. & A. M., and Mount Carmel Lodge No. 630, I. O. O. F. Twice has Mr. Camp been happily united in the marriage relation. His first marriage was to Lavinia Persing, daughter of Peter and Mary (Taylor) Persing of Columbia County, two children being born of the union: Edward A., who is engaged in business in the Michigan copper region; and Robert E., who resides in Mount Carmel. His second bride was Phoebe, sister of his first wife, by whom he has had a family of twelve children, seven of whom are living, as follows: Ida, wife of Robert Davis, a merchant who does a prosperous business in Mount Carmel; Joseph, a patternmaker, who resides in Mount Carmel; Stella, May, Garfield and Carrie, who are at home; and George W., who is in the employ of the Mount Carmel Iron Works. The other children died in their infancy. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Book of Biographies of the Seventeenth Congressional District Published by Biographical Publishing Company of Chicago, Ill. and Buffalo, NY (1899) This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/pafiles/ File size: 5.8 Kb