Southampton County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Camp, James L. Sr., 1925 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ JAMES LEONIDAS CAMP, SR. PROMINENT LUMBERMEN REMOVED BY DEATH James Leonidas Camp, Sr., one of six famous Camp brothers who have been so prominent in the lumber industry of the Southeast during the last half century, died at his home in Franklin, Va., Friday, Dec. 4, at the age of 67*. Mr. Camp had been ill for two weeks preceding his death. Funeral services were held at the Baptist Church of Franklin on Sunday afternoon, Dec. 6, by Rev. R.D. Stephenson, pastor of the church assisted by J.L. McCutcheon, of Modestown, Va., a former pastor and old friend of Mr. Camp. Mr. Camp is survived by his wife, who was Miss Carrie Savage of Como, N.C., and by six children; Mrs. S.W. Rawls, Mrs. Burton J. Ray, James L. Camp, Jr., and Miss Betsey camp, all of Franklin, William M. of Marion, S.C. and Hugh D., of Sarasota, Fla. There are also four grandchildren, a brother, B.F. Camp, of White Springs, Fla. and a sister, Mrs. J.S. Norfleet, of Newberry, Fla. There is a wide family connection throughout the Southeast, outside of the immediate family. James L. Camp was one of famous lumbering family whose name runs through the annals of Virginia and the Carolinas from early days. His grandfather, Thomas Camp, was a lumberman at Rutherford, N.C., where the Camp family had been established for generations even then. His son, George, father of James L., also entered the lumber business and moved from Rutherford to Southampton County, Virginia. He married Miss Sallie Cutchins of Franklin, Va., and afterwards made his home in that place. To them were born eight sons and two daughters. Six of the sons became lumberman and have made an indelible impression on the industry of that section. The brothers were William Nelson, Paul Douglas, Dr. Benjamin Franklin, Robert Judson, James Leonidas and John Stafford Camp. Of these Fr. B.F. Camp is now the only survivor. James L. was the youngest of the famous lumber sextet of Camps. He was born Dec. 30, 1858, at the family plantation in Southampton County, Virginia. He was given his early education in the public schools and an academy at Franklin, and at the age of 18, following the Camp family tradition, entered the lumber business, taking up an independent logging operation in Southampton County. A year later he moved to Hertford County, North Carolina, and entered into partnership with his brother P.D. Camp, in a sawmill operation. That was the beginning of the big Camp Manufacturing Co., which is today one of the important factors in the North Carolina pine industry. A short time after beginning this operation the brothers bought out the business of R.J. and W. Neely, a sawmill operation at Franklin, Va. In the meanwhile, another brother, R.J. Camp, had organized the Camp Manufacturing Co., at Franklin, and in 1887 these interest were consolidated under the name of Camp Manufacturing Co. with all the brother as members and James Leonidas as vice president and general manager. He held that position until recently. Besides his interest in that business Mr. Camp was actively associated with a number of allied enterprises. Mr. Camp had long been prominent in association work and was an invaluable member of the North Carolina Pine Association. He was president of that organization for several terms and a director for many terms. He was also a trustee of the University of Richmond and was for many years a deacon of the Franklin Baptist Church. Mr. Camp was a devoted adherent of the Baptist faith and was one of the foremost factors in the progress of that denomination in the South. The fourth generation of Camps have followed the footsteps of the elders in the lumber business and are most of them prominent. James Leonidas Camp, Jr., eldest son of the deceased, succeeded his father as vice president and general manager of the Camp Manufacturing Co. a short time ago. The community in which he made his home will long remember James Leonidas Camp for the kindness, generosity, and sterling worth which distinguished him no less than for the wealth he accumulated and the big industry he created and built up into one of the most important facture in the business welfare of the district. He was recognized as a leader in his State and in the South and was highly honored in all that region. The lumber industry in particular will greatly miss his valuable experience and leadership and many of its members will deeply mourn a very dear friend. *actually died shy of 67th birthday James Leonidas CAMP, Sr., lumberman, former vice-president & general manager of Camp Manufacturing, b. 30 Dec 1858, Southampton Co., d. 4 Dec 1925, at home, Franklin, interred in Poplar Spring Cemetery (Section 1, Plot 53*), Franklin, 6 Dec 1925, "The American Lumberman," Dec. 12, 1925 *Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project, Poplar Spring list: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/cemeteries/poplar1.txt Three 1949 obits for his widow are posted at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/obits/c510c1ob.txt Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Parker C. Agelasto & Mrs. Bruce Saunders (bs4403@verizon.net), and re-formatted by File Manager. file at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/obits/c510j3ob.txt