Southampton County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Camp, Robert J., 1915 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ ROBERT JUDSON CAMP With the church he loved and had been largely instrumental in building crowded with sorrowing townspeople and warm friends and business world, beautiful and well-merited tributes were paid to the life of Robert Judson Camp and his friends laid him to rest Tuesday afternoon in peaceful Poplar Spring cemetery near the town he had served so well and the old country home of his boyhood days. He was the son of the late George and Sallie Cutchins Camp, a member of a family whose names are widely known throughout the South for the success they have achieved in business, for their reputation for sterling integrity and worth, for honorable and useful lives gives to the development of every phase of religious, educational and civic life in the different Southern communities in which they have made their homes. Of this family there was no one of its member better loved than Robert Judson Camp, nor more generally admired and esteemed for his successful, useful and consistent Christian life. Mr. Camp had been a great sufferer from rheumatism for six years and although much of his time had necessarily been spent at different health resorts seeking relief, he had kept in close touch with the work of his company here, his determination to bear his share of the responsibilities of the great business he and his brothers had built up often finding him at his desk at severe physical discomfort to himself. He spent several weeks at Hot Springs, Ark. this spring. Mrs. Camp being with him during his stay there, and they returned to Franklin May 12. He grew steadily worse after his return, the complications which set in causing his death at his home there Sunday night, May 30, at 10 o'clock. Robert Judson Camp was born at the old home of the family near Franklin November 9, 1854, and his early life was characterized by that indomitable energy and perseverance which brought such an abundance measure of success in later years. At fourteen, he clerked for Milton Butler at Berlin, this county, and the next year was employed in the same capacity by his brothers, John S. and W.N. Camp, in the then village of Franklin. He studied for a year in the famous old academy at Como, N.C. under the late Capt. E.H. Picot, and entered the University of Virginia in the fall of 1872. The panic of 1873 interfering with his arrangements at the University, he clerked for John W. Harrison at Branchville, the county, until 1875. This year marked his entrance into the lumber business, this industry being for him, as well as for the bothers, the golden means by which they began to achieve success, and whose interest from a small beginning have multiplied under their judicious management until their holdings and manufacturing plants are among the largest in America. Spending some time with Vaughan & Gay in Franklin, with W.H. Gay & Co. on the Nansemond river in orange growing and the manufacturing of lumber in Florida, and in operating a mill near Washington, N.C., Mr. Camp became secretary and treasurer of the Camp Manufacturing Company at its organization in 1887 with Mr. P.D. Camp as president and Mr. J.L. Camp as vice-president and general manager. He held this position with the company until his death and to his remarkable ability as a foresighted business man and financier is attributed much of the company's success. He was also secretary and treasurer of the Albion Mining & Manufacturing Co., of Florida, the Giles County Lumber Co., of Virginia, president of the R.J. & B.F. Camp Lumber Co., and of the Crystal River Lumber Co., of Florida, assistant treasurer of the Marion County Lumber Corp., of Marion, S.C. besides other manufacturing and commercial interests. Mr. Camp did not allow his own business to claim his entire time and his valuable aid and counsel were freely given to other causes. A devoted, liberal and consistent member of the Franklin Baptist church, he was chairman of the committed to build the present handsome structure and personally supervised its erection. He also served as chairman of the finance committee of the church for more than ten years. As a member of the Town Council and chairman of the finance committee of that body, he served the municipality faithfully and well and was ever an advocate of civic development and growth. In the days before the public school system had reached its present value as an educational medium in Virginia, Mr. Camp was one of other organizers and most loyal supporters of the Franklin Female Seminary and Franklin Military Academy. Indeed every worthy movement for community welfare was sure of a helping hand from this public-spirited man. Mr. Camp was a member of the Virginia Club of Norfolk and the Westmoreland Club of Richmond, of the Board of Trade and Business Men's Association of Norfolk and of the Business Association of the United States, Washington. He was one of the organizers of the North Carolina Pine Association, served as chairman of the price list committee for twenty years, and at the time of his death was vice-president for Virginia, a position he had previously held for several terms. Last year he was unanimously elected president of the association, but declined to serve on account of failing health. He served his State with honor from 1902 to 1906 as a member of the State Board of Fisheries. He was on the board of directors of the Meherrin Valley Bank of Boykins and the Peoples Bank of Courtland. As his business life had been successful, his service to his church and his community useful, so was his home life beautiful. In 1890 he married Miss Cora Antoinette Vaughan, the daughter of Hon. C.C. Vaughan, who survives him with two children, Mr. Vaughan Camp and Miss Antoinette Camp. He leaves three brothers, P.D. and J.L. Camp of this place and Dr. B.F. Camp of White Springs, Fla., and one sister, Mrs. J.S. Norfleet of Franklin, besides many nieces and nephews. As older brother, John S. Camp, died several years ago; another brother W.N. Camp dying in 1911 and a sister, Mrs. Eliza Williams, died in 1910. The funeral services were conducted from the Franklin Baptist church Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 o'clock by the pastor, Rev. J.L. McCutcheon, assisted by Dr. R.M. Chandler of the Methodist church and by Dr. C.H. Rowland of the Christian church. The genuine sorrow manifested by our townspeople during his illness and at his death and the large crowd from town and county and the prominent business men from a distance who thronged the church were truly indicative of the love and esteem in which R.J. Camp was held and of the usefulness of his life among his fellowmen. His pastor spoke feelingly and truthfully of what he had meant to his church, his home, his brothers and sisters and to his community, and the flowers which were numerous and beautiful almost beyond description were after all but the sincere and simple tokens of those who loved him and knew his worth. The active pallbearers were his nephews, Ryland, John, James L., Jr. and Frank Camp, W.G. J.C. and J.A. Williams, D.O. and J.H. Norfleet and J.J. Bristow. The honorary pallbearers were A.L. Gardner, Col. L.R. Edwards, J.C. Parker, J.V. Boone, J.R. Knight, C.W. Gary, J.E. Moyler, E.S. Eley, R.E.L. Watkins, R.A. Pretlow and J.A. Edwards of Franklin; Caldwell Hardy, Jno. L. Roper, W.W. Moss, W.B. Roper, E.B. Freeman, Ira Johnson, Jno. M. Gibbs and Hugh Davis, F.E. Rogers and R.I. Cheatham of Norfolk; Gen. Thos. J. Shryock of Baltimore, Horton Corwin, Jr. of Edenton, N.C., Ashton Souder of Philadelphia, Malcolm C. Wood of Charleston, S.C., Geo. W. Jones of New York, Geo. Leach of Washington, N.C., Guy Buell of Spring Hope, N.C., Jno. Gustaveson of Richmond, Edward Rogers of Dendron, Va., Col. E.E. Holland, Col. J.E. West, W.H. Jones, Jr., and Geo. W. Truitt of Suffolk, N.B. Bryant of Stony Creek, Va., C.M. Candler of Portsmouth, Geo Major of Hertford, N.C., T.E. Vann and G.C. Picot of Como, N.C. Other out of town friends present at the funeral were Jno C. Morgan, Wm. J. Jones, A.R. Turnbull, F.H. Smith, Major C.L. Wright, Norman R. Hamilton, H.K. Friedman, Jno N. Sebrell, Jr., and Mr. McNeal of Norfolk; L.D. Turner, G.L. Hume and A.B. Cramer of Suffolk; Capt. Jno. R. Stephenson of Wilmington, N.C., T.E. Hufler, B.T. Duke and Geo. C. Steele of Thelma, N.C. and G.B. Robertson of Whaleyville. ****************************************************************************** ROBERT JUDSON CAMP (Special to The Times Dispatch) FRANKLIN, VA. - May 30, Robert Judson Camp, one of the most widely known and best loved lumbermen in the South, died at his home here tonight at 10:45 o’clock, after a critical illness of about two weeks, aged sixty years. Mr. Camp was secretary and treasurer of the Camp Manufacturing Company from its organization up to the time of his death and was one of five brothers, three of whom survive him. Mr. Camp had been suffering from rheumatism for five or six years and had spent much of his time for the past few years at health resorts. He returned from Hot Springs, Ark., about two weeks ago, having been at the resort since Christmas. He leaves the following relatives; a widow, who was Miss Cora Antoinette Vaughan; one son, Vaughan and one daughter Antoinette Gay Camp; three brothers, Paul D. Camp and James L. Camp, of Franklin and Dr. Benjamin F. Camp, of White Springs, Fla.; one sister, Mrs. Jennie S. Norfleet of Franklin, and a number of nieces and nephews. The funeral will take place of Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 o’clock from the Franklin Baptist Church, the service to be conducted by the pastor, Rev. J.L. McCutcheon. Interment will take place in Poplar Spring Cemetery. In the death of Mr. Camp, Franklin lost one of its best and most prominent citizens. Mr. Camp was born near here on November 9, 1854, receiving his education at the Buckhorn Academy, Hertford county, N.C., and at the University of Virginia. Being engaged from a while in the lumber business in Virginia, North Carolina and Florida, he joined the brothers, P.D. and J.L. Camp, in the organization of the Camp Manufacturing Company. In 1887, holding the position of secretary and treasurer until his death. He was also an officer and large stockholder in the Marion county Lumber Corporation, Marion, S.C.; R.J. and B.F. Camp Lumber Company, White Springs, Fla.; Judson Lumber Company, Charabelle, Fla. and other manufacturing interests. He was one of the organizers of the North Carolina Pine Association, and was a vice-president and director in the organization for many years, and last year was unanimously elected president, but declined on account of ill health. Robert Judson "Bob" CAMP, secretary & treasurer of Camp Manufacturing Co., b. 9 Nov 1854, near Franklin, d. 30 May 1915, at home, Franklin, interred in Poplar Spring Cemetery (Section 2, Plot 5*), Franklin, 1 Jun 1915, donated obit, newspaper unknown; "The Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch," May 31, 1915, p. 3 *Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project, Poplar Spring list: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/cemeteries/poplar2.txt His marriage record: Robert Judson Camp, 36, s, So.Co., s/o George III and Sallie Cutchins Camp, Merchant m. 06-24-1890 Franklin, So.Co., Va. by Rev. W.H. Christian Cora Antionette Vaughan, 23, s, So.Co., d/o Cecil Calvert and M. Antionette Vaughan (Southampton Co. MB7:67; transcribed & annotated by Bruce Saunders: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/vitals/mb07pt.txt) His widow's obit ("Richmond Times-Dispatch," Mar. 3, 1958, p. 7) is posted at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/obits/c510c3ob.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/c510r2ob.txt