Mineral County, West Virginia Biography of Thomas D. CAMPBELL This biography was submitted by Valerie Crook, E-mail address: The submitter does not have a connection to the subject of this sketch. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All other rights reserved. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 398-399 THOMAS D. CAMPBELL, of Piedmont, Mineral County, is prominently identified with the coal industry in this sec- tion of the state, as president of Hoff Brothers Coal Com- pany and the Freeport Coal Company. The birthplace of Mr. Campbell is not far distant from the vigorous little industrial city in which he now maintains his home and business headquarters. He was born at Bar- ton, Allegany County, Maryland, lying on the opposite side of the Potomac River from Mineral County, West Virginia, in September, 1877, and there he was reared to adult age, his educational advantages having been those of the pub- lic schools. His father, James Campbell, was born in Glas- gow, Scotland, in July, 1842, and was a child when the family came to the United States and established residence at Vale Summit, Maryland, whence removal was later made to Bloomington, that state, where he was reared to man- hood. For many years he was engaged in the mercantile business at Barton, Maryland, and after his retirement from this enterprise he served several years as assistant appraiser and later as assistant surveyor of the port of Baltimore. He has been influential in politics and general civic affairs in Maryland, where he still maintains his home. He served three years as a soldier of the Union in the Civil war, and in later years has maintained affiliation with the Grand Army of the Republic. As a republican he has represented Allegany County five terms in the Maryland Legislature, including the session of 1920, in which he was chairman of the delegation from his county. In the session of 1922 he was clerk of the minority party in the House of Representa- tives. Though he is nearing the age of four score years, he is still vigorous and vitally interested in public affairs. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias. As a young man James Camp- bell married Miss Emily Fromhart, who was born in one of the Rhine districts of Germany, and who waa reared near Newburg, West Virginia, where her parents established their home upon coming to the United States. Of the chil- dren of Mr. and Mrs. James Campbell the following brief data are available: Katie, the wife of John Patton, died at Barton, Maryland, a short time ago; Joseph and John are twins, the former being a resident of Akron, Ohio and the latter of Washington, D. C.; James lives at Frostburg, Maryland; Dr. William B. is a physician and surgeon at Haserstown. that state; Thomas Dowery is the immediate subject of this sketch; George D. is a druggist at Lona- coning, Maryland; and Emma is the wife of John F. Shaw, of Newark, Delaware. At the age of eighteen years Thomas D. Campbell became associated with mercantile business in his native place, and he continued his active association with the enterprise until 1917. There also he organized, in that year, the Barton Supply Company, which there conducts a large general merchandise business, in which he is still interested. At Piedmont, West Virginia, Mr. Campbell is the owner of two well equipped meat markets. In 1915 Mr. Campbell became associated with Hoff Brothers in coal-mining enterprise, and he is now president of the Hoff Brothers Coal Company, the mines of which, at Barton. Maryland, and Cutlips. West Virginia, have given a yield of 125,000 tons in a single year. In 1916 Mr. Camp- bell became a principal also in the Hampshire Big Vein Coal Company, whose mine, at Barton, gives a normal out put of 400 tons a day. He organized the Freeport Coal Company, which is operating on a vein of Kittanning coal near Oakland, Maryland, with a normal output of 450 tons daily, he being president of this corporation. The property of this company was developed in the midst of the forest, the company constructing a standard-gauge railroad of one and one-half miles, besides having estab- lished a water system, erected a school house and a church and also forty houses for the use of employes in the mines. The Campbell Coal Company, a partnership organization, was established about 1917, and conducts a substantial brokerage business in the buying and selling of coal, with offices at Piedmont, West Virginia, and Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania. Mr. Campbell is a director of the First National Bank of Barton, Maryland, and of the Liberty Trust Com- pany at Cumberland, that state. He has been a resident and vitally progressive and public-spirited citizen of Pied- mont since 1919, his political allegiance being given to the republican party. He is affiliated with the Masonic frater- nity and the Knights of Pythias, and he and his wife hold membership in the Presbyterian Church. In the World war period he was active in the furtherance of the various pa- triotic causes, including the sale of the Government war bonds, and he was registered for military service, but not called. At Barton, Maryland, on the 1st of September, 1909, Mr. Campbell wedded Miss Nannie T. McDonald, who was there born and reared, a daughter of William McDonald and a representative of the staunchest of Scottish ancestry. The Campbell residence at Piedmont is one of the finest in the city, and he is the owner also of the Campbell Build- ing, in which his business offices are established.