Born: Bourbon County, Kentucky, 1813.Died: Bloomington, Illinois, 1901.
Born: Bourbon County, Kentucky, 1813.
Died: Bloomington, Illinois, 1901.
Mr. Campbell became a Christian at North Middleton, Kentucky, in 1832. In 1834 he was married to Miss Sally Ann Campbell, who was the partner of his faithful labors for almost sixty-seven years. He passed one year as a student in the State University at Bloomington, Indiana. In 1849 he came to McLean County, and bought and settled upon a small farm five miles south of Bloomington. This he made his home for twenty-four years. His first residence there was a log cabin. With the proceeds of his labor on his land he supported his family. He began to preach the gospel about 1840, and made this the chief business of his life until incapacitated by the disabilities of age. This work was done mainly at his own charges.
In 1853, in the schoolhouse of his community, he organized a church of thirteen people, which he named the Grassy Ridge Christian Church. Here, by his faithful and loving ministry, hundreds were turned to the Lord. This little congregation became a mother of churches. Besides, at one time during this period there were twenty individuals or families who were members of the church in Bloomington, who had begun the Christian life at Grassy Ridge.
Among those who came there to preach on Mr. Campbell's invitation were John I. Rogers, B. K. Smith, John B. New, George Campbell, B. U. Watkins, Walter P. Bowles, James Robeson, Dudley Downs, James Mitchell, G. W. Minier, T. V. Berry, B. B. Tyler, Dr. J. M. Allen, B. W. Johnson and D. R. Van Buskirk. These ministers were usually entertained in Mr. Campbell's hospitable home. Evidently he believed in having the very best in the kingdom.
He was a man of God in whom was united a strong will with a gentle spirit, self-sacrifice with cheerful hopefulness, the trust of a little child with the courage of a Daniel, and a beautiful simplicity and sincerity of life.