The J. A. Campbell Family

Facts provided by Polly C. Taylor and Nan C. White

J. A. Campbell and Margaret Stoker Campbell came to Jacksonville about 1846. They were parents of thirteen children, nine dying in infancy or early childhood. Their first home was located on what now is Canada Street, just off South Bolton Street about where an Aber Box and Basket warehouse presently is situated. Storms twice blew houses away at this location, and they finally rebuilt a short distance to the south on South Bolton, which for many years was known as "Campbell's Lane."

When the Cotton Belt and Texas & New Orleans railroads came through Jacksonville, J. A. Campbell was among those selling land to the companies. In the Cherokee County deed records, there is recorded the sale on September 25, 1869, to J. A. Campbell by Peter MacGreal all of Block 31, being 320 acres in the Thomas Que-vado three league grant, the purchase price being a promissory note for "$117.00, payable in gold coin on or by December 25, 1869, and also his obligation to said MacGreal to deliver to him on foot in the City of Tyler, Texas, on or by December 25, 1869, 3,600 pounds of good merchantable pork; which note and obligation were secured by the vendor's lien on said land."

On December 28, 1907, J. A. Campbell made an affidavit to remove any cloud from the land title, which is of record, "that said note and all interest thereon was fully paid by him to the said MacGreal, and that he also delivered to said MacGreal said 3,600 pounds of pork." J. A. Campbell further stated in this document that he "did not obtain any release of vendor's lien from the said MacGreal, for the reason that the execution of such releases was not customary at that time."

The four sons of J. A. and Margaret Campbell who survived to pass their 70th birthdays were Enos, Charles Henry, Joseph Wright and Thomas Duncan.

Enos Campbell was a cattleman and horse trader. He lived with his wife on South Bolton Street (Campbell's Lane), and they had no children.

Thomas Duncan became a lawyer and moved to Longview, where he was a prominent attorney.

Joseph Wright Campbell was a farmer, the father of two daughters.

Charles Henry, also a farmer, was married to Cordelia Clara Gray, and they had eight children. Of these, Anna Bell (Spain), Edgar, Jim and Thomas Mitchell are deceased. Dan is a Tyler grocery store owner, and Fred is retired and lives in Tyler. Nan (Mrs. R. W. White) resides in Jacksonville and is a legal secretary, as does Pauline (Mrs. Dell Taylor), who is a jewelry store saleslady.

Other descendants of J. A. Campbell presently living in Jacksonville include a daughter of Joe, Mrs. Adelle Town-ley, who has a daughter, Norma Jean. Also, Janie Campbell Rogers; James David Campbell, who is in construction; Thomas M. Campbell, Jr., with a computer center in Tyler; and Larry B. Campbell, a Lon Morris student.

In addition to their own children, Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Campbell took three orphaned children, Jack and Birdie Bradley, and Betty Franklin into their home and reared them, treating them as their own.

Thomas Mitchell Campbell, whose father was also named Thomas Duncan, and was a kinsman of J. A. Campbell, was Governor of Texas from 1907 to 1911. He lived in Jacksonville for a short time in 1859. His branch of the family came here from Rusk and then moved to Longview.

Charles H. Campbell and Cordelia Gray Campbell; he was son of J. A. Campbell.

Fred Campbell, a son of Charles Campbell, stands behind the family's Model A Ford, while in the background can be seen the elaborate gingerbread decorations on the Campbell homestead on South Bolton St.