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PETER C. CAMPBELL - Around the "Campbell family" cluster many interesting reminiscences of the early settlers of Sangamon county. There appears to be several lines of ancestry in the family name in the county, and the nearness to which they may trace their genealogy is a matter not definitely arrived at. The different lines as represented here seem to have originated in one of the then "British Isles." Whatever may have been their land of general ancestry, each line, from the earliest knowledge of them, has promptly responded to the country's call in the defense of her rights and liberties. And that love of freedom, and country's good, that so animated their progenitors in the old French and Indian war - so quickly followed by our Revolutionary struggle, has been re-animated, in the generations that followed, in the War of 1812, and other wars since that time. The rebellion in our own States found many ready to place their lives upon the country's altar, and not a few sacrificed them there. Jeremiah Campbell, the direct ancestor of P. C. Campbell, was settled in Tennessee before the Revolution, was in the immediate command of the intrepid General Marion during the war, sharing alike his dangers and frugal fare, even potatoes baked in the ashes, and eaten without any condiments whatever; he lived to near one hundred years of age. He had two sons, John and Jackson; of Jackson little is known beyond his living in 1860 on the home farm in Tennessee, which the family had owned one hundred years, John Campbell was born in Carter county Tennessee, November 4, 1790, he enlisted for the War of 1812, into a company from that county, and served six months, and then re-enlisted and served until March, 1815. He was a Lieutenant in the last campaign, and drew pension until death. In 1818 he moved to Madison county, Illinois, and on November 6, 1818, married Lavina Parkison, who was born February 21, 1803; her family moving from Tennessee at same time of Campbell family. Mr. Campbell then moved to Sangamon county, arriving March 22, 1819, on Lick creek, in Chatham township, and they had seven children. Mrs. Lavina Campbell died December 13, 1853, and Mr. Campbell married Margery Carson, sister of his first wife; she died March 5, 1870, and Mr. Campbell died January 29, 1875, - 85 years of age - on the farm where he settled in 1819, five miles west of Chatham, leaving a very large estate, the accumulation of years of hard labor and economy, preserving always the strictest integrity, making his word as good as the bonded paper. He took part in the Black Hawk war, as did most of the settlers of that day. The first mill built in the county, built by Daniel Lisle, after being sold once or twice, came into his hands, he moved it to Lick creek, where he put it up and ran it for many years. One of the burrs of that mill was used by Mr. C. as a door step until he died. Alfred C. Campbell, son of John, was born July 22, 1819, was the first white child born in the township of Chatham, and the third one born in the county; one Joseph E. McCoy being born March 13, 1819, was the first one in the county. Alfred C. married Polly Foster, daughter of Peyton Foster, who had reached Loami township in 1826, from Kentucky, May 13, 1838. June 10, 1846, he enlisted with Illinois Infantry for the Mexican war, as second Lieutenant under Col. Baker. After the death of Captain Morse at Tampico, Mexico, he commanded the company at Vera Cruz and Cerro Gordo. When the rebellion broke out, he was Captain of company E, thirty-second Illinois Infantry, under col. John Logan, and fought in all the battles from Fort Donelson to the sea. His company at battle of Pittsburg Landing lost thirty-two of its fifty-six men. Wm. P. Campbell was born November 4, 1820; also a soldier in the Mexican war, contracted disease, from which he died, twenty years after. Peter C. Campbell, youngest son of John Campbell, was born January 19, 1832, and has always lived on the same home farm; May 5, 1852, married Amanda E. Carson, who was born April 17, 1829; her father, John Carson, was born August 10, 1794, on Saluda Creek, South Carolina, removed to Tennessee, was in War of 1812, came to Madison county, married, and in 1820 or '21 came to Chatham township, on Lick creek. Mr. Campbell has had three children, two died early. Rachel C., born May 5, 1857, married Geo. W. Hunter, November 8, 1880. Mr. Hunter is a man of energetic business character, and as he has located with Mr. Campbell, will be a very serviceable assistant in managing his large estate.

Mr. Campbell had no advantage for school beyond that offered in the log house and slab seat common in that day. Beside the very poor facilities, he had a long distance to go, and the work on the farm often detained him, so as to render his days at school very short, yet he, by general business application, has acquired sufficient education to transact any business necessary. He has never connected himself directly with any church organization, yet he has been a general attendant with the Presbyterian people.

He has always maintained the strictest integrity in his business, making his verbal obligation good as his written one. He is now living within one mile of where he was born; has a fine residence, with suitable other buildings, and finds ample employment in the general management of his large interests. He has added, year by year, to his lands until he now has in one body fifteen hundred acres of as well selected land, comprising timber, prairie and living water, as Illinois can produce.