The Daviess County Democrat, Washington, Indiana, September 2, 1876, page 4:
DEATH OF JAMES CAMPBELL
James Campbell died at his residence in this city, after a sickness of one week, on Sunday, August 27th at 5:50 A.M., Aged 71. Disease, inflammation of the bowels.
The deceased was one of our oldest and most respected citizens. He was born in the county of Tyrone, Ireland, and came to this country at the age of 20. He settled in Pennsylvania and lived for a while on the summit of the Alleghenies in Columbia county. He married in 1833. He removed to Columbia County, Ohio, where he lived for a short time when he came to this State and located at Madison. He came to this city in 1838, where he lived until his death. On his arrival here, he immediately engaged in the mercantile business, and became a successful merchant. He was always fortunate in his commercial ventures and speculations.
In old times, before our railway was built, our merchants and traders shipped a great deal of produce of various kinds to New Orleans by flat boat. When, in the river business, other merchants would meet with bad luck, Mr. Campbell always seemed to be peculiarly favored by fair weather, and even when his boats happened to be delayed by accident, it generally turned out to be a fortunate accident, and his freight would always strike the market at a time when he could secure the highest prices.
He managed his business well, lived economically and invested his means wisely. By so doing he amassed a considerable fortune and knew how to take care of it. Although, in common with other wealthy citizens, he was sometimes suspected by "Young America" of entertaining "old fogy" ideas, he contributed his part to building up the city. The handsome business block erected by him on Main Street attests that he had a commendable degree of civic pride.
In 1868 he went back to his old home in Ireland on a visit. Although after an absence of nearly half century from the land of the shamrock he still felt a tenderness for his native land, yet he admitted to his friends here on his return that the places he knew in his youth did not seem to have advanced any, and that an acre of ground here was worth fifty acres of the land there. The old country had not kept pace with the new, and he came back more than ever impressed with the greatness of his adopted country and the value of her institutions. While he felt a becoming veneration for his native country, he was proud of his adopted land and recognized its superiority.
During this year he visited the Centennial in company with his son-in-law Mr. J. N. Breen, and was delighted with his trip. Of late years he has not been actively engaged in business. He was a devout Catholic.
We believe he never held or aspired to a political office. When he was prostrated by his last sickness, he realized that he would never recover and so expressed himself. He died apparently contented and with his children about him passing peacefully away from the bosom of his family to that of his God. He leaves a wife and several children, six of whom are married. His remains, followed by a large procession of friends and relatives, were interred in the Catholic Cemetery.
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