Thomas  Henry  Campbell

          Many years before the Civil war a young Irishman left his native county of Mayo, and stepped aboard a steamship bound for the land of promise across the sea. He was about twenty-five years of age, full of bigor, and he settled in Franklin county ambitious to make his way in the world. About the time another ship brought over Bridget Gillespie, who was chaperoned by an older sister and her husband, with whom she made her home after reaching America. In 1850 Thomas Campbell met and married this girl, and with her located on a farm in Johnson county, Indiana, where they reared a large family of twelve children, only five of whom are living. Mrs. Maggie Dean, the eldest daughter, has three children and resides at Shelbyville.  Mrs. Onnie Flannigan, second oldest of the survivors, resides on a Johnson county farm.  Daniel C. Campbell, the oldest son, has a family of four children, and is a farmer in Johnson county.  Mrs. Catherine Boehning, another of the daughters, is also on a farm in Johnson county.
          Thomas H. Campbell, the youngest son, was born in Johnson county, Indiana, October 22, 1867, and spent four years at Franklin College, after which his first business venture was as school teacher in Needham township. In April, 1889, he began the study of law with Hord & Adams, at Shelbyville, and remained under instruction of the firm for three years. Admitted to the bar in 1890, he began practice but continued his studies.  In the fall of 1892 he formed a partnership with Albert F. Wray, a well known attorney of Shelbyville, and the firm is regarded as a leading one at the Shelby County Bar. It is on one side or the other of all the important litigation, and no names are more familiar on the court dockets than Wray & Campbell.  In 1892 Mr. Campbell was elected Prosecuting Attorney for Shelby and Johnson counties, and re-elected two years later, retiring in 1896, after four years of acceptable service.  He is quite prominent in politics, having served two terms as chairman of the Democratic Central Committee, having the management of its affairs during the strenuous local campaign of 1898 and 1900.  He ranks high in his profession as a man of integrity and upright methods, often being appointed by the court as administrator of important estates.  He is a member of the Knights of Columbus, Knights of St. John, and the Elks.
          January 8, 1891, he married  Miss Jimmie, daughter of  James W. and  Lydia E. (Worland) Knight, of Fayette county, Kentucky.  The father of Mrs. Campbell is a well-to-do farmer, and she was sent to the Sisters' School at White Sulphur, now Cardom Seminary or Convent for girls.  She took a four years' course and is finely educated, having a special taste for music and painting, in which arts she excels.  The family are devoted members of St. Joseph's Catholic church, and besides his commodious home at 218 West Washington street, Mr. Campbell owns residence properties in other parts of the city.
From Chadwick's History of Shelby County, Indiana by Edward H. Chadwick, B.A., assisted by well known local talent, B.F. Bowen & Co, Publishers: Indianapolis, IN, 1909, pages 426-427.
Copied by Phyllis Miller Fleming

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