Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-12-18
Biographical Skstfh.
COL. WILLIAM CAMPBELL.
BY REV. ROBERT LATHAM.

WILLIAM CAMPBELL was OF pure Caleuo'
nian blood. About the close of the sixteenth
century, during the latter years of the reign
of Queen Elizabeth, his ancestors emigrated
from Scotland and settled in Ireland. At the
foot of the heath. clad Grampian Hills, and in
Ulster Province, they stood up, unAinchingly,
for Christ's crown and covenants. Their de-
scendants became part of that noble people,
which are known in ecclesiastical history, by
the name of Scotch Irish Presbyterians.
In 1925, John Campbell, the great grand
father of Col. William Campbell, came to
America. He first settled in Lancaster coun-
ty, Pennsylvania. In this Scotch-lrish neigh
borhood, he remained for about four years.
In 1870. he crossed the Susquehanna River
and Blue Ridge Mountains, and permanently
settled in what was, at that time, called Orange
county, (now Augusta county, Virginia
When John Campbell came to America, ne
had five grown sons and FIVE or six daughters !;
and one son, at least, was born in Pennsylva-
MIA. From this fact, we may infer that ne
was past the meridian of life. On emigrating
from Pennsylvania to Virginia, only three OF
his sons accompanied him. The names OF
these were Patrick, Robert and David. 1t
was the last who was born in Pennsylvania.
Col. William Campbell was the son Of
Charles Campbell, who was the son OF Pat-
rick Campbell, the oldest son of John Camp
bell, who came to America in 1726. Charles
Campbell died in Augusta county, Virginia,
leaving one son, William, and four daughters.
Elizabeth, his oldest daughter, married John
Taylor; Jane, his second, married Thomas
Tate; Margaret married her cousin, Col. Ar
thur Campbell, and Ann, the fsa''sssss. ~es.e-
youngest daughter, married Richard Poston.
When Charles, Campbell died, the burden
of the family devolved upon his. son. For
this arduous and responsible position, he was
eminently qualified. Being an only son,
great care had been taken in his education.
He was, in his early youth, placed under the
best instructors the country at that time af-
forded. He was not, as is too frequently the
case in the present day, put to studying every
thing and thereby prevented from acquiring
a correct knowledge of any thing. On the
contrary, he was given sufficient time to &C.
quire clear and practical knowledge of the
English language, thorough knowledge OF
several branches of mathematics, and gen.
eral knowledge of ancient and modern his
tory.
Some time after the death of Chas Camp
bell, and previous to the Revolutionary war,
William Campbell, with his mother and SIS
ters, migrated to the Valley of the Holston.
In 1865, number of individuals set out
from Augusta county, Virginia, to explore
the western wilderness; The leading spirits
in this expedition were John Campbell, oldest
son of David Campbell, and DR. Thomas
Walker. In this wild frontier region, John
Campbell purchased home for his fathers
family, near the head-waters of the Holston
River. To this survey was given the name
of "Royal Oak" and in the space of few
years the father and mother of John Camp
bell, with their sons, John, Arthur, James,
David, Robert and Patrick, and their dsugh'
ters Margaret, Mary, Martha, Sarah and
Ann, removed. To this settlement, founded
by his uncle David, William Campbell re-
paired with his mother and four sisters. In
174S, however, his father, Capt. Chas. Camp
bell, in company with Dr. Thomas Walker,
Colonels Buchanan, Patton and Wood, ex-
plored this region. The range of mountains
which the Indians called Wasioto, and the
beautiful stream which flows on the west of
this range, which the natives called Sba-
vance, they named in honor Of the Duke of
Cumberland, at that time Prime Minister Of
England The mountain range is still called
Cumberland Mountains, and the stream is
called Cumberland River.
The military history of Col. VIM. Camp
bell began in 1774, when he was about TWEEN.
ty.nine years old. In that year was fought
the battle of Kanawha. A number of occur
rences had taken place in the past which had
alienated the Indians. These untutored men
of the forest, were unable to distinguish be-
tween wrongs, and we may, in justice to them
add, that the first white settlers Of the Amer
ican soil, in too many instances, seem to have
acted on the erroneous principle that the In
dian, because he was not blessed with Euro
pean civilization, was possessed Of no rights.
In 1772, treaty was made between Virginia
and the Cherokees, by which a large tract
of territory was granted to the State of Vir-
ginia. Proper steps were taken to have this
land settled. The Watauga Association had
been formed, land it was thought that all
things would work peaceably. Alexander
Cameron, deputy agent for the British gov
ernment residing among the Cherokees Or
dered the white settlers of Watauga to move
away. A number of Cherokees interceded
for the white settlers, asking that they might
be permitted to remain, provided they would
make no farther encroachments. Some did
remain; but it was not long until they be-
came uneasy aud desired to obtain, from the
Indians, lease of the land which they occu-
pied. This lease was granted for eight years.
No doubt, the white inhabitants thought that
eight years increase would be sufficient to give
them a decided superiority over the natives
Of the forest.
1t was announced that on the day the Wa
tauga treaty would be signed, that there would
ba horse race. To see this race, number
of people had come from the neighborng set
Elements. Many Indians were there, taking
part in the sports of the day. At the close