Charles Muir Campbell - Illinois: 1840 To His Death in 1874 (A New Beginning)

Illinois: 1840 To His Death in 1874 (A New Beginning)

The trip to Illinois probably followed the newly completed National Road, which left from Cumberland, Maryland and travelled to Illinois. The road ended in Illinois, uncertain as to which way to turn. The Campbell family and friends, (a party of about 15 travellers), settled in Jerseyville, Illinois. This area was aptly named due to the large number of emigrants from the state of New Jersey, and it sits in Jersey County.

The family began a new life as farmers in Jerseyville. They apparently continued with their coach and harness making trades (as indicated by census data for occupation). Land records indicate that they began buying and selling land grants that were issued to soldiers. By trading and accumulating property, they managed to piece together three large and adjacent farms just south of Pawnee, IL.

Around 1851 or 1852 they moved much of the family to the Pawnee, IL farms. Much of this was virgin prairie grassland. The creek that runs South of Pawnee is now called "Horse Creek". Family history said that they found a dead horse in that creek when they arrived and it was initially called "Dead Horse Creek". This creek crosses two of the three family farms. Each farm was about 1/2 mile wide (East-West) and 1 mile long (North-South). Three brothers each received a farm and a sum of cash from Charles Muir Campbell.

Charles Muir Campbell's wife, Agness Schenck, died in August 1852, shortly after moving to Pawnee. Charles Muir Campbell lived with his son James on the "middle farm". James was known as "Big Jim" Campbell and had a son, called "Little Jim" Campbell. They were friends and hosts to and his son, Robert Todd Lincoln. (Insert newspaper clipping - "He Knew Abe Lincoln".) Charles Muir Campbell had always had a big family and lots of children, so after the death of his first wife, he eventually married a young widow named Rebecca (Ely?).

Having been well educated in one of the best college prep schools in New Jersey, Charles Muir Campbell was a bit of a scholar as well as businessman turned farmer. He moved to the newly booming capital of Springfield, Illinois with his second wife, Rebecca and her children from her previous marriage. At the age of 70 (?), they lived for a year in the American (?) Hotel in downtown Springfield with her schoolage children. Charles Muir Campbell was a Justice of the Peace in Springfield, IL until his death in 1874. His offices were on a corner about a block from the old train station and Capitol building.

Charles Muir Campbell died 12 October 1874 from kidney stones and is buried at Block 7, Lot 261, of the famous Oak Ridge Cemetery, not far from his friend, Abraham Lincoln. Test link to music