Young Campbell Pioneer to Celebrate Contributed by: Kay
Campbell, Young
Oshkosh Northwestern
January 24, 1912
PIONEER TO CELEBRATE
YOUNG CAMPBELL INVITES FRIENDS TO BE WITH HIM ON HIS EIGHTY-SEVENTH BIRTHDAY
Mrs. George W. JOHNSON, 65 East New York avenue, will entertain next Friday, January 26, at 6 o'clock, in honor of Young CAMPBELL, a pioneer resident who expects to celebrate his eighty-seventh birthday anniversary on that date.
In his younger days, Mr. CAMPBELL was a surveyor and engineer, and was intimately connected with the railroad building in and about Oshkosh. Of late years he has been retired, but on occasion has filled in the position of supply teacher in mathematics at the Normal school, and has also taken classes at the High school. He is fond of discussing the "old days" with friends, and can recall facts about the development of the west, and of this vicinity in particular, that are highly interesting.
"It is now fifty-eight years since I first arrived in Chicago," remarked Mr. CAMPBELL in telling of his career as engineer and surveyor. "At the age of twenty years I was employed in the British Isles. Six years later I left London in a sailing vessel, bound around the Cape of Good Hope, to Bombay. I remained at Bombay and vicinity four years, and liked it well. I used to do my engineering mornings, from 4 to 7 o'clock, while it was cool, then retire into the bungalow for indoor work or diversion, as it was often 112 degrees in the shade.
"At this time my brother, Robert CAMPBELL, wrote me from Chicago, with a proposition to become locating engineer for the Chicago & Northwestern line. I could not find Chicago on the map, but departed for there in August, 1854. I got my position as locating engineer, and we got the road into Janesville and then into Fond du Lac. We graded and built the road through to Oshkosh by September, 1858. Later we located in Oshkosh, and my brother and I built the "belt line" extending up to PAINE's yards. Later we built sawmills on both sides of the Fox river - forty-seven in all, with a switch track to each. Afterwards, I was engaged by the St. Paul road, taking charge of surveys west of the Mississippi. On Christmas day, 1867, I returned to Oshkosh, and was married in Trinity church to Miss Lora E. AUSTIN, daughter of A. A. AUSTIN, the second postmaster of Oshkosh.
"By leaving the Chicago & Northwestern line I lost an opportunity to get a pension of $150 a month - half-pay - as I had taken charge of two divisions, receiving $150 a month for each of them, with pork and beans twenty-one times a week thrown in. Since then I have spent most of my time in Oshkosh.
Mr. CAMPBELL enjoys reviewing his earlier days: and on Friday, when many of his long-time friends visit him on his birthday, many incidents of historical interest will be exchanged in the reminiscences. Invitations have been sent to the following: Rev. John W. GREENWOOD; J. Howard JENKINS; James A. KENNEDY; J. J. MOORE; H. R. MINORS; Judge G. W. BURNELL; Judge A. H. GOSS; George E. WILLIAMS; G. A. BUCKSTAFF; Dr. J. M. CONLEY; Dr. W. H. FORD; Dr. F. W. A. BROWN; J. A. VROOMAN; Kirk SPOOR; Charles SCHRIBER; Louis SCHRIBER; F. A. LABUDDE; B. E. VAN KEUREN; Moses HOOPER; Pres. John A. H. KEITH; Prof. W. C. HEWITT; Prof. L. W. BRIGGS; Prof. F. R. CLOW; Prof. H. R. FLING; Prof. F. E. MITCHELL; Prof. M. H. SMALL; Prof. A. I. ROEHM; Prof. A. A. FARLEY; Rev. G. M. WILLIAMS of Marquette, Mich., G. M. PAINE; Charles HICKS; E. M. CRANE; Rev. E. H. SMITH; L. H. TORREYSON; and Prof. L. M. CASTLE of Illinois.
