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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Clay County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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William A. Campbell was born in Greene County, Mo., April 10, 1848, being a son of William and Nancy Campbell, and grandson of James and Lucy Campbell and James and Hannie Collins, who were natives of Patrick County, Va. William Campbell, Sr., was a farmer, and moved to Missouri in 1845, residing in Greene County until 1852, when he removed to Cass County, and two years later to Kansas Territory. He continued to make this his home until 1867, since which time he has been a resident of Vernon County, Mo., and is now living at Milo, of that county, engaged in merchandising. He and wife are the parents of the following family: John W., a resident of Arizona Territory, engaged in the milling business; George W., who died in Newton County, Mo., in 1886; Marthie E., who died in Greene County, Mo., in 1846; William A., James E., who died in Vernon County, Mo., in 1872; Isaac F., a merchant of Arizona Territory; Melissa J., who died in Bourbon County, Kas., in 1859; Thomas H., who died in Crawford County, Kas., in 1863; David H., a blacksmith at El Paso, Tex.; Melissa, married Charles Baker in 1883, and resides in Crawford County, Kas. William A. Campbell began life for himself in 1863, when only sixteen years old, at which time he enlisted in the Federal army, in Company B, Fourteenth Regiment of Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, under Capt. Charles H. Haynes, and Col. C. W. Blair, in which regiment he served until June 15, 1865, then being honorably discharged with the balance of his regiment, at Lawrence, Kas. He then went to Southeast Kansas, where he joined his parents, staying there until May 20, 1866, the date of his marriage to Miss Rebecca A. Cooper, afterward moving to McDonald County, Mo., and from there to El Paso, Tex., where he lived one year. Going thence to Benton County, Ark., he lived there two years and later settled in Newton County, Mo., but after a residence in that locality until 1884, moved to Clay County, Ark., reaching this place November 17, 1884. Here he still resides. He bought 320 acres of heavily timbered land, and now has eighteen acres cleared and under fence, with a young orchard of 100 apple trees of a select variety. William A. Campbell was elected justice of the peace in his county, October 20, 1888, which office he still holds. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity. Rebecca A. Campbell, his wife, is the daughter of Hiram and Lucinda Cooper, and was born in McDonald County, Mo., March 7, 1848. Her father died when she was four years old, and when she was seven years old her mother died, leaving her and one sister and two brothers to fight the battle of life as best they could. The oldest child was only ten years of age. She lived in McDonald County, Mo., until the spring of 1862, when she moved to Southeast Kansas with relatives, residing there until her marriage in 1866. William A. and Rebecca A. Campbell are the parents of six children: George W., the eldest, died in Jasper County, Mo., in 1872; John W. died in Mexico, in 1874; Alexander died in Mexico in 1874; John W. and Alexander (twins) died on the same day; Lucinda J., Martha E., and Rosa A., the youngest child, still remain with their parents.

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This family biography is one of 124 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Clay County, Arkansas published in 1889.  View the complete description here: Clay County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Clay County, Arkansas family biographies here: Clay County, Arkansas Biographies

View a map of 1889 Clay County, Arkansas here: Clay County, Arkansas Map

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