Eli G. Campbell
Eli G. Campbell, farmer, P. O. La Fayette, was born in Deer Creek Township February 16, 1838. He is a son of William E. and Sarah Campbell, he a native of Maryland and she of Virginia. The grandparents were Hugh and Margaret Campbell. The maternal grandfather was John Moore, who came to Ohio and settled in Madison County, near London – among the first settlers – where he remained till his death, November 10, 1839, aged seventy-seven years. William Campbell, the father of our subject, was born in Maryland, August 17, 1801, emigrated to Ohio and settled in Madison County, in quite an early day, while a young, single man, and here he was married to Sarah Moore, October 20, 1831, by whom he had eight children – seven now surviving – Laura (married John Lucy), James J., William, Alexander, Eli G., Benjamin M., Sarah, John W. (deceased), and Creighton E. (now a resident of Montana). Of these sons, all but the youngest served in the war of the rebellion. James, Alexander and John enlisted in the spring of 1861, in the Twenty-sixth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, for three years, or during the war. James was taken prisoner and was confined in the Libby and Andersonville Prisons, and suffered untold hardships in those terrible places during a period of eighteen months' confinement; was almost starved to death, and when released was but a living skeleton. Alexander and John saw hard service and had many narrow escapes. John, after serving nearly one year, was taken sick with camp fever, and returned home on furlough, where, after lingering about three months, on May 19, 1862, died, and his remains now rest in Oak Hill Cemetery, at London. Benjamin enlisted in a company of cavalry in the spring of 1865, and was with Sherman through the South till the close of the war. Mr. Campbell followed farming through life in Union and Deer Creek Townships. In his early life, he was Captain of a rifle company, which was mustered at appointed times, when they would camp out for several days and perform regular drill service; this practice was followed for several years. Mr. Campbell died December 17, 1857, aged fifty-six years. His wife died March 27, 1882, aged seventy-four years. Eli G., the subject of this sketch, was born, raised and grew to manhood in Deer Creek Township, and has passed the most of his life on the Gwynne farm, where he now resides. This farm consists of 3,300 acres, one of the largest and best stock farms in the county. It is the estate of E. W. Gwynne (deceased), one of the early settlers, which is inherited by two grandchildren – Edmiston and Marie Gwynne. Mr. Campbell has had the entire superintendence of this large farm since the death of Mr. Gwynne – a period of fifteen years. Mr. Campbell married Eliza J. Buntin, March d6, 1867; she is a daughter of James and Catharine Buntin, natives of Ireland. Eliza was born in Deer Creek Township, in February, 1842, and died February 15, 1870, aged twenty-eight years. By her he had twins (deceased). The large brick residence on this farm, an important tavern stand in an early day, where all the stages and passengers used to stop on their journey from Columbus to Springfield, prior to the building of the National road, or the day of railroads, and on a pane of glass still in one of the windows, is engraved the name "George E. Kummer, New York, September, 1830," a passenger, engraved by himself, where it has remained over half a century. Mr. Campbell is one of the active business men of the community, and the position he holds, in charge of this large stock farm, imposes upon him a great responsibility, he having 400 head of cattle to attend to, and 400 acres in cultivation, principally in corn.
From HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY - W. H. Beers [Chicago, 1883]