Fayette County Genealogy ProjectCAMPBELL Judge EDWARD CAMPBELL, a leading lawyer of Western Pennsylvania, is a son of Dr Hugh Campbell. Dr Hugh Campbell was born at Uniontown, May 1, 1795, and was educated at Jefferson College, Cannonsburg, Penna, afterwards read medicine and was graduated from the Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania in 1818. From 1815 to 1840 he was located at Uniontown in the practice of medicine and was one of the leading physicians of Fayette county. He was a fine scholar, a good linguist; ordained elder of the Presbyterian church at Uniontown, and was until his death regarded as one of the pillars of that church. Dr Campbell, Rev A G Fairchild, Jesse Evans and Judge Nathaniel Ewing were the pioneers of the temperance movement of sixty years ago in Fayette county which banished whiskey from the merchant's counter, the side board and the harvest field. In 1860 he retired from the active practice of medicine and from 1865 to 1868 was Warden of the Western Penitentiary at Allegheny City. His father, Benjamin Campbell, was from the famed highlands of Scotland, a silversmith by trade, who came to Uniontown in 1780. A clock made by himself over a hundred years ago is now in his grandson's law office. The maiden name of Dr Campbell's wife was Rachel Lyon, a native of Baltimore, a daughter of Samuel Lyon, born at Carlisle, Penna, and the latter's father came to this country from Ireland. Judge Edward Campbell, born at Uniontown July 24, 1838, was a law student of Judge Nathaniel Ewing, and admitted to the Fayette county bar September 5, 1859. He received his education at John Lyon's Academy and Madison College at Uniontown. When Beauregard's circling batteries opened fir upon Fort Sumter in 1861 and the country realizing the fact that a terrible war was at hand, among the first who responded to the call of the federal government for troops was Judge Campbell. He volunteered as a private in April, 1861, and served in camp only during that summer. At the expiration of this time he enlisted as a private in the 85th Pennsylvania, was promoted October 21, 1861, to second lieutenant, to captain May 15, 1862, major, September 6, 1862, became lieutenant colonel of his regiment, October 16, 1863, and was honorably discharged from the service November 22, 1864. He served three and a half years in the war and won an enviable war record that reflected no discredit on the firmness and bravery of that wonderful Scotch Irish race of which he is descended. At the close of the war, he returned to Uniontown, opened an office for the practice of law, where he has acquired a large and lucrative practice and is recognized as an able lawyer. On the death of Judge Gilmore in May, 1873, Governor Hartranft appointed him President Judge of the District for the short period of less than one year. He left the Bench carrying with him the good will and respect of all for his kindness and courtesy in discharge of his high duties as judge. His speeches made in important cases are of the characteristic force and ability and as a constitutional lawyer he stands in the front rank of leading lawyers of Pennsylvania. Courtly, suave in manner, pure in conversation, and firm in his convictions of right, he is regarded deservedly highly as a Christian gentleman and scholar. |