ELIJAH CAMPBELL, who resides on section 33, Goose Creek township, owns and operates a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres pleasantly located two miles north of DeLand, its neat and thrifty appearance plainly indicating his careful supervision.  Substantial improvements are surrounded by well tilled fields, and all the accessories and conveniences of a model farm are there found.
     A native of the neighboring state of Indiana, Mr. Campbell was born in Clark county, July 7, 1840, and is a son of Turner and Isabel (Hinthorn) Campbell.  The father was born in Ireland, of Scotch ancestry, and the mother was of Irish descent.  Throughout life Turner Campbell followed farming and died in Indiana in 1844.  Four years later his widow became the wife of John Loudenback, of Kentucky, and after residing in Indiana for a few years, they removed to Fulton county, Illinois, making their home there until 1888, when they went to Howard county, Missouri, settling near Moberly, where Mrs. Loudenback died about 1892.
     Mr. Campbell is one of a family of nine children, who in order of birth were as follows: Isaiah died in Indiana; William died in Missouri in 1899; John died in Indiana, leaving a wife and three children, Francis Marion, Elizabeth and John Floyd; Oliver died when about twenty-two years of age; Isaac married Jane Ailman, a daughter of John Ailman, of Canton, Illinois, and with his wife and children is now living on a farm near Wyoming, Illinois.  Alexander, who was single, disappeared from a farm near Canton, Illinois, about fifteen years ago, when forty-five years of age, and has never been heard from since; Turner died of typhoid fever at the age of fourteen years; Elijah is the next of the family; and Sarah married Michael Phalen and died in Missouri about 1863, leaving three children.  Her husband has since married again.
     Elijah Campbell obtained his early education in an old-fashioned log schoolhouse in Indiana, with its puncheon floor, hewed seats and a fireplace large enough to hold a six-foot log.  He attended school only through the winter season, while through the summer months he worked on the home farm from sunrise until sundown.  The school also lasted all day and through the noon hours the boys cut wood, meeting on Saturdays to haul it to the building with ox teams.
    In 1863 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Campbell and Miss Sarah Elizabeth Carter, of Lewiston, Fulton county, Illinois, where her parents, Jackson and Harriet Jane (Riley) Carter, made their home.  She is the oldest in their family of seven children, the others being Atha, wife of James O'Brien, a farmer of Fulton county; Eldora, wife of H. D. Porter, a grain-dealer of DeLand; Everett, also a farmer of Fulton county; Almeda, deceased wife of Jacob Miller, a farmer; Quincy, who is engaged in the lumber business at Sidell, Illinois, and Jessie, wife of John Wertman, farmer of Fulton county.
     Unto Mr. and Mrs. Campbell have been born twelve children: Hattie Belle, the oldest, was married in 1886 to Thomas Wisegarver, and they have one daughter, Aubra.  Cora is the wife of Frank Huddleston, of Webster City, Iowa.  Atha is the wife of Luther Cox, a member of the mercantile firm of Gantz & Cox, of DeLand.  Lillian is the wife of George Galliver, of Bagdad, Santa Rosa county, Florida.  Both are physicians and are graduates of the Harvey Medical College of Chicago.  Wynona is the wife of Smith Wisegarver, a farmer of Piatt county.  Pearl is the wife of Edward Haggard, also a farmer of this county.  Raymond R. was recently graduated at Lombard College, Galesburg, Illinois, with the highest honors, being points higher than any other graduate there during the forty-eight years of the existence of the college.  He has taught in a training school in Chicago, and by teaching earned the money with which to pay his way through college and meet all his expenses while there.  He is a young man of marked ability and deserves great credit for what he has accomplished.  At present he is in Chicago, undecided as to what he will devote his time in the family, married Jennie Armstrong, a daughter of Leonard Armstrong, and at present is engaged in draying in DeLand, though he previously followed farming in this county.  Canova died in infancy.  Caddie is the wife of Oscar Moody, who follows farming near DeLand; Wave and DeForest are both at home with their parents.
     After his marriage Mr. Campbell rented a farm in Fulton county for two years, and in its cultivation was fairly successful.  He then came to Piatt county and purchased eighty acres of land, which he operated for two years, and on disposing of that he purchased another tract here.  Since then he has bought and sold a number of places, unusually making money on the transaction, and finally purchased his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres on section 33, Goose Creek township.  His crops are principally corn and oats, and he gives considerable attention to the breeding of pure blooded Ohio Improved Chester hogs, which are considered a superior breed, and in the raising of which he has met with remarkable success for several years.  He usually ships from eighty to one hundred hogs each year, and as those he raises are among the best to be found on the market, they command the highest prices.  He may well take a just pride in his success in this enterprise.  He also feeds some cattle for market.  His farm is under a high state of cultivation, and there is a good orchard and many varieties of small fruit upon it.  He has erected a new house, barn and other buildings, and everything is in first-class condition.
     Mr. Campbell, his wife and all his children are members of the Christian church of DeLand, and for thirty-two years he has also been connected with the Masonic order, now holding membership in DeLand Lodge, No. 812, F. & A. M.  The Democratic party has always found in him a stanch supporter of its principles, and his fellow citizens recognizing his worth and ability have called upon him to fill several local offices, the duties of which he was most capably and satisfactorily discharged.  He was road commissioner one term, road overseer seven years and township treasurer twenty-two years.  He is still filling the last named office, and is also school treasurer of his township.  Upright and honorable in all the relations of life, he well merits the confidence and trust reposed in him.
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