JOHN CALDER.  One of the most substantial farmers and highly esteemed citizens of Kelly Township, is John Calder.  He is a native of Somersetshire, England, and was born Jan. 12, 1819.  He is the son of William and Elizabeth Calder, who were engaged as farmers in their native land. John remained at home until he attained his 14th year, when he was apprenticed to the trade of a butcher.  He served his time faithfully and then went to London to follow the calling he had thus chosen.  He remained in that city during the winter of 1839 and 1840, and in the spring shipped for South Australia.  From there he went to Van Diemansland, where he remained engaged in different avocations several months.  He then went to China, where he stayed for 18 months,, going thence to Bombay City, India.  He remained a citizen there for six months, when he returned to England.  After a six-months sojourn at home, he became restless, and the desire for a change was too great for him to resist.  He therefore shipped for Aden in Arabia, and from there up the Persian Gulf, then back to India, where he remained six months and then returned to England.  There he was content to remain during the winter, but on the following spring he embarked for South America
and stopped at Monte Video, Buenos Ayres and other places along the River La Platte and in the Argentine and Uraguay Republics a little over two years.  From thence he went to the Brazils, stopping at Rio de Janeiro six or seven months, and returned to England in March, 1848.
     During the last year named, 1848, the expedition was being fitted up to go in search of Sir John Franklin, under the command of Sir James Ross and Captain Bird.  Mr. Calder shipped in H. M. S. Investigator, under the command of Captain Bird.  The fleet set sail in the spring of 1848, and passed through David's Straits, Baffin's Bay, Lancaster Sound into Barrow's Strait, at Prince Regent's Inlet, and wintered at Leopold Bay, North Somerset, but discovered no traces of the fated explorer, and, unable to push further North, returned to England, in November, 1849.
     The country had now become thoroughly alarmed for the fate of the great explorer and his party and immediately set about organizing an expedition that would make a thorough search for Sir John and his crew. The Government fitted out the Enterprise,
commanded by Capt. Collison, and the Investigator, under Commander McClure. They set sail in January, 1850, and parted company after passing through the Straits of Magellan, never seeing the Enterprise afterward.  The Investigator, the vessel upon which Mr. Calder shipped, as Captain of the forecastle, passed the winters of 1850 and 1851 at Prince Royal Island, in the Arctic Ocean.  In the spring of 1851 Commander McClure turned his vessel southward around the southern extremity of Barring's Island, and commenced to force a passage to the northward, between the western shore of that land and the enormous fields of ice which pressed upon it.  The cliffs rose up like walls on one side, while on the other the stupendous palaeoerzostic sea] arose from the water to a level with the yards of the Investigator.  After many hair-breadth escapes, McClure took refuge in a bay on the northern shore of
Banksland, which he named the Bay of God's Mercy.  Here the Investigator remained, never to move again.
     In the summer of 1852 Commander McClure, with a part of his crew, among whom was Mr. Calder, made a journey across the ice to the Melville Island and there deposited some papers which were afterward found by the commanders of the "Resolute" and "Intrepid," giving them a clew to McClure's company. The supply of food, however, ran short the third winter, and all hands were compelled to go on extremely short rations.  The cold was intense, often ranging from 60 to 66 degrees below zero.  Water was scarce, in fact their only supply was obtained by melting snow, and during the extreme cold weather the snow fall was very light.  Water and food were husbanded with the greatest care, and every precaution taken to withstand the terrible suffering and starvation as long as possible.  In the Spring of 1853 McClure was preparing to abandon the vessel and with the crew attempt to reach the American coast, the same as Sir John Franklin did.  In the meantime, however, the government of England was fitting out the Resolute and Intrepid to rescue McClure and his men.   The latter vessel, fortunately, found McClure and his crew just as all arrangements
had been perfected, and they were ready to make the start for the trip across the ice to the coast of America.
     After suitable arrangements could be made they finally deserted the "Investigator," June 4, 1853, traveling across the ice to the east side of Melville Island, where the "Resolute" and "Intrepid" were stationed. During their short sojourn on this Island they killed several musk o-x. From there, on board the "Resolute," they sailed out into Melville Sound, making a journey of about sixty (60) miles, when they were bound in by ice and obliged to remain there during that winter.  On April 14, 1854, they abandoned the "Resolute" and "Intrepid," making their way down to "Beechey Island," where they found the "North Star" awaiting them.  Lying there until September, they started for England.  They finally  reached England, having been gone four years, nine months and fifteen days, and thus closed one of the most noted Arctic expeditions known in all the history of explorations to that far-off region.  Mr. Calder had spent five winters in the Polar seas.  The many incidents, narrow escapes, the intense suffering and heroic conduct of officers and crew if told would fill a large volume. A grateful government recognized their eminent and heroic services, and presented the crew with medals appropriately designed, and in addition Parliament voted them £10,000.  Mr. Calder was presented individually with a medal for "meritorious conduct," in addition to that received as one of the crew. With a just pride he regards them as his most valuable treasures.  There is not a man in Warren County, and but few to be found anywhere in America who have traveled so extensively, visited so many foreign ports, or passed so many months in the distant Polar sea.
     In 1855, Mr. Calder came to America and settled at Chicago, where he was engaged in butchering, feeding cattle and speculating, until 1863, when on account of failing health he was compelled to leave the city.  He came to Warren County and purchased some land on section 8, Kelly Township, where he embarked in farming and stock raising.  Here he has since continued to reside, and in the quiet and peaceful calling he has chosen, so radically different from his former experiences, he has been quite successful.  He has an elegant home, a view of which we present in connection with this sketch, and seemingly enjoys life fully as well as when his vessel was plowing the chilly waters of the North, or sailing in distant seas.
     On the 20th of February, 1855, before leaving England for America, Mr. Calder was united in marriage with Miss Fanny, daughter of William and Esther (Tilly) Cattle.  She was born in Somersetshire, England, June 22, 1829. There has been born to them seven children, four of whom are yet living, the others dying in infancy.  Those living are in the order of their birth : John, born Oct. 9, 1858; Katie, May 6, 1864; Elizabeth E., July 4, 1866; and Frederick, Jan. 28, 1870.
     Both Mr. and Mrs. Calder were reared in the Episcopal Church, and politically Mr. C. is a Republican.
Source:  Portrait and Biographical Album - Publ. Chicago: Chapman Bros. 1886 - Page 571

JOHN P. CAMPBELL is the present Township Clerk of Spring Grove.  He was born in Huntingdon Co., Pa., Aug. 6, 1853.  He is a member of the fourth generation from his earliest known ancestor in this country, being of Scotch-Irish extraction.  John A. Campbell, his father, was born in 1807, in the same county in Pennsylvania where the son was born.  He was bred a farmer, that having been the calling of his race for many generations.  He was married in the Keystone State to Mary J. Wray, who was also born in Huntingdon County, Oct. 16, 1817.  After his marriage the senior Campbell bought a farm in Brady Township, seven miles from the county-seat, which remained the home of the family until 1865, when the property was sold and a removal to Illinois effected.  A farm was rented in Suez Township, in Mercer County, where they resided one year, during which time the father was engaged in prospecting for a suitable location for a permanent homestead.  In company with his eldest son, he bought a farm on section 9, in the township of Spring Grove, which, in the spring of 1866, he took possession of and made it the family residence until the death of the father, which took place in 1873.  His widow now resides in Norwood, Mercer County.  They were the parents of ii children, of whom eight are still living.
     Mr. Campbell is the fourth child.  He was 12 years old when his father's family removed to Illinois.  He had obtained a fair education before coming to this State, but after removal hither he continued his studies in the common schools of Spring Grove Township.  In the interims of school he engaged in the duties of farming.  He obtained a practical education, and in 1874 he commenced teaching.  He made his first engagement as a pedagogue in District No. 5, of the same township in which he now lives.  In July, 1877, he bought an interest in the dry-goods establishment of G. B. Hardy, at Alexis, and carried on a commercial business for 14 months.  He sold out at the end of that time and resumed teaching, to which profession he has since devoted himself exclusively, having been engaged for nearly eight years in the schools of Alexis.
     Politically, Mr. Campbell is a Democrat.  He has officiated as Collector in his township and is serving a second term in his present official position.
     He formed a matrimonial alliance with Ida McBride, Oct. n, 1877.  She was born in Monmouth, and is the daughter of Abisha and Parmelia (Alley) McBride.  Their children are Freddie H. and Stanley Vergne.  Mr. and Mrs. Campbell are members of the Presbyterian Church and he is one of the Elders of his congregation.
Source:  Portrait and Biographical Album - Publ. Chicago: Chapman Bros. 1886 - Page 199