John Campbell (ca. 1788–1866), attorney and public official, was born near Abingdon. His brother, TJ’s correspondent David Campbell, helped to direct his education, which included studies at the College of New Jersey (later Princeton University) and Washington College (later Washington and Lee University), followed by a time reading law in Staunton under Chapman Johnson. Campbell was elected to the House of Delegates representing Washington County in 1810 and again in 1811. After the conclusion of his second term in 1812, he joined the Council of State and remained in that position until 1817. Campbell relocated by 1819 to Alabama, where he purchased land and served as secretary of the state’s constitutional convention. Following a brief stay in Tennessee, Campbell returned to Virginia and sat again on the Council of State, 1821–29. President Andrew Jackson appointed him treasurer of the United States in the latter year. Campbell held the post until failing health, alcoholism, and his growing opposition to President Martin Van Buren led to his forced resignation in 1839. Campbell then returned permanently to Washington County, where in 1860 he owned real estate valued at $2,000 and personal property totaling $4,000, including two slaves (DVB description begins John T. Kneebone, Sara B. Bearss, and others, eds., Dictionary of Virginia Biography, 1998– , 3 vols. description ends ; Lewis Preston Summers, History of Southwest Virginia, 1746–1786, Washington County, 1777–1870 [1903], 792–3; Thomas McAdory Owen, History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography [1921], 3:292–3; Leonard, General Assembly description begins Cynthia Miller Leonard, comp., The General Assembly of Virginia, July 30, 1619–January 11, 1978: A Bicentennial Register of Members, 1978 description ends , 262, 268; CVSP description begins William P. Palmer and others, eds., Calendar of Virginia State Papers … Preserved in the Capitol at Richmond, 1875–93, 11 vols. description ends , 10:153; DNA: RG 59, LAR, 1817–25; Journal of the Convention of the Alabama Territory begun July 5, 1819 [Huntsville, 1819], 4, 10–1, 40; Jackson, Papers description begins Sam B. Smith, Harold D. Moser, Daniel Feller, and others, eds., The Papers of Andrew Jackson, 1980– , 11 vols. description ends , 7:149; JEP description begins Journal of the Executive Proceedings of the Senate of the United States description ends , 4:55, 76, 5:252 [10 Feb., 22 Mar. 1830, 29 Jan. 1840]; DNA: RG 29, CS, Washington Co., 1860, 1860 slave schedules; Washington Co. Minute Book, 17:60–1; Alexandria Gazette, 5 Dec. 1866; Washington Co. Will Book, 17:105–6).

The order of genl la fayette on the death of William Campbell, issued 25 Aug. 1781, included instructions for according him military honors and the selection of four officers to pay him the army’s final respects (Stanley J. Idzerda and others, eds., Lafayette in the Age of the American Revolution: Selected Letters and Papers, 1776–1790 [1977–83], 4:359).