Submitted by
Bill Fox
The Daily Democrat
Marlin, Texas
Tuesday, January 17, 1905
Page 1
FALLS COUNTY CENTENARIAN
Interviewed by Democrat Reporter, tells as Interesting Story Of Life.
(By Antony Xydias)
CHARLES CAMPBELL in Reminiscent Attitude.
Texas has many old
citizens within her borders but Falls county boasts of one who has seen the
light of three centuries in the person of “Uncle” Charlie Campbell, 106 years
old, who lives on his farm near Cego. Notwithstanding the ripe age, the
trials and tribulation he has gone through, he is as hearty and hale as an
ordinary citizen of one-half his age. A few days ago I visited him at his
farm near Cego.
“Could you give
me the story of you life, Uncle Charlie, to be published in the DEMOCRAT?”
“Yes,” he
replied, ”I am always glad to receive visitors and speak of events that occurred
in my young days. I remember everything as well as if they occurred
yesterday.”
“I was born in
old Tennessee, in Knox county, in 1799, so my parents told me. As soon as
I was strong enough to lift a feather I began to help my father on the farm and
didn’t have time to get any education at all; besides, schools were scarce in
those days. When I was twenty-one years of age the family moved to
Illinois, and I followed; and there I began caring for stock.
At that time
people from all over the United States were finding their way to Texas, which
was then a wild country, inhabited only by roving Indians and the garrisons of a
few Mexican forts. Then I made up my mind to come south, and for this
purpose I secured two good ponies, one for myself and one to carry the
provisions. This was the railroad of those days.
Well, after 52
days journey I arrived at New Orleans, the largest city in the south, and I
immediately secured work in a blacksmith shop. One evening a paper named
the Picayune came out, giving account of horrors committed by the Mexicans
against the American settlers of Texas. Troops were organized at once, and
calls were made from everywhere to prepare to go to the rescue of the Texans.
The next day I joined a volunteer company, and with them proceeded to Texas and
joined Sam Houston’s army on a little creek ten miles from Houston, Texas.”
Then follows a vivid recounting of his experience
during the war between Texas and Mexico. Later on the centenarian fought
the Mexicans again, under the leadership of Gen. Zachary Taylor, in the war
between the United States and the Montezumas. He also engaged in a number
of Indian raids in an early day in Texas, but did not fight in the Civil War,
being prevailed upon by his wife to take advantage of the age limit, he being 61
years old at the beginning of hostilities between the states.
Uncle Charley was for a number of years a Texas ranger
under the leadership of Captain Tom Gould. Remarkable as it may seem, he
was never wounded though he was in many close contests in war and while a
ranger. During a great portion of his eventful life the old gentleman has
followed the occupation of a blacksmith, working in New Orleans, Navasota and
other places in Texas.
He lost his first wife about 40 years ago and also
their three children, and while a resident of Bell county, in 1876, married a
second time, at the age of 77. Two children were born of this union, one
of whom died when young.
Uncle Charley concludes the story of his interesting
life as follows:
“I didn’t gave any money when I first came to Falls
county but now I have this farm which gives us a good living. I sold
all my cotton just as it was picked. I am too old to let the speculators
fool me. In politics I am a democrat; my first vote was cast for President
Andrew Jackson and my last for Alton B. Parker. I chew tobacco, smoke
cigars, drink strong coffee, and occasionally I participate in ’egg nog’ or
other stimulants. To all of these I partly attribute my old age, although
my father died, when a young man, at the age of 96. I have always enjoyed
good health.”
“As to my religion, I can’t tell you much. About
12 years ago I became a member of the Cego Methodist church and was baptized,
but in two weeks I had to quit them. We couldn’t agree. Since then
once or twice I visited the church.”
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Submitted by
Lena Stone Criswell
Marlin Democrat
April 1907
Charles "Uncle Charlie" Campbell
Dies April 13, 1907