Sacramento County
Biographies
ALDEN W. CAMPBELL
A typical American of the best class is a
fitting description of Alden W. Campbell of Sacramento, who has reached a high
place in public esteem as an architect and an artist along professional lines.
Mr. Campbell was born in Boulder, Colo., in 1875, a son of William R. and Lydia
R. (Wilson) Campbell, natives respectively of Canada and of Michigan. In 1877
William R. Campbell brought his family to California and locating in Sacramento
went into the planing-mill business and built up a
large factory which supplied an extensive demand for builder's materials.
When his parents brought him to
Sacramento, Alden W. Campbell was about two years old. He was educated in
public schools and in night schools and took special courses with the
International Correspondence Schools of Scranton, Pa., receiving his diploma in
complete architecture. While he was studying in the night school, to hasten his
preparation to enter his chosen field of labor, he participated in several
architectural-drawing competitions and won several medals offered by the State
Architectural Society. The first was awarded him in 1894 and he was the
recipient of others in 1895, 1896, 1899, 1900, and 1902. When he was sixteen
years old he entered upon a three years' term of employment with that veteran
California builder, Silas Carle, whose operations extended throughout the
state. Later in the employ of the Sacramento Planing
Mills he gained in two years an intimate practical knowledge of woodworking and
interior finish. In 1897-1902 he was in the civil service department in the
post-office building, and in his spare time he devoted himself to professional
study and prepared plans for fine residences in Sacramento, among them being
residences for Dr. Hart, Henry Nicolaus, Jr., A. L.
Crane, Walter l. Rennie and Peter Roemer, also for T.
G. Schmeiser of Davis and F. E. Gilmore of Red Bluff.
He is now established in his own office at Thirty-fourth and J streets, and has
drawn plans for numerous fine houses and apartment buildings; he has on file
important contracts for execution in the near future. He is a member San
Francisco Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and is a member of
the Sacramento Architectural League.
Mr. Campbell was married in Sacramento November
27th, 1906, to Miss Ellen Klotz, who was born in this city and was a graduate
of the Sacramento high school. She was a teacher in the public schools for
several years. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell are the parents of three children,
Eleanor, William and Dudley. Mr. Campbell was made a Mason in Washington Lodge
No. 14, F. & A. M., and is also a thirtieth degree Scottish Rite member. He is a past patron of Columbus Chapter,
No.117, O. E. S., of which Mrs. Campbell is a member,
and he is also a member of Capital Lodge No. 87, I. O. O. F. Both he and his
wife are numbered in the membership of Capitol City Rebekah
Lodge No. 160, and he is a member of court Capital, F. of A. Mrs. Campbell is
member of the Native Daughters of the Golden West. Active in the East Sacramento
Improvement Club, where he has large property interests and where his beautiful
residence is located, Mr. Campbell has served the club as president and has
been very instrumental in fostering movements for the building up and
beautifying of that section of the state capital. He was a member of a
committee of thirty that carried to victory the annexing of the suburbs, thus
changing the population from forty-five hundred to seven thousand. He is an
active member of Sacramento Chamber of Commerce. He is Republican in his
politics and his geniality and public spirit make him popular with his fellow
citizens of all classes.
Transcribed by Sally Kaleta.
Source: Willis,
William L., History of Sacramento County,
California, Pages 825-826. Historic
Record Company,
© 2006 Sally Kaleta.