San
Joaquin County
Biographies
CHARLES F. CAMPBELL
For the past thirty-three years
Charles F. Campbell has occupied a conspicuous place among the leading
businessmen of San Joaquin County and with one exception has been the longest
in his line, that of the shoe business.
He was born in San Francisco, California, September 15, 1872, his
parents being George W. and Mary A. (Grace) Campbell, natives of Maine and
Ireland, respectively. Charles F., the
subject of this sketch, is the fourth of six children, the others being George
H., who died at thirty-nine years, was well known in Stockton business circles;
Florilla, John P., Mrs. Ella Spurr,
and Mrs. Grace Myers. George W. Campbell
came to California in 1849 and the following year settled in Stockton, where he
engaged in teaming to Tuolumne County; then he located in San Francisco where
he conducted a butcher business.
Returning to Stockton in 1877 he engaged in teaming and draying for a
number of years. He was an Odd Fellow
and a member of the Volunteer Firemen.
Both parents are now deceased.
When the family returned to Stockton, Charles F. Campbell was five years
old, so that practically his entire life has been spent within the confines of
San Joaquin County. He attended the
Franklin, the old South, now the Jackson and the old
Lafayette schools. At ten years of age
he began to clerk in a cigar store after school hours and during vacation,
first for King & Sequera, at the corner of Hunter
Street and Weber Avenue; later in Smith’s cigar store on South Center Street;
also for Miles Pearman and the Mekow
cigar store on Center Street. At
seventeen years of age he was a clerk in the store of Arndt & Gumpert at 181 El Dorado Street. Thirty-three years ago he entered the shoe
business in Stockton, his first employer being John Garwood and for twenty
years the store was located at 324 East Main Street. On August 1, 1909, he organized the Campbell
& Gealey Shoe Company with R. W. Gealey as partner; later Mr. Gealey
sold his interest to his brother, J. W. Gealey. The first store was located at 309 East Main
Street and four years ago it was moved to 339 East Main Street. Campbell & Gealey
are leaders in their line and year by year have gained prestige, always keeping
their stock up-to-date and carrying only the best lines of shoes manufactured.
On April 23, 1901, Mr. Campbell was
married to Miss Annie E. Donegan, born in
Jacksonville, Oregon, and they are the parents of five children: Charles F., Jr., Hubert G., Kenneth E.,
Margaret and Florilla A. Mr. Campbell is one of the organizers of the
Stockton Midway Oil Company whose field is in Kern County, and is secretary and
treasurer of the company. He is a
charter member of the Stockton Knights of Columbus and was grand knight for one
term and for the past twelve years has been financial secretary; he has also been
a delegate to the grand lodge; he is a member of the Young Men’s Institute, has
passed through all the chairs of that organization, and belongs to the Stockton
Progressive Business Men’s Club.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page
452. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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