Memorable Manitobans: John Archibald Campbell (1872-1963)

J. A. Campbell Click to enlarge

Lawyer, MLA (1908-1910), MP (1917-1921).

Born at Clinton, Ontario on 19 April 1872, son of John M. and Mary McLagan Campbell, his family came to Manitoba from Huron County, Ontario in 1880. He was educated at Winnipeg Central School and Manitoba College. He taught school in Manitoba from 1890 to 1896, and was Principal of Boissevain School for five years.

He articled in law with the firm of Perdue & Robinson, then was called to the Manitoba Bar in 1899. He started a legal practice at Dauphin in December of that year, with the firm of Campbell & Simpson. He served as a solicitor for the Bank of Montreal, Town of Dauphin, and Bank of Nova Scotia.

On 12 February 1919, he married Elsie M. Thompson, with whom he had one son.

Campbell served as MLA for Dauphin from 1907 to 1910, and a member of the local school board. He was one of the Charter Members of the Board of Trade and Canadian Club. He moved to The Pas in 1915, and was appointed Commissioner for Northern Manitoba in May 1916. He resigned the commissionership to seek election to the House of Commons in 1917, being replaced as Commissioner by Robert C. Wallace. He resumed his law practice in 1921, and his commissionership from 1921 to 1924. Campbell was keenly interested in the development of the North, and was a staunch advocate of the Hudson Bay Railway.

In 1962, he was inducted into the Manitoba Order of the Buffalo Hunt. He died on 26 November 1963 at Brandon, Manitoba. There are papers at the Archives of Manitoba.

See also:

Manitoba Legislative Library, Biographical Scrapbook B13, page 161, Obituary - J. A. Campbell.

Sources:

Who’s Who in Western Canada: A Biographical Dictionary of Notable Living Men and Women of Western Canada, Volume 1, edited by C. W. Parker, Vancouver: Canadian Press Association, 1911.

The Story of Manitoba by F. H. Schofield, Winnipeg: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1913.

Pioneers and Prominent People of Manitoba, Winnipeg: Canadian Publicity Company, 1925.

This profile was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Profile revised: 12 January 2013

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