Judson Campbell - Martha Denton Biography
Chemung County NY
Article: Judson CAMPBELL - Martha DENTON
Town of Veteran, Chemung County, NY
Article Submitted by Glenn Alexander
Formatted & Published by Joyce M. Tice
Home Page
More Local History Articles
Town of Veteran Page

JUDSON CAMPBELL BIOGRAPHY

By Glenn Alexander

Judson was one of 14 children born to Judson Sr and Abigail . He was born in Veteran New York, Chemung County on 17 Feb 1843 . His parents came to New York from Kent, Litchfield Co., Conn. around 1818. As a child the family moved to Alpine Schuyler Co, where he was raised When he was 3 or 4 years old he had an attack of "Inflamatory Rheumatism" he apparently recovered without any residual affects. The 1850 federal census showed that his father was 59 years old , he apparently , according to a deposition by Elvira, died later that year. The 1860 census showed that Judson’s older bother John, age 22, was now the head of the household. The household consisted of his wife Mary Anne, age 26, his mother Abigail age 73 and Judson age 17.

John enlisted in the army at the outbreak of the war of the rebellion. He was discharged a short time later for medical reasons. Medical reasons are unknown. Judson enlisted in 3rd New York Vol Infantry in 1862 but when it was time to report for duty he was told the regiment no longer had any opening and it was not necessary for him to report. He did enlist with the 14th New York Vol Heavy Art’y on 7 June 1863 . His unit first reported to Sandy Hook, New York to guard the New York harbor. In Feb 1864, while pulling Sgt of the Guard, on a cold rainy night, he took shelter in a"Bomb Proof" [bunker] , where it was cold and damp, he contracted a severe cold , He then developed Rheumatism, for which he was hospitalized for several weeks. His older sister Elvira, whose 1st husband was in the same unit as Judson, came to Sandy Hook to nurse Judson through this illness. Judson shared a tent with his sister and her husband. The " Rheumatism" severely disabled Judson, he was unable to walk and had to be attended to for all his needs. In fact he also developed what apparently was Dysentery. Elvira’s husband had to help Judson out of the tent to take care of his diarrhea. Judson’s record also shows that he contracted Thyphoid Pneumonia and Diptheria., however , Judson , according to his deposition, didn't believe that he had this. What made him say this is not known.

When his unit left Sandy Hook 1 May 1864, he had recovered enough at that time to accompany the unit south. In Alexandria ,Va. He again came down with a severe case of Rheumatism and was left behind at the Fairfax Hospital. He stayed in the hospital until the end of May and rejoined in unit on the 3rd or 4th of June , this 1 or 2 days after the battle at Cold Harbor. He again developed Dysentery at the end of June. On the march from Cold Harbor to Petersburg the Dysentery got worse. He participated in the charge on Petersburg on 17 June 1864 . The diarrhea became so severe that Major Joseph Cleary, who was then Captain of the company and later became Chief of Police in Rochester, sent him to the regimental surgeon. Judson at the time was the acting orderly Sgt.. He again remained at the rear and was sent to a field hospital in City Point , Va and then he was sent by transport to New York City. While on ship in New York harbor he was unable to take care of himself, he had to be carried by stretcher from the ship to the hospital at Willets Point. He was admitted to the hospital with 3 other soldiers from his unit . Two later died in the hospital, while another died at home after being allowed to go home on furlough.. Judson was at Willets Point, NY from 4 Jul 1864 to 21 July 1864. He was allowed to go on furlough to Alpine, He took a train into New York City. He had to change trains and got to Millport .He then had to take a wagon but he was only able to go a few miles, he had to stop due to the pain in his various joints. He remained at the home of a friend for several weeks before he was able to continue. It should be noted that he had bed sores on both hips and back from his stay in the hospital .

While at home, he was treated by Dr. Herrick. Dr. Herrick tried to get the furlough extended but the extension certificate was returned to him due to a mistake on the form. But ,Judson had made his mind up to return to the hospital at Willets Point. He was there for several days when he was sent down the harbor to Fort Wood on Bedloe Island, [ where the Statue of Liberty now stands , this is now known as Freedom Island ] he again had a severe attack of diarrhea. He remained at Bedloe Island for several months. He returned to his unit at City Point, Va on Sep 1864. He remained with his unit until they were mustered out 26 Aug 1865. He acted as orderly Sgt through the winter of 1864-65. He continued to have attacks of dysentery till his mustering out., but not as severe as previously.

He states that he was ambious [sp] and had hoped to get a commission but that didn’t work out He went on furlough for 15 days from Feb-March 1865. He also continued to have problems with Rheumatism till the end of the war,. He no longer had to pull guard duty for the remainder of his service.

He had also at one time been treated at field hospital for a wound to the forehead by shrapnel from a shell that exploded near his head during the charge on Petersburg. This was at the Crater after the mine explosion for which he missed the initial charge but was involved in the second charge. He missed the initial charge because the shrapnel had knocked him out. He had relayed this story to my grandfather.

He was mustered out on 26 Aug 1865, He returned to Alpine for only about 1 month, he then took a job with a sawmill in Loyalsockville, Pa. He was employed there for 2 years While there he was seen by a physician in Montoursville for his Rheumatism. The Rheumatism had acted up from working as a lumberjack.

He returned to Alpine in 1867 . He was married shortly after returning to Alpine, to Martha Denton who bore a son, Edward in 1868. Later that year he and his older brother John moved with their families and Abigail to Perry, Iowa. The families lived together for a few years, then Judson and his family moved on to Traer, Iowa and John moved to Dysart, Iowa. Daughter Hatti was born 11 Apr 1871 and died on 4 Nov 1971 cause is unknown. Alice was born 10 Jul 1873. Martha died in 1874 cause is unknown. That year he returned to New York. In 1875 he married Arabelle Cavanaugh, who bore him 5 children, one of them being my grandfather John Campbell who was born on 6 Jun 1886. His siblings were Clara Louise born 27 Sep 1877, Charles born 17 Apr 1880, Mina and Mattie born 26 Jun 1891. Judson was involved in his local Methodist church, in the summer of 1886 a building committee was appointed to build a new church to replace the one that burned down [due to arson] in 1861, Judson one of five elected to the board of trustees.

He initially filed for a service connected pension in 1882 and had to wait for almost 11 years before he was granted his pension. He had to have numerous people give depositions of their memories of the problems he had while in the service. They went from New York and as far as Iowa to get this depositions.

He purchased the land on what would become Campbell Hill in 1885, he then built the house and outbuildings for the farm He lived there until his death on 23 Apr 1908. Belle died on 29 Feb 1924. Both are buried in Lockwood Cemetery along with their daughter Clara Louise , sons Edward [ by his first marriage to Martha Denton] and John . It should also be noted that there is one sister of Judson’s, ,Lorinda, who died in 1888 while at Willard State hospital is buried in the Lockwood cemetery, location is said to be in the old plot of the old section of the cemetery.

.
Chemung County NY

Published On 3 OCT 2005
By Joyce M. Tice

You are our welcome visitor since 3 OCT 2005