Robert B. Campbell

Robert Blair Campbell (1791 – July 12, 1862) was a U.S. Representative from South Carolina, brother of John Campbell, also of South Carolina.

Bronze relief portrait at Vicksburg National Military Park

Robert Blair Campbell
Member of the Alabama House of Representatives from Lowndes County
In office August 3, 1840 – August 2, 1841
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina's 3rd district
In office February 27, 1834 – March 3, 1837
Preceded by	Thomas Singleton
Succeeded by	John Campbell
In office March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825
Preceded by	Thomas R. Mitchell
Succeeded by	Thomas R. Mitchell
Member of the South Carolina Senate from Marlboro District
In office November 22, 1830 – December 19, 1833
Preceded by	James Ervin
Succeeded by	Barnabas Kelet Henagan
In office November 25, 1822 – March 4, 1823
Preceded by	Robertson Carloss
Succeeded by	Charles Irby
Personal details
Born	1791 Marlboro County, South Carolina, U.S.
Died	July 12, 1862 (aged 70–71) Ealing, England, U.K.
Resting place	Kensington, London, United Kingdom
Political party	Democratic-Republican
Other political affiliations	Nullifier
Alma mater	South Carolina College
Profession	lawyer, politician, diplomat
Military service
Allegiance	United States of America South Carolina
Branch/service	South Carolina Militia
Years of service	1814; 1830
Rank	General
Battles/wars	Nullification Crisis

Early life

Born in 1791[1][2] in Marlboro County, South Carolina, Campbell was educated by a private tutor. He attended school in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and was graduated from South Carolina College (now the University of South Carolina) at Columbia in 1809. He engaged in agricultural pursuits. He was commissioned captain in the South Carolina Militia in 1814.

Career and death

He was an unsuccessful candidate in 1820 for election to the Seventeenth Congress. He served in the South Carolina Senate from 1821 to 1823, and again from 1830 to 1833.

Campbell was elected as a Jackson Republican to the Eighteenth Congress (March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1824 to the Nineteenth Congress and for election in 1826 to the Twentieth Congress and in 1830 to the Twenty-second Congress. Campbell was elected as a Nullifier to the Twenty-third Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of United States Representative Thomas B. Singleton. He was reelected as Nullifier to the Twenty-fourth Congress and served from February 27, 1834, to March 3, 1837. During the nullification movement he was commissioned general of South Carolina troops in 1833.

He moved to Lowndes County, Alabama, about 1840. He served as member of the State house of representatives in 1840. He was appointed on September 28, 1842, consul at Habana, Cuba, and served until July 22, 1850. From there, he moved to San Antonio, Texas. He was appointed on March 16, 1853, a commissioner for the United States to aid in settlement of the disputed boundary line between Texas and Mexico.

He was appointed consul at London, England, and served from August 3, 1854, to March 1861, when he was recalled. He moved to Ealing, where he died July 12, 1862. He was interred in the crypt of Kensington Church.

Sources

• United States Congress. "Robert B. Campbell (id: C000098)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

1. Witness to Sorrow: The Antebellum Autobiography of William J. Grayson
2. Biographical Directory of the South Carolina Senate, 1776-1985

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress website http://bioguide.congress.gov.