Thomas C. Campbell facts for kids
Thomas C. Campbell (born April 25, 1845, died January 4, 1904) was an American lawyer. He was also known as T. C. Campbell. He became a powerful figure in politics, especially within the Republican Party.
Quick facts for kids
Thomas (T. C.) Campbell
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from Cincinnati Enquirer, January 5, 1904
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| Born | August 10, 1845 Rochester, New York
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| Died | January 4, 1904 |
Contents
Early Life and Military Service
Thomas C. Campbell was born in Rochester, New York, on April 25, 1845. His parents were from Scotland.
When he was 16, the American Civil War began. Campbell joined the Union Army and became a Colonel. He left the army in 1865.
Starting a Career in Law and Politics
After the war, Campbell moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. He worked as a bookkeeper while studying law at the Cincinnati Law School.
In 1867, he was chosen as the quartermaster general for the Grand Army of the Republic. This was a group for Civil War veterans. He also became the editor of their newspaper, The Republic.
Campbell was elected to the City Council in 1868. The next year, he worked for the Internal Revenue Service in Cincinnati.
A Lawyer and Prosecutor
In March 1870, Campbell finished his law studies. He then started working as a lawyer in Cincinnati.
The next year, he was elected as a prosecuting attorney. This means he worked for the government to bring legal cases against people. During his time as prosecutor, he had several important successes.
- He helped prosecute cases involving election fraud.
- He defended the police chief in a shooting incident.
- He brought a case against the city controller for illegally reissuing bonds.
Campbell also worked for ten years with two major newspapers, the Cincinnati Commercial Tribune and the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Challenges and Changes
In the 1870s and 1880s, Campbell became known for influencing court cases. He was seen as a powerful figure in the court system in Hamilton County, Ohio. He and his close associate, George B. Cox, had a lot of control over the city government.
In 1883, another newspaper, The Cincinnati Post, started writing articles against Campbell. Campbell responded by suing the paper. The Post even hired bodyguards for its staff because of threats.
In 1884, Campbell started his own newspaper, the Cincinnati Telegram. He mainly used it to make fun of the Post editors.
Later that year, a court case connected to Campbell led to the Courthouse riots of 1884. These were very destructive riots in American history. After this, important lawyers, including William Howard Taft, tried to have Campbell removed from practicing law. He was only temporarily stopped from practicing law, but this event ended his strong influence in Cincinnati. George B. Cox then took over as the main Republican leader in the city.
Moving to New York
In 1888, Campbell moved from Cincinnati to New York City. The Post newspaper later caused his Telegram newspaper to go out of business.
Campbell continued to practice law in both New York and Ohio. He was asked twice to run for Congress but said no both times. He became active in New York politics. He helped turn a district that usually voted for the Tammany Hall group into a Republican area. He also helped his law partner, John Ford, become a state senator.
Later Years
On January 3, 1904, Campbell arrived in New York harbor. He had become sick while on a yacht called Roamer near the Bahamas. He died in his sleep the next day in Brooklyn.
