Shelby  County  Indiana
Newspaper  Articles

Campbell

Kokomo  Perspective
2003 Special Edition
Wildkat Basketball, 1903-2003
----------
"Alfred Campbell paves the way for the future of hoops; one of best coaches ever
----------

By DEAN W. HOCKNEY
Managing Editor
The Kokomo Perspective

"Peedad" Campbell

Nicknames come in a variety of spellings and meanings, but there may not be a more colorful nickname than that of the 12th Kokomo High School boys basketball coach.           Alfred "Peedad" Campbell  came to Kokomo in time for the start of the 1934-35 season, but where the nickname came from is lost in time.           Campbell arrived in Kokomo following the stint of a Kokomo sports legend-in-the-making -- Walter Cross, and a one-year-and-out coach, John Paul Jones.           Cross guided the Wildkats for two seasons, winning 22 games -- including a sectional and regional title in 1933.  Kokomo would lose to Indianapolis Shortridge in the state tournament.           Cross won the Gimbel Award while playing for Chet Hills state championship team from Thorntown in 1919.           Jones came to Kokomo and won only four games during his first -- and only -- regular season at KHS.  He did manage to win a sectional trophy with wins over Russiaville, New London, Jackson Township and Howard Township.

          Following Jones one and only campaign, Campbell came to town fresh from graduating from Indiana University.  According to reports at the time, Campbell -- or Peedad -- was a little fireball.  He had been the captain of the Hoosiers for the previous two seasons, so he understood the game of basketball.
          Peedad came to Kokomo and wanted to revolutionize the way the local game was played.  His biggest dream -- besides bringing the Kokomo its first state title -- was to build a feeder system to his team.
          So, during his first season in Kokomo, he started the first grade school basketball system, with the coaches of those teams reporting directly to him.
          Thus, Campbell could be considered the father of the current middle school basketball system that so many sixth, seventh and eighth graders enjoy today.
          It took a couple of seasons for that system to produce talent that would dress in the Red and Blue, so his first season at Kokomo saw the Kats win only 11 times, although they did capture the sectional title.
          Year two for Campbell saw Kokomo finish second in the North Central Conference.
          But, by the 1938-39 season, his feeder system was in full swing, and his squad brought home the first NCC championship for Kokomo -- one of the NCCs founding schools.  Kokomo won 22 games against just five losses that season -- joining the 1916-17 and 1925-26 squads as the only 20 game winning teams.
          Kokomo started the season 9-0 before falling to New Castle, Richmond, Frankfort and Fort Wayne Southside.
          Kokomo downed West Middleton, Greentown and Jackson in the sectionals, then sent Marion and Tipton home in the regionals.
          In the Super Regional, Kokomo stopped Ossian, 30-29, but finally bowed out of the tournament with a 37-28 loss to Muncie Burris.
          Coach Campbells Kokomo team was led by  Neil Hercules,  Chet Gabriel  and  Carl Campbell.
          After the season, Hercules was named to the Indiana All-Star team -- the first of four years in a row a Kokomo player would be so honored.  The following season, Gabriel made the team, followed by Carl Campbell and Jack Turner.
          Kokomo followed that 20-win season with the schools second-ever trip to the state finals. In 1940-41, Carl Campbell led the NCC in scoring with 164 points while helping the Kats to a 21-6 record.  With Coach Peedad Campbell leading the team from the bench, and Carl Campbell on the floor, Kokomo was a good team, winning the sectional, regional and semi-state titles.
          But, three days before the IHSAA Final Four, Carl Campbell turned 20 years-old. What should have been a happy birthday for him turned into disaster for Wildkat fans.  IHSAA regulations stated that a player was too old to play after turning 20, so Carl Campbell had to sit out the state finals.
          Bill Hale  filled in for the ineligible Carl Campbell, and Kokomo was knocked out of the first game by Indianapolis Washington, 48-32.
          Carl Campbell was named to the Indiana All-Star team despite the age problem, since the All-Stars were not regulated by the IHSAA.
          Two years later, with the United States in the middle of World War II, Coach Alfred "Peedad" Campbell enlisted in the U.S. Navy.
          His eight-year run at Kokomo saw him post a record of 130-77 -- still good for fourth best in the 100-year history of KHS basketball.  He won seven sectional titles and four regional titles -- and he laid the groundwork for what would become an incredible 20-year run of Kokomo hoops."
Permission was granted to re-publish this article and picture by Dean W. Hockney, kpsports@kokomoperspective.com, Monday, July 14, 2003.  DEAN W. HOCKNEY, Managing Editor/Sports Director, The Kokomo Perspective,  209 North Main Street, Kokomo, IN 46901.  www.kokomoperspective.com.
------------
Note:  From the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame website, James Alfred Campbell graduated from Shelbyville High School in 1927, where he had been a three-sport athlete.
For more information on this family, please contact Anne Myer Campbell Ruby

The  Indianapolis  Star
November 10, 1915
Page 4  Column 5
----------
Briefs  From  Over  the  State
----------

          SHELBYVILLE  -- Mrs. Stella Campbell  is suing  Andrew Campbell  for a divorce and $1,000 alimony, declaring him a spendthrift and alleging he purchased an automobile with money with which he had promised to buy a home.
Contributed by Virginia Latta Curulla

The  Indianapolis  Star
November 9, 1915
Page 4  Column 3
----------
Indiana  in  the  Day's  News
----------
Trouble  Doubles
----------

          SHELBYVILLE, Ind., Nov. 8. -- Andrew Campbell, a gardener near here, drove to this city today in his automobile to inform his lawyer that he had found a note at home signed by Mrs. Campbell and telling him he would not see her soon again.  The he got into the car to go back home, turned the machine into the street and was struck by an interurban car.  The automobile was badly damaged and Campbell suffered greatly form shock.  Mrs. Campbell left home once before under similar circumstances, but she returned later and insisted she had been visiting relatives.
Contributed by Virginia Latta Curulla

The  Indianapolis  Star
July 4, 1915
Page 29  Column 6
----------
SHELBYVILLE.
----------

          Mrs. Nellie Vaughters  of Madison is here visiting  Mrs. Angeline Campbell.
Contributed by Virginia Latta Curulla

The  Indianapolis  Star
May 2, 1915
Page 24, Column 7
----------
SHELBYVILLE.
----------

          Misses Beatrice Kinsinger  and  May Laygon  of Indianapolis will be here Sundays as guests of  Miss Ruth Campbell.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming and Virginia Latta Curulla

The  Shelbyville  Republican
November 28, 1914
---------------
CHARLES  CAMPBELL  GAVE  BIG  DINNER
---------------
FRIENDS  OF  CHARLES  CAMPBELL
WERE  ENTERTAINED  TO  A  BIG  TURKEY  DINNER
FRIDAY  EVENING.
---------------

          Mrs. C. H. Campbell gave a six o'clock dinner Friday evening for fourteen friends of her son Charles.  The boys arrived at the home at four o'clock and until time for the big turkey dinner the boys told stories.  Following the feast games and contests furnished the amusement.  Favors were awarded to the ones winning the contests.  Paul Wray received first, Morris VanCleve, second, and  William Roach, consolation.
          Later in the evening the boys went to the Alhambra and Coza theatres.
          Those present were Paul Wray,  Burton Swain,  Robert Davis,  Dennis Robertson,  Morris Hogue,  Lyman Meiks,  Morris VanCleve,  Clarence Crockett,  Fred Stephen,  Frank Fleming,  Milton Bass,  Arthur Schoelch, of this city, and  William Roach, of Indianapolis.
Copied by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The  Shelbyville  Republican
Thursday Afternoon, February 13, 1913
Page 1, col 2
----------
ELKS  INITIATED  CANDIDATES
AND  HAD  A  BIG  FISH  FRY
----------

          Three candidates were initiated into the Elks' Lodge Wednesday night at their regular meeting.  Roy Campbell,  Edward Walker,  and  Glen Riser were neophytes who were taken into the order.  After the work a fish-fry was enjoyed by the members who were present.
Copied by Melinda Moore Weaver

The  Shelby  Democrat
Monday, September 4, 1911
Page 4   column 3
----------
MARRIAGE  LICENSES.
----------
(From Tuesday's Daily.)

          A marriage license was issued today by  County Clerk Otto L. Coyle  to  Charles Campbell,  age thrity-five years, and  Miss Eva Plunkett,  aged thirty-three years.  Both parties are very prominent young people of London.  They went to Indianapolis to be married this evening.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The  Daily  Democrat
Thursday, August 24, 1911
Page 4   column 1
----------
NEWS   NOTES
----------

          Charles H. Campbell  was a business visitor to the capital city this morning.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The  Shelby  Democrat
Thursday, August 24, 1911.
Page 4   Column 3
----------

          The annual family reunion of the  Campbell  families was held at the home of  Ollie Campbell  at Broad Ripple, Indianapolis, yesterday.  There were more than eighty members of the immediate family present.  The day was most enjoyably spent with games and music and a most sumptuour dinner was served.  Among those present were General Campbell and wife, of this city;  Frank Goodrich  and wife,  William James  and daughter,  Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bassett,  and Mrs. Nathan Goodrich.
          The reunion next year will be held at the  General Campbell  home in this city.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The  Shelbyville  Democrat
Monday, September 5, 1910
Page 3   column 3
----------

          Miss Ruth Campbell  returned today from an extended visit with her sister,  Florence,  at St. Mary's, Notre Dame.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The  Muncie  Sunday  Star
Delaware Co, Indiana
December 11, 1904
----------
State News Column
----------

Shelbyville- Mrs. Thomas H. Campbell, while filling the furnace at her home, caught her hair on fire, but managed to extinguish it without serious impairment.
Contributed by DJ Faust

The  Shelby  Republican
Tuesday, August 29, 1899
Page 2, column 1
------------

          Lecta Campbell,  who holds the position of pianist for the Baldwin music store, of Terre Haute, was here Sunday with friends.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The  Shelbyville  Daily  Democrat
Friday, June 26, 1896
Page 1   col 3
----------

        Prosecutor Campbell  this morning received a telephone message announcing the death at Whiteland, last evening, of  Mrs. Anna Flanagan,  a relative of his family.  Mrs. Campbell will attend the funeral.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The  Shelbyville  Daily  Democrat
August 1, 1894
Page 1, column 5
----------

          George R. Harris  and  Elizabeth Campbell  were united in marriage last evening in this city.  Mrs. Harris was the divorced wife of  Doc. Campbell  of Hendricks township.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The  Shelby  Democrat
May 31, 1894
Page 3   column 1
----------

          Mr. Andrew Campbell  had a surprise birthday dinner Sunday for his twins,  Elmer and Ella,  they being eleven years old.  There were seventy five persons in attendance, in cluding  Rev. Ledbetter.  The little folks were the recipients of some useful presents.  In the evening strawberries, ice cream and cake were served and all went home feeling that they had spent a pleasant time.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The  Shelby  Democrat
April 28, 1892
Page 3
-----o-----

          G. S. Campbell, who lives on what is known as the Thomas Goodrich farm, two and one-half miles Northwest of Shelbyville, will stand the following well bred stallions as follows:  The two heavy draft horses "Ben" and "Francis First" and a fine roadster, "Prince First" and also the handsome pony "Chief."  The first four days of each week they will stand at his stable and on Friday and Saturday of each week at the barn of Frank Jones at Shelbyville.          21.w3t.
Copied by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The  Shelbyville  Daily  Democrat
Thursday, April 23, 1891
----------
ADDITIONAL  LOCAL.
----------

          The laboring men will vote for their own interests this spring.  They know how  Campbell  voted in the Council and they know  Neal's record also.

----------
CAMPBELL'S  VENOM.
-----
He Vents His Hatred of Democrats
By Trying to Have Condemned
the Property of a Widow of a Democrat.
----

        Talk about there being no politics in  Campbell's  race for Mayor!  It is a "law and order" principle (?) he is running for!
        To say that Campbell is not a bitter partisan, is to say that water is not wet and that garlich[sic] won't stink.
        More than a year ago, he discovered that a widow of ex-Vice President Hendricks' brother,  James Hendricks, lived in this city and to show his bitter hatred of  Thomas A. Hendricks  and his contemptible partisanship, he introduced a resolution in the Council to have the poor woman's property condemned as a nuisance because, as he said, a part of the roof was off the stable and did not look as nice as his barn.
        The poor woman owns the property, but is not able to build a fine barn like Campbell would like to see and it is an outrage for Campbell, or any one else, to meddle with her business.
        The Council a year ago, voted his resolution down, and last Tuesday night Campbell renewed his venom and again introduced the same resolution to punish Mrs. Hendricks simply to show that he did not like Vice-President Hendricks.
        Any person, who claims to be a man, and permits his partisan feling[sic] to run so for[sic] that he will destroy the property of a poor widow merely to show his undying hatred for a dead man who had been a democrat and a great leader, to too small and contemptible to be given the control of city affairs.
        If Campbell were Mayor of Shelby..... [The article continues, but my copy ends here. - PMF]
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The  Shelbyville  Daily  Democrat
Monday, May 16, 1887
----------

          About 10 o'clock Saturday night an unknown man attempted to force an entrance into the residence of  Mrs. Seal Campbell,  a widow, living in the brick house a mile north of town on the Michigan road.  Miss Cora Havens,  who lives with her, fired two shots at the fellow, and the last shot took effect, for he exclaimed:  "I'm shot," but he managed to get away.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The  Shelbyville  Daily  Democrat
Tuesday, January 26, 1886
----------
LOCAL  NEWS.
----------

          Charles Campbell  went to Indianapolis to-day to investigate the claim of  Isaac Walker  for a royalty on the swinging harness used in the fire department here.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The  Shelby  Democrat-Volunteer
Thursday, February 26, 1880
Page 2
----------

          Doc Campbell,  son-in-law of  John Rigglesberger,  has been dangerously ill at the latter's residence for several weeks past, and fears are entertained that he can not recover.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The  Shelby  Democrat
Thursday, October 30, 1879
Page 4, column 2
------------
EARLY  SETTLERS
Interesting Sketch of Several Who Live In Moral Township
----------

          Recently I visited several of the oldest settlers of Moral township, Shelby county, and have been solicited to write a short sketch of their lives for your interesting paper.  These notes will doubtless prove pleasant reading to many of your patrons.  The sketches include Joseph Campbell, aged 90 years, 5 months;  Enoch Ruggles, aged 89 years, 8 months, and  Ruth Ruggles, his wife, aged 84 years, 9 months; and  Elizabeth Ruggles, aged nearly 87 years.
          I visited Mr. Campbell first. The old man's memory is very imperfect, but he told me some things of interest concerning olden times.  He was born in Cook County, Tennessee, May 1, 1789.  His boyhood was spent in that State.  He was married at the age of twenty one to Margaret Rogers, after this he remained in Tennessee until he was twenty-six years old.  He then moved and settled near Brookville, Indiana, where he remained only one year, thence he moved to Fleming County, Kentucky, near Mt. Carmel, where he lived fifteen years.  From Kentucky he moved in 1826 to Rush County, Indiana and in 1834 to Shelby County, where he still lives.  Mr. Campbell joined the Protestant Methodist Church about twenty-five years ago at a revival conducted by Rev. Thomas Shipp at Fairview church, Shelby County.  In 1866 death took from him his aged companion.  She was 85 years old at the time of her death, November 8, 1866.  Mr. Campbell remained a widower until 1872 when he again took unto himself a partner, Mrs. Elizabeth Ellington, who is still living to comfort his old age.  The old man's health is not good, during the past summer he lost the sight of his right eye, yet he seemed cheerful and talked quite freely, especially of his youth; he told me where he had killed the deer and turkey of his days of cobbling (as he called it) for his neighbors and his own family, of the entering of his land and many other things to mention which I have not space.  His old gun is still upon the hooks above the door, it is a genuine pioneer, one of the old flint lock guns which Mr. Campbell told us had been the death of many a deer.  He is the father of seven children, the grandfather of fourty-four and the great grandfather of thirty-four.
Submitted by Barb Huff

The  Shelbyville  Republican
Thursday, December 12, 1872
----------

          John S. Campbell, of Indianapolis, spent last Sunday in this city.  Mr. Campbell was for many years a resident of this place, and has not forgotten his old friends and acquaintances.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The  Republican  Banner
May 20, 1857
Page 3   Column 1
----------

          CAMPBELL'S  CLOTHING  EMPORIUM. -- Our near neighbor  John S. Campbell  has just received a mammoth stock of clothing and furnishing goods, which in point of style, durability of texture and workmanship, and cheapness of prices, he has never before been able to offer.  He has adopted the true and popular plan of keeping the best ready-made garments, as well as a complete assortment of furnishing goods to be made to order by those who are willing to pay a little more for a superior article.  The services of  Mr. J. E. Maguire,  whose taste and skill as an accomplished cutter is rarely equalled, has been secured to superintend that department, and none but the very best workmen are employed in the establishment.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The  National  Volunteer
March 3, 1853
----------

          Court of Common Pleas petition,  Austin Clarke  vs  Sarah Jane Corn  and  Matthew Campbell.   Davis and Major Attys for the petitioner.
Copied by Sherry Badgley Ryan; abstracted by Maurice Holmes, in his book, Shelbyville, Indiana Newspaper Excerpts 1853 - 1859

Newspaper Index       Main Page

To contact the researchers listed above, use the Surname Index