Claude V. Campbell
(This biography is from Lee's 1912  History of Hamilton County Iowa, volume 2)

     Claude V. Campbell, proprietor and editor of the Jewell Record, was born in Story County, Iowa, on the 13th of December, 1882.   He is the second in order of birth in a family of six, his parents being J. A. and Ada (Hall) Campbell, also natives of Story County.   The father, who was born on the same farm as his son, devoted is energies to agricultural pursuits until 1896, when he withdrew from the work of the fields and went to Ames.   There for a time he dealt in real estate but he subsequently engaged in the grain and coal business, which he is still following.   The grandparents in both lines were homesteaders in Story County, with the progress and development of which the families have been actively identified for three generations.

     Reared at home in the acquirement of his education, Claude V. Campbell attended the public schools of Ames.   He was graduated from the high school with the class of 1900, and subsequently enrolled in the Iowa State College, from which institution he was awarded his degree in 1904.   After leaving college he obtained a position as a reporter on the Webster City Journal, where he acquired a general knowledge of the newspaper business.   From there he came to Jewell Junction and bought a half interest in the Record and two years later he bought out his partner, thus becoming sole proprietor of the paper.   He subsequently extended the scope of his activities by the purchase of the Stanhope Mail and the Randall Roundabout, which he consolidated with the Record, maintaining a separate department for each.

     In 1911 he added Kamrar to his circuit.   Mr. Campbell is an active, enterprising man, as is evidenced by his paper, the columns of which heartily endorse every progessive movement and enthusiastically cooperate in promoting the welfare of the community.   He possesses high standards of citizenship and, fully appreciating the power of the press in influencing public opinion, is absolutely fearless in his denunciation of wrong, but equally ready to commend good.   His circulation list carries the names of fourteen hundred and fifty subscribers, and in connection with the publication of his paper he engages in job printing for which he is well equipped, his plant, valued at six thousand dollars, being more modern and complete than is usually found in a town of this size.

     Mr. Campbell is a member of the Republican County Committee and the columns of his paper staunchly support the men and measures of this party.   He was formerly identified with the Iowa National Guard and for three years held the office of second sergeant in Company C, Fifty-fifth Regiment.   In his religious views he is a Lutheran and is affiliated with the Norwegian church of that denomination.   Mr. Campbell possesses many admirable traits of character and is popular in local business and social circles, being numbered among the representative citizens of the town.

The biography printed above is from the following two pages of the 1912 Jesse W. Lee publication History of Hamilton County Iowa, Volume 2.

This funeral announcement was published on April 22, 1950.
     On Saturday afternoon, last week, Jewell and community was shocked and greatly saddened with the news that Claude V. Campbell, editor of the Jewell Record has passed away at 4:15 p.m. at Mary Greeley Hospital at Ames.   Mr. Campbell had been ill for only 10 days, suffering a severe heart attack on Saturday night, April 15th.   He was taken to Ames on Sunday morning, April 16th to be under the care of a heart specialist.   He responded remarkably to treatments and appeared to be on the road to recovery, when suddenly he passed away Saturday afternoon.

     With the passing of Mr. Campbell, this community lost one of its most esteemed and prominent citizens, a man that has done more for Jewell and vicinity than any other man in the history of Jewell.   As Editor of the Record, Mr. Campbell during the past 45 years worked and fought hard for the things he thought were right.   His chief objective was to make Jewell a better town in which the youth could grow to manhood and womanhood.   He was always alert to get behind and work for any project that would make for etter living conditions in the home, better schools and better churches.   The loss of Mr. Campbell will be keenly felt for many years to come.

     Funeral services were held on Tuesday afternoon with a brief service at the Becker Funeral Home at 1:30 and a service at Bethesda Lutheran Church at 2:00 p.m., with Rev. M. E. Nesse, officiating.   Mrs Stanley Heggen of Ames sang two songs and was accompanied by Mrs. Harry Harman at the organ.   Rev. Bringle also spoke in behalf of the Riverside Bible Camp Directors.   Many floral gifts and money were contributed in memory of Mr. Campbell.

     Internment was made in Evergreen Cemetery.   Honorary pall bearers were Editor George Hanson of Ellsworth, Stanley Christensen and Palmer Erickson.   The pall bearers were Nels Berven, Lewis L. Olson, Oscar Thorson, O. I. Kleaveland, John C. Anderson and Otto Fenton.

     Claude V. Campbell, son of Justus and Ada Campbell, was born in Milford Township in Story County, December 13, 1882 and died April 22, at Mary Greeley Hospital at the age of 67 years, 4 months and 9 days.   He attended country school, Ames High School and graduated from Iowa State College at Ames in 1904.   He started newspaper work the fall of 1900, as a freshman at college, being a correspondent for a dozen dailies and with his earnings, he paid his way through college.   After graduating from Iowa Sate he worked a short while on an Ames paper, was reporter in 1905 for the Webster City Daily Journal until he came to Jewell in April, when he bought a half interest in the Jewell Record.   In 1907 he bought the remaining interest and has been owner and editor of the Record the past 43 years.   He was married to Emma Jacobson of Jewell in 1914.   To this union, two children were born, Theodore J. of Los Angeles, California, and Ada Marie of Fargo, North Dakota.   He is also survived by his devoted wife, two sisters, Fae Webb of Riverside, California and Mabel Campbell of Ames, a brother, Floyd of Carlsbad, New Mexico, one daughter-in-law, Helen Campbell, wife of Theordore J. and two grandchildren, Patricia and Michael Campbell and other relatives.

     Mr. Campbell was a faithful member of Bethesda Lutheran Church of Jewell.   He had been secretary of the Sunday School for the past 25 years and was secretary of Bethesda Church and treasurer of the Building Fund of his church at the time of his passing.

     Mr. Campbell was a member of the Sigma Delta Chi, was a member of the Jewell Kiwanis Club until this spring and was a member of the Jewell Community and Jewell Commercial Club every year such an organization was active.   He served as secretary of the Wilson Highway Association some 30 years ago to lay out was is now Highway 69.   He served about 15 years on the Republican county central committee both as secreary and chairman.   Has been member of the Hamilton County hospital board the past six years and served as secretary the past few years.   He was active in Red Cross work and War Bond drives.   Also was a member, officer and editor of the publication of the Dilg Conservation League (Izaak Walton League) from which emerged the present Iowa Conservation Commission.  The improvement of Little Wall Lake was one of Editor Campell's hobbies.   He worked on seven orgaized efforts to secure improvement of the lake.   The last effort cominated in the organization of the Little Wall Lake Sportsmen's Club with a membership of more that 1,000 which got definite results.   He was also seretary of this club.

     In April of last year, Mr. Campbell received the Iowa Master Editor Award.   This recognition brought Mr. Campbell much joy and happiness as he received letters of congratulations from editors all over the state.
You will learn more about Claude Campell on our page about the Wilson Highway.