CAMPBELL, Sarah Spinning - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

At the age of 83 years, Sarah A. Campbell, widow of Samuel Campbell, died at the Campbell homestead, five miles east of Covington on Friday, July 30th, and was buried at the Osborne Prairie Cemetery on Sunday afternoon. Mrs. Campbell was a sister of Dr. Newton Spinning, who spent a lifetime in the practice of medicine in Covington and was a member of one of the oldest families in Fountain County. The following obituary was prepared by a friend who had known Mrs. Campbell for a number of years. In memory of Sarah A. Campbell: Four score and three years ago, on the banks of Coal Creek, in what is now VanBuren Township was born Sarah Anne Spinning, a daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth Spinning, who were among the earliest settlers of Fountain County. Around this home in the wilderness a large part of the early history of Fountain County was made; here it was that the first court of Fountain County was held and the county business was transacted at the home of Isaac Spinning until the county could build a house of its own. Sarah Spinning grew to womanhood in this history house, and had for her associates and playmates some of the people who afterwards wrote their names large on the pages of their country's history, romping together over the green and attending school at the same log school house with the late Senator Daniel W. Voorhees. In the old log school house, Sarah Spinning, like the other children of the neighborhood acquired the rudiments of an education, which she afterwards supplemented by extensive reading by which she always kept abreast of the development of her country. She, like most of the pioneers, was thoroughly imbued with the spirit of hospitality, and this spirit was so permanently fixed that throughout her long life everyone was welcome to her home at any and all times, and one of the greatest pleasures of her life, was to make her guests happy, and the mantle of sweet charity, and patience which she inherited from her Revolutionary ancestors she carried throughout her life, and charity and patience hovered about her home like a benediction from heaven. She early caught the spirit of Christianity, and interpreted the message of Christ as something to be incorporated into her life, and every day of her life she lived a true, devoted Christian, shedding rays of sunshine and gladness all about her, and everyone who came in contact with her could feel the presence of an angel, not by words spoken but by the kindly and unselfish deeds done and the goodness radiating from a pure and untarnished soul. In the year 1852, Sarah Spinning was united in marriage with Samuel Campbell, a childhood playmate, whom she survived 20 years. To this union were born 13 children, 12 living to maturity and 9 of whom survive their mother and live in the immediate neighborhood. They are Andrew, John, Frank, James, Custer, Hettie, Eve, Mrs. John Boord and Mrs. W.N. White and they were all present with their mother on the evening of July 30th when all that was mortal of that good woman fell asleep, and the great soul passed to that bourne from which no traveler ever returns leaving behind only a sacred memory as an inspiration and encouragement to all who have been blessed by coming in contact with a life so noble.-- kbz