David Campbell (1750–1812) was a prominent politician and judge who was a member of the North Carolina state assembly, a leader in the

State of Franklin The State of Franklin (also the Free Republic of Franklin or the State of Frankland)Landrum, refers to the proposed state as "the proposed republic of Franklin; while Wheeler has it as ''Frankland''." In ''That's Not in My American History Boo ...

, and a judge in the North Carolina Superior Court, Southwest Territory, and state of Tennessee. Born in

Augusta County Augusta County is a county in the Shenandoah Valley on the western edge of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The second-largest county of Virginia by total area, it completely surrounds the independent cities of Staunton and Waynesboro. Its county ...

, Virginia, in 1750, Campbell rose to the rank of major while serving in the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...

during the American Revolution. In about 1783, sometime after the war had ended, he moved to Greene County, Tennessee, where he began practicing law. In 1785 he was elected Judge of the Superior Court of the State of Franklin. In 1787 he was elected to the

North Carolina General Assembly The North Carolina General Assembly is the Bicameralism, bicameral legislature of the Government of North Carolina, State government of North Carolina. The legislature consists of two chambers: the North Carolina Senate, Senate and the North Ca ...

and shortly thereafter was elected judge of the Superior Court of North Carolina, Washington District, a post he served in until 1790, when he was appointed to be a territorial state judge in the Southwest Territory by Governor William Blount. From 1797 until 1809 he served as a justice of the Superior Court of Tennessee, where he was twice

impeached Impeachment is the process by which a legislative body or other legally constituted tribunal initiates charges against a public official for misconduct. It may be understood as a unique process involving both political and legal elements. In ...

. His first impeachment came in 1798 during a dispute with Blount (who had himself just been impeached from the United States Senate), involving the Treaty of Holston; Campbell escaped conviction at his impeachment trial by one vote. Campbell was impeached again in 1803, having been charged with bribery, but was once again acquitted. Campbell died in Washington, Rhea County, Tennessee, in 1812.

References

People from the State of Franklin 1750 births 1812 deaths People from Augusta County, Virginia Members of the North Carolina General Assembly Continental Army officers from Virginia United States judges impeached by state or territorial governments {{NorthCarolina-politician-stub