John Nicholson Campbell (March 4, 1798 – March 27, 1864) was a

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

clergyman who served as Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives.Presbyterian Historical Society, Montreat, NC

Early life

Campbell was born in

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

, on March 4, 1798. He was a pupil of James Ross, a celebrated teacher of Philadelphia, and at an early age entered the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...

, but was never graduated. He studied theology with Rev. Ezra Stiles, and afterward in

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

, where he was for a few months teacher of languages in

Hampden-Sydney College Hampden Sydney is a census-designated place (CDP) in Prince Edward County, Virginia, Prince Edward County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,450 at the 2010 census. Hampden Sydney is the home of Hampden–Sydney College, a private all- ...

. On 10 May 1817, he was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of

Hanover, Virginia Hanover is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Hanover County, Virginia, United States. It is the county seat and is located at the junction of U.S. Route 301 and State Route 54 south of the Pamunkey River. While his ...

Ministry

After preaching in

Petersburg, Virginia Petersburg is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 33,458. The Bureau of Econ ...

, and New Bern, North Carolina,History of the Presbyterian Church in New Bern NC, With a Resume of Early Ecclesiastical Affairs in Eastern North Carolina, by Rev. L. C. Yass, 1886. he became in 1823 the assistant of Rev. Dr. Balch, of Georgetown, District of Columbia, and in 1825 accepted a call to the pastorate of Second Presbyterian Church, Washington, D.C., where Presidents

John Quincy Adams John Quincy Adams (; July 11, 1767 – February 23, 1848) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, and diarist who served as the sixth president of the United States, from 1825 to 1829. He previously served as the eighth United States ...

and

Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an American lawyer, planter, general, and statesman who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, he gained fame as ...

, as well as Vice President John C. Calhoun, worshipped in the 1820s. He also was active in the

American Colonization Society The American Colonization Society (ACS), initially the Society for the Colonization of Free People of Color of America until 1837, was an American organization founded in 1816 by Robert Finley to encourage and support the migration of freebor ...

, In 1830, Rev. Campbell and others were accused by Peggy Eaton of repeating the rumour that before her marriage, she dined with John Eaton in Philadelphia without a chaperone. Appointed Secretary of War by Jackson, John Eaton and his wife became a social controversy. As the social snubbing and other issues divided politicians, President Jackson's entire cabinet resigned, Vice President Calhoun resigned and Reverend Campbell stepped down from his pulpit.

Chaplain of the House of Representatives

On November 18, 1820, 22-year-old Presbyterian minister John Nicholson Campbell was named Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives.

After Washington

In 1831, Campbell was called to the First Presbyterian Church in

Albany, New York Albany ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of New York, also the seat and largest city of Albany County. Albany is on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River, and about north of New York C ...

, and remained there until his death.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Campbell, John Nicholson 1798 births 1864 deaths Chaplains of the United States House of Representatives American Presbyterian ministers Clergy from Philadelphia Religious leaders from Albany, New York 19th-century American clergy