John E. Camp, editor and proprietor of The Star-Times of Staunton and
also highly successful as a business man, was born in Fayette county,
Illinois, November 4, 1869. He is a son of W. E. and Mary E. (Shaffer) Camp,
the former of whom was born in Staunton and the latter in Madison county,
Illinois. The parents were married at Worden, Illinois, by Hampton Wall who
was at that time serving as justice of the peace. The young couple spent
several years at East St. Louis and then took up their residence at Duquoin,
Illinois, where Mr. Camp engaged in farming. The grandfather of our subject
on the maternal side came to Illinois from Pennsylvania and for a number of
years was in charge of an old tavern at Center Grove, Madison county,
becoming well known as one of the successful innkeepers of that section. The
mother of our subject was a daughter of George and Mary (Jones) Shaffer and
was a woman of many admirable characteristics. In the family of Mr. and Mrs.
Camp were four children: Hampton, deceased; John E., of this sketch;
Isabelle, who is also deceased; and Daisy, the wife of W. P. Wall, a
prominent banker of Staunton. The father died in 1875 and Mrs. Camp was
married later to Andrew Lovejoy, a farmer of Olive township, Madison county.
Subsequently they moved to Staunton and Mrs. Lovejoy (bed in this city in
1899.
At six years of age John E. Camp was deprived of his father
but grew to manhood under the kindly influence of a devoted mother. He
attended the public schools of Staunton and the Hazel Dell school of Olive
township, Madison county, thus securing the foundation of an education to
which he has largely added by reading and by contact with men and affairs.
At the age of nineteen he was married and for ten years thereafter applied
himself as an agriculturist and stock-raiser at New Douglas. He then
reopened a coal mine,at New Douglas, which he sold to a company and
continued for two years as superintendent of the mine. In 1904 he entered
the newspaper business with which he has ever since been prominently
identified. He owned and edited the New Douglas World and the Worden
Universe, and five years ago started The Star of Staunton. In 1910 he became
the owner of the Staunton Times and combined the two papers under the title
of The Star-Times. The paper is one of the leading publications of this
section and its appearance and contents reflect great credit upon its
proprietor. In connection with his newspaper business Mr. Camp maintains an
up-to-date jobbing office which yields a handsome income upon the
investment. He is a successful business man and owns an attractive home in
which he lives at Staunton and also one hundred and sixty acres of valuable
land near New Douglas.
In 1888 Mr. Camp was united in marriage to
Miss Pearl Olive, a native of Olive township, Madison county, and they have
had five children: Grace, who assists her father in the newspaper office;
Verna, who is engaged in teaching school; Edward, who is also identified
with his father in the newspaper office; Harold, who is at home; and Walton,
who died in infancy.
In politics Mr. Camp is a supporter of the
democratic party .and is an active worker in its behalf. He served as county
supervisor of Madison county, filling the office of chairman of the board
for several years, and also for four years discharged the duties of justice
of the peace at New Douglas. His wife is a member of the Baptist church of
New Douglas. Mrs. Camp and her two daughters are identified with the Order
of the Eastern Star while the son Edward is a member of the lodge of Modern
Woodmen of America. Mr. Camp is prominent in fraternal circles and holds
membership in the Masonic order, the Modern Woodmen of America, the Knights
of the Maccabees and the Order of the Eastern Star. He is active and
efficient in all his undertakings and his efforts have met with financial
reward. He is a man of kindly disposition and loyalty to his friends is one
of his distinguishing characteristics. It may truly be said of him that he
is ever ready to lend his aid to any movement benefiting the community and
his influence is a potent element in the work of progress which is
noticeable on every hand in Macoupin county.
Extracted 18 May 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 97-98.
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