Malcolm Campbell

Pioneer Dies

Malcolm Campbell, first city clerk and treasurer of Lost Springs when it incorporated in 1910, died Dec. 17 at the Sheridan hospital. Funeral service was held last Wednesday in Sheridan at the Champion Funeral Home with burial in the Big Horn Cemetery.

Campbell had celebrated his 90th birthday Nov. 5 and had just recently sent a newspaper clipping of that event to Harry Austin, Lusk, his long-time friend.

According to Mr. Austin and the clipping, Campbell and his brother operated a livery stable in Lost Springs before he became clerk and treasurer.

On Oct. 5, 1912, Campbell and the former Reta Leach were married at Altamost, Ill., and began a life together that lasted nearly 65 years, until her death on June 8 1977.

Campbell began a career in the oil industry, moving to the Salt Creek Oil Field at Midwest in 1914., then to Lance Creek, on to Big Muddy in Converse and back to Natrona, the Salt Creek Field and Poison Spider, then to Mule Creek in Niobrara.

At Mule Creek Campbell managed a baseball team, a "pretty good team" remembers Mr. Austin. The team made up of "rancher boys" traveled to such spots as Lusk, Manville, and Newcastle for competition.

During that same period of time, Campbell was instrumental in organizing the Robbers Roost Historical Association, serving as its' president. Campbells enjoyed visiting early settlers, hearing stories that went clear back to Civil War days. He would talk to the people and Mrs. Campbell would write down what was said, with the material eventually published in the Annals of Wyoming.

From Mule Creek, the Campbells moved to Story in 1943 where they became active and prominent citizens of the community. They were honored as the "Outstanding Couple of Story" by the Sheridan County Diamond Jubilee Committee in 1963.

Campbell was born Nov. 6, 1888, at Douglas and was the son of early Wyoming settlers Malcolm and Priscilla Campbell. His father came to Wyoming in 1867 and was a territorial sheriff, and later was the first sheriff of Converse County when Wyoming became a state in 1890.

Survivors are three daughters, Mrs. C.O.(Edna) Wilcox and Mrs. George H. (Dorothy) Wing, both of Story, and Mrs. C.M. (Carol) Hayter of Taft, Calif.; and two sons, M.L. (Bud) Campbell of Sheridan, and R.A. (Dick) Campbell of Billings; one sister, Mrs. Katherine Allen of Seattle, Wash.

Images & Attachments

Related/Linked Records