William Campman was born in St. Louis on August 30, 1878, approximately one month after the death of his father. Soon thereafter,
his grandfather, Frank Plischke, a builder and architect who had traveled about and found Neillsville to his liking, wrote to his
widowed daughter and urged her to come to Neillsville with her young family. In 1879, the widow, her infant son and two-year-old
daughter, traveled up the Mississippi by steamboat as far as Winona, then rode the Green Bay railroad to the Hatfield station. The
remainder of the journey was made by wagon along the west bank of the Black river.
The Widow Campman later remarried and four more children were added to the family. They lived in a house on the east side of the
city, near the standpipe.
William Campman attended Neillsville schools and graduated from high school in 1896 in a class of three young men and two young
women. He graduated from the law school of the University of Wisconsin in Madison in 1902 - but many things happened to shape
his life in the meantime
“Busy all the time,” is one way in which Mr. Campman describes himself. There was no extra money in the family of six children,
and so he put himself through high school and law school. He began as a youngster to do odd jobs and chores for neighbors, then
later worked in the washboard factory located on what was termed “Depot street,” across from the milk plant in Neillsville.
The house, built by a returning Spanish-American war soldier on what was considered to be the best street in Neillsville, has
changed with the times over the years. Gone are the long porches which greeted Mr. Campman and his bride of several months,
the former Helen Holmes, when they moved there in May of 1907. For the first few months of their marriage, the couple lived
upstairs above the “Neillsville Times” in a frame building located where the telephone office is nowadays.
The owner of the house has changed as well. A practicing attorney in Neillsville for close to 70 years, and an active sportsman and
golfer of note during that time, he is now retired and limits his activities to less strenuous pastimes such as reading and reminiscing.
Except for some back trouble, his health is generally good. By virtue of his age and keen memory, he is considered an authority on
local history and is sought out by those interested in the subject. Their queries, he says, bring back many memories.
It was fortunate that the demand for washboards merited a two-shift work schedule, and that William Campman was curious about
what a “typewriter” was and what “shorthand” was all about. While he was working nights in the factory he was able to attend
shorthand and typing classes given during the day in a downtown office building. Then, when he applied for a position at the law firm
of O’Neill and Marsh, his typing and shorthand ability helped him land the job. Soon young Campman was Serving as Judge
O’Neill’s court reporter, putting his stenographic skills to work.
Apparently, Circuit Judge O’Neill was impressed by his reporter’s ability, and wrote to the dean of the university law school
about him. Shortly thereafter he was enrolled in law school. In order to support himself, he took shorthand notes of the law
lectures, transcribed and duplicated them, and sold copies for $2 to $3 apiece to other students. there was a ready market for the
notes—education was indeed proving to be a sound investment.
After graduation, Mr. Campman joined the Grow-Schuster company, a law office, abstract firm and insurance agency. There were two
Schusters in the company, J. F. and his father, Herman who wanted to move to the West Coast. The young lawyer took the elder Mr.
Schuster’s place. Then, Charles F. Grow died in 1909 and the firm became known as Schuster and Campman. J. F. Schuster died in
1946, and Mr. Campman operated the business on his own until January 31 of 1972 when it was sold.
The Neillsville company was mustered in at Camp Harvey at Milwaukee on May 11, 1898, and left by rail May 14 for
Chickamauga Park, Tennessee, arriving at camp there May 16. Company A, 3rd Inf., Wisconsin Volunteers, remained at-the
Tennessee camp until July 5, when the men marched to Ringgold, Ga., a distance of 12 miles, and left by rail for Charleston, S.C.,
arriving there July 7. The company embarked on a transport ship for Puerto Rico and arrived at Ponce on July 28, 1898.
Mr. Campman, having attained the rank of corporal, was mustered out on January 4, 1899. He is believed to be the state’s sole
surviving Spanish-American war veteran.
The Neillsville company included about 60 men when it first left for Camp Harvey. More men were needed before embarking for
Puerto Rico, and so Pvt. Campman was detailed on recruiting duty and returned to Clark county for the period of June 9-29. The
young recruiter traveled over the dirt roads of the county on a bicycle, protected from precipitation by a waterproof poncho covering
both rider and cycle. Looking back, Mr. Campman recalls that it was a very warm, if effective, arrangement. There was no protection
from dry weather dust.
