JAMES CAMPBELL was born in Scotland in 1719 and emigrated to "The Colonies" as a young man. He took as his profession the dangerous vocation of overland pack merchant. He would routinely travel across the Allegheny Mountains through Indian Territory delivering badly needed supplies and news to settlers in the frontier. James first settled in Chartiers Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania on three vast tracts of land, two of which were named Saint James, and James' Fancy. The wilderness drew James and his family west into the Kings Creek area where he marked out his "tomahawk" claims and set out improving his land. It was during this claiming process that James and his wife Patience lost their oldest son John. While being pursued by Indians, John was drowned in Harmon's Creek, and another son James Jr. narrowly escaped being captured.
Despite the hardships, James and Patience settled and began farming. He built a mill on Kings Creek, (then called Indian Creek) and would guard the mill at night to ward off any Indians that might be interested in burning the mill. James eventually acquired many large tracts of land and owned several thousand acres of present day Weirton, as neighboring settlers moved on, or became uncomfortable with Indian activity and sold their land. James Campbell was an avid Presbyterian and family man and so set aside five acres of his land for the building of a church and cemetery, and donated a large sum of money for the establishment of a minister and congregation. In 1790 the new church petitioned the Redstone Presbytery for a preacher, and in November of that year the first sermon was taught at Three Springs Presbyterian Church by the Rev. John Brice. James was a successful farmer and entrepreneur and owned the land on which the Peter Tarr Furnace was built. James and Patience raised six children and brought life to many descendants, of which some are still occupying some of the original Campbell land. James Campbell died in 1805 and was buried at his beloved Three Springs Presbyterian Church. There is a Historical Marker in Weirton showing the location of the original Three Springs Church, and a dedication to James for his generosity. There is also a Historical Marker naming James as the owner of the land at the Peter Tarr Furnace.
