Perciphull Campbell

Perciphull Campbell, Sr. (17671853) was one of the original settlers prior to 1778 in north Rowan County, Province of North Carolina. This area later would become Iredell County, North Carolina, in 1788 and after his death it became Union Grove Township in 1868. He was a moderately prosperous land owner, planter and miller, who migrated from Culpeper County, Colony of Virginia to the Province of North Carolina with his family before the U.S. Revolutionary War in which his two older brothers served. He was a justice of the peace and active in the formation of the town of Williamsburgh in north Iredell County. His home and mill that he built on Hunting Creek in about 1820, as well as the Campbell family cemetery, near what is now the unincorporated town of Union Grove, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The house and cemetery have survived into the 21st century but the mill and covered bridge near the mill were destroyed in the late 1930s.

Early life in Virginia and move to North Carolina

Perciphull Campbell was born on April 13, 1767, in Culpeper County, Colony of Virginia. He was the son of Adam Campbell and Sarah (Morgan) Campbell, who were Scotch-Irish immigrants and were married in Culpeper County in about 1753. Sometime prior to 1775, Adam Campbell migrated with his family from Culpeper County to Rowan County, where he purchased a 300-acre tract of land on the north and south side of Hunting Creek near the Wilkes and Surry County lines. This area, which would become Iredell County in 1788, contains the Campbell Family Cemetery which is a historic landmark and may be the site where Adam was buried when he died in about 1783.

Perciphull was the youngest child of six known children of Adam and Sarah that were all born in Culpeper County:Statesville Morning Register, August 22, 1925, found on the Internet, courtesy of Roger Harvel, Link, accessed Sep 7, 2016., based on work of Bernice Robinson, Blum Campbell, Emory Coleman Todd Somers, and Roger Harvell Keziah Campbell (17581845): She married Henry Horne Hayes in North Carolina. After his death in 1815, she moved to Hancock County, Indiana, with her children. She died in Brownsville Township, Hancock County in 1845. William R. Campbell (August 1, 17561846): William served in the American Revolution. He was in the Surry County Regiment (17751776), as a private under Capt. John Hamlin and Col. Martin Armstrong. In 1780, he was a private under Capt. Benjamin Herndon (Wilkes County Regiment) in the Salisbury District Brigade when commanded by Col. William Lee Davidson. In 1780, he was also a private under Capt. Jacob Nichols in the Rowan County Regiment of the North Carolina militia. In May 1781, he was a private under Capt. Alexander Brevard (1st North Carolina Regiment) for 12 months. He was discharged on April 28, 1782, as a shoemaker attached to the 3rd North Carolina Regiment) at the Continental Shoe Factory in Rowan County. William Campbell sold his land on the north side of Hunting CreekIredell County, North Carolina, Deed Book E, page 626, November 7, 1801. to Thomas Huey of Iredell County, North Carolina in 1801. He was living in Garrard County, Kentucky at the time of this sale. He later moved to Crawford County, Indiana. John Campbell (17591834): John also served in the Revolutionary War. He was a private in the Rowan County Regiment (17791780) in Captain Jacob Nichols' company and later in Captain John George Lowman's company. In 1780, he was a private in the companies of Captain Benjamin Herndon, Captain Joel Lewis, and Capt. William Nall. He was taken as prisoner of war at the Battle of Camden, South Carolina and later escaped. He moved to Wilkes County after the war. John married Cora Mullis (about 17591858) in Wilkes County after the war in 1785. John received a pension for his service in 1834. In 1843, Cora received a widow's pension for John's Revolutionary War service. Perciphull Campbell and his son, Theophilus Campbell helped Cora obtain this pension in 1843 (pension file number W-6616) Mary Polly (Campbell) Coleman (17601834): She married Charles Coleman in 1781 in Wilkes County, where she died in 1834. Sarah (Campbell) Ball (17631834): She married William Jonas Ball in 1788 in Iredell County and died in Wilkes County. Perciphull Campbell (17671853): He married Sarah Elizabeth Cook in 1788 in Iredell County, where they remained the rest of their lives.

Genetic Y-DNA analysis in 2025 of known descendants of Adam Campbell showed that Adam Campbell's Haplogroup was R-FTG668. This DNA analysis and analysis of records from early Rowan County revealed two additional children that were born in North Carolina after 1774: possibly Malinda Mae (Campbell) Wood (1776-1838), who married Miller A. Wood (1769-1838) Theophilus Marion Campbell (1777-1855), who moved to Madison County, Alabama after the War of 1812

Perciphull's name has been recorded several different ways on official documents—including P. Campbell, Sr. (most common), Purcival, Percephull, Penniful, and John Pierce. In his will, which was probably written by him or by his son (Perciphull Campbell, Jr.), the spelling appears to be "Perciphull. His son was referred to as either Perciphull Campbell, Jr. or Perciphull Campbell, Esq. The given name John Pierce is common in his ancestors.Perciphull Campbell, Sr.'s name or signature appears in census records, his land entries, and his will

Chronology of events in the life of Adam and Perciphull

The following events show the chronology of Perhciphull's father, Adam Campbell, and Perciphull as they left Virginia and moved to North Carolina. These events are documented in court records, land transactions, the Revolutionary War pension application of his brother John and John's widow Corah, application for National Historic Site of the Perciphull Campbell House and Campbell Cemetery, and books about the history of Rowan County and Iredell County. They are listed here to help understand this chronology and how it fits together. April 22, 1763, Adam Campbell was listed three times in the County Court Minute Book of Culpeper County, Virginia 1763–1764 (Culpeper County was formed in 1749 from Orange County). The subject of the court cases is not known., (pg. 312, April 22, 1763 David Johnson versus Adam Campbell. Continued. (pg. 356, William Turner versus Adam Campbell. Dismissed agreed), (pg. 360, David Johnson versus Adam Campbell. Dismissed agreed) April 1, 1778, John Henderson filed a State Land Grant (vacant land entry) in Rowan County, North Carolina, for 200 acres on the south side of Hunting Creek adjoining Adam Campbell's land to the south and the rest vacant land. This was the first record of Adam Campbell in North Carolina.Rowan County Land Entry No. 702, April 1, 1778, John Henderson August 4, 1778, Theophilus Morgan (a neighbor and in-law of Perciphull) filed a State Land Grant in Rowan County, North Carolina, for 150 acres on north side of the South Fork of Hunting Creek including his improvement and adjoining the Surry County lineRowan County Land Entry No. 1243, filed April 1, 1778, Theophilus Morgan 1778, Theophilus Morgan (a neighbor and in-law) obtained a State Land Grants for 239 acres on the north side of Hunting Creek, entered in 1778, issued in 1783Rowan County Deeds, Book 10, page 164, entered Oct 11, 1784, Bethsheba Owens to Theophilus Morgan, granted Feb 1785; also listed as Book 51, page 19 in the Patent Book August 31, 1778, Adam Campbell filed a State Land Grant in Rowan County, North Carolina for 300 acres on both sides of the Hunting Creek adjoining Theophilus Morgan's conditional line between him and Peter Good and James Woodburn at the point of rocks, including his own improvement. This would imply Adam was there before 1778.Vacant Land Entry No. 1462 Rowan County, North Carolina, Adam Campbell, 300 acres on both sides of Hunting Creek adjoining Theophilus MORGAN's conditional line between him and Peter GOOD and James WOODBURN at the point of rocks including his own improvement, filed August 31, 1778. September 4, 1778, William Campbell (Perciphull's oldest brother) obtained a State Land Grant for 175 acres on the north side of Hunting Creek, entered on September 4, 1778, issued on October 10, 1783.Rowan County Deeds, Book 9, page 468, obtained on September 4, 1778; entry no: 1057; also listed as Book 51, page 5 in the Patent Book September 30, 1778, James Woodburn filed State Land Grant No. 1613 in Rowan County, North Carolina for 300 acres on both sides of South Fork of Hunting Creek adjoining Adam Campbell at the point of Rocks running North to Surry County line adjoining Nathaniel Munsey at the first hollow below the mouth of Buck Shoal including the improvement where he now lives.Rowan County Vacant Land Entry No. 1613, filed September 30, 1778. November 18, 1778, Adam Campbell was listed in Captain Nichols District in the 1778 Tax List with an estate valued at 529 Pounds. Adlai Osborne compiled this Tax List of Rowan County land owners to raise money for the upcoming Revolutionary War, including Capt Caldwell's, Capt Nichols', Capt Falls', and Capt Purviance's Districts that would become part of Iredell County in 1788. John Campbell served with Captain Nichols in the Rowan County Regiment., alternate Link May 25, 1779, William Taylor filed a State Land Grant for 100 acres in the fork of the Rocky Branch of Hunting Creek adjoining Adam Campbell. This land was later transferred to Martin Morgan.Rowan County Vacant Land Entry No. 2213, North Carolina, filed May 25, 1779. October 10, 1779, Elizabeth Campbell (Adam's wife) obtained a State Land Grant for 200 acres on the south side of Hunting Creek, entered on October 10, 1779, issued on October 10, 1783. This probably indicated that Adam Campbell had died between 1779 and 1783.Rowan County Deeds, Book 9, page 470; also listed as Book 51, page 6 in the Patent Book December 25, 1779, James Woodburn filed a State Land Grant in Rowan County, North Carolina, for 400 acres on the waters of Hunting Creek adjoining Adam Campbell and his own landRowan County Vacant land entry, No. 2381, December 25, 1779. October 10, 1783: State Grant Book 9, pages 468 and 470, Elizabeth Campbell and her oldest son William Campbell received land grants for the same lands that Adam Campbell had filed for in his land entries. Adam Campbell died sometime between December 1779 and October 10, 1783, in Rowan County, North Carolina, now north Iredell County, and he is probably buried at the Campbell Family cemetery on the land. In 1784 or 1785, Perciphull was present in Wilkes County, North Carolina at the marriage of his brother, John Campbell. 1788, Perciphull married Sarah "Sallie" Elizabeth Cook in Rowan County (November 3, 1788, it became Iredell County) November 3, 1788, Iredell County was created from Rowan County June 5, 1795, Perciphull Campbell bought 100 acres of land on a creek in Iredell County from Elizabeth Campbell for 20 pounds currency. This was his first land holding.Iredell County Deed Book B, page 314, Perciphull Campbell Grantee, Elizabeth Campbell Grantor, filed June 5, 1795, obtained on November 11, 1795.

Perciphull and Sarah's children Perciphull Campbell married Sarah Elizabeth Cook (1767–1848) in 1788 in Rowan County (probably in the area that became Iredell County in 1788), North Carolina. Perciphull and Sarah Campbell had the following children (all born in Iredell County):Will of Perciphull Campbell, dated November 1, 1844, located in the Iredell County Courthouse, access date 1981. William R. "Billie" Campbell (17901844): He married Jensie Jane Morgan in about 1810 and moved to Tennessee and then Izard County, Arkansas, before 1840. Perciphull Pierce Campbell, Jr. (17921862): He married Tabitha Morgan (1797–1879) in about 1814 and remained in Iredell County.