Campbell, Thomas Mitchell, Governor

(April 22, 1856 - April 1, 1923) Born near Rusk in Cherokee County, Thomas Mitchell Campbell was the son of Thomas Duncan and Rachel (Moore) Campbell. He financed his education by working for the county clerk in Longview. In 1878 Campbell was admitted to the Bar and opened his law practice in Longview. He married Fannie Bruner the same year. Campbell moved to Palestine in 1892 after he was named receiver for the International & Great Northern Railroad. He was general manager of the line 1892-97. In 1905, without prior political experience, Campbell announced as a candidate for Governor. He received the Democratic nomination despite strong opposition at the party's 1906 convention. Rallying supporters with the rousing march tune, "The Campbells Are Coming," he won the election by a large margin and became Texas' second native-born Governor. The first was Campbell's boyhood friend, Gov. James S. Hogg (1851-1906). In 1908 Gov. Campbell was elected to a second term. His administration was marked by strong anti-trust legislation, a pure food law, and prison reform. When his term expired, Gov. Campbell returned to a banking and law career in Palestine. In 1916 he ran for the United States Senate but lost. He died in Galveston and was buried in Palestine's East Hill Cemetery. (1975)

Campbell, Thomas Mitchell, Governor is a historical marker in Palestine, Anderson County, dedicated in 1975. It is one of 115 historical markers documented in Anderson County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 229 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 31.7652, -95.6265 near Palestine. The nearest cataloged historic site is Anderson County Courthouse (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Purvey Lee (P. L.) Chism, Micham Main, and Palestine Salt Works C. S. A..

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5001008740. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.