James Romulus Campbell was a U.S. Representative

United States House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...

 from Illinois

Illinois

Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...

.

Born near McLeansboro, Hamilton County, Illinois, Campbell attended the public schools and the University of Notre Dame

University of Notre Dame

The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...

, Notre Dame, Indiana

Notre Dame, Indiana

Notre Dame is a census-designated place north of South Bend in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States; it includes the campuses of three colleges: the University of Notre Dame, Saint Mary's College, and Holy Cross College. Notre Dame is split between Clay and Portage Townships...

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He studied law.
He was admitted to the bar

Admission to the bar in the United States

In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...

 in 1877 and commenced practice in McLeansboro, Illinois.
He owned and edited the McLeansboro Times 1870-1898.
He served as member of the State house of representatives 1884-1888.
He served in the State senate 1888-1896.

Campbell was elected as a Democrat

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

 to the Fifty-fifth

55th United States Congress

-House of Representatives:* Republican: 206 * Democratic: 124* Populist: 22* Silver Republican: 3* Silver: 1* Independent Republican: 1TOTAL members: 357-Leadership:-Senate:* President: Garret Hobart * President pro tempore: William P...

 Congress (March 4, 1897-March 3, 1899).
He was not a candidate for reelection to the Fifty-sixth

56th United States Congress

-House of Representatives:- Leadership :- Senate :* President: Garret Hobart , until November 21, 1899 , vacant thereafter.* President pro tempore: William P. Frye * Democratic Caucus Chairman: James K. Jones...

Congress in 1898.
He served in the war with Spain in the Ninth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry.
Commissioned colonel June 28, 1898.
After the muster out of that regiment was appointed lieutenant colonel of the Thirtieth Regiment, United States Volunteers, on July 5, 1899, and assigned to service in the Philippine Islands.
Commissioned brigadier general of Volunteers January 3, 1901, and was honorably discharged March 25, 1901.
He engaged in milling and banking in McLeansboro, Illinois, and died there August 12, 1924.
He was interred in Odd Fellows Cemetery.