History of Daviess County, Kentucky, Inter-State Publishing Co., Chicago, 1883. Reprinted by McDowell Publications, Utica, KY, 1980. p. 641.

JOHN R. CAMPBELL was born in Daviess County, July 24, 1861. He was reared on a farm and educated in this county. In the fall of 1878 he commenced teaching a district school and taught until 1880. His father, B. T. Campbell, was born in 1833, and came to Daviess County in 1836. He owns seventy-five acres of good land a mile and a half west of Owensboro. His mother, Victoria (Bryant) Campbell, was born in Daviess County in 1842. They have three children--John R., born July 24, 1861; Margaret, born Oct. 11, 1871, and James F., born in 1875. Mr. Campbell's parents are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian church.
Politically his father is a Democrat.