Samuel Arthur Campbell (August 1, 1895 – April 13, 1962) was an American
nature writer, sometimes known as the "Philosopher of the Forest". He wrote for children and adults, and lectured widely.
Life
Campbell was born on August 1, 1895, in
Watseka, Illinois
Watseka is a city in and the county seat of Iroquois County, Illinois, Iroquois County, Illinois, United States. It is located approximately west of the Illinois-Indiana state line on U.S. Route 24.
The population of Watseka was 4,679 as of th ...
,
the youngest of two children of Arthur J. and Katherine "Kittie" (''née'' Lyman) Campbell. He married Virginia ("Giny") Adams on June 10, 1941. Among his friends was environmentalist
Sigurd F. Olson. Campbell contributed an article to the inaugural issue of Olson's magazine ''North Country'' in spring 1951.
Campbell died April 13, 1962,
in
Barrington, Illinois
Barrington is a village in Cook County, Illinois, Cook and Lake County, Illinois, Lake counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 10,722 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. A northwest suburb of Chicago, the area featu ...
. A trail near his home in Three Lakes, located in the
Chequamegon–Nicolet National Forest
The Chequamegon–Nicolet National Forest (; the ''q'' is silent) is a U.S. National Forest in northern Wisconsin in the United States. Due to logging in the early part of the 20th century, very little old growth forest remains. Some of the tr ...
, is named after him.
Writing and lectures
Campbell was a writer, lecturer, photographer, and filmmaker.
From 1934 to 1958, he lectured on behalf of the
Chicago and North Western Railway
The Chicago and North Western was a Railroad classes#Class I, Class I railroad in the Midwestern United States. It was also known as the "North Western". The railroad operated more than of track at the turn of the 20th century, and over of t ...
, which sought to promote its lines as a means for vacationers to visit attractions in
northern Wisconsin and the
Upper Peninsula of Michigan
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan—also known as Upper Michigan or colloquially the U.P. or Yoop—is the northern and more elevated of the two major landmasses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan; it is separated from the Lower Peninsula of ...
.
He studied wild animals from his home in
Three Lakes, Wisconsin
Three Lakes is a town in Oneida County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,131 at the 2010 census. The census-designated place of Three Lakes is located in the town. The unincorporated community of Clearwater Lake is also located in ...
, which he called the "sanctuary of Wegimind"—reportedly after an
Ojibwe
The Ojibwe (; Ojibwe writing systems#Ojibwe syllabics, syll.: ᐅᒋᐺ; plural: ''Ojibweg'' ᐅᒋᐺᒃ) are an Anishinaabe people whose homeland (''Ojibwewaki'' ᐅᒋᐺᐘᑭ) covers much of the Great Lakes region and the Great Plains, n ...
word for "mother"—and during his various travels. He had visited the Three Lakes area from boyhood.
Works
For children
* Illustrated by
Bob Kuhn. Translated into French, as ''Bob et mes bêtes'', 1956.
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Translated into French, as ''Le Lac aux sept secrets'', 1953.
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For adults
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* Illustrated by
Harry Moeller.
References
Sources
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External links
Documentary about CampbellCampbell's films and publications
{{DEFAULTSORT:Campbell, Sam
1895 births
1962 deaths
American children's writers
American nature writers
American male non-fiction writers
People from Watseka, Illinois