David Campbell (1750–1812) was a politician and judge who was a member of the North Carolina state assembly, a leader in the

State of Franklin The State of Franklin (also the Free Republic of Franklin, Lost State of Franklin, or the State of Frankland) was an unrecognized proposed U.S. state, state located in present-day East Tennessee, in the United States. Franklin was created in ...

, and a judge in the

North Carolina Superior Court The Superior Court is North Carolina's general jurisdiction trial court. It was established in 1777 and is North Carolina's oldest court. History The Superior Court is North Carolina's oldest court. It was established by a law passed on November 1 ...

Southwest Territory The Territory South of the River Ohio, more commonly known as the Southwest Territory or the old Southwest Territory, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 26, 1790, until June 1, 1796, when it was ...

, and state of

Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...

. Born in Augusta County,

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

, in 1750, Campbell rose to the rank of major while serving in the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War. It was formed on June 14, 1775, by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Co ...

during the

American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...

. In about 1783, sometime after the war had ended, he moved to

Greene County, Tennessee Greene County is a county located on the eastern border of the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 70,152. Its county seat is Greeneville. Greene County comprises the Greeneville, TN Micropolitan Statistical Ar ...

, where he began practicing law. In 1785 he was elected Judge of the Superior Court of the State of Franklin. In 1787 he was elected to the

North Carolina General Assembly The North Carolina General Assembly is the Bicameralism, bicameral legislature of the Government of North Carolina, state government of North Carolina. The legislature consists of two chambers: the North Carolina Senate, Senate and the North Ca ...

and shortly thereafter was elected judge of the Superior Court of North Carolina, Washington District, a post he served in until 1790, when he was appointed to be a territorial judge in the

by President

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

. From 1797 until 1809 he served as a justice of the Superior Court of Tennessee, where he was twice

impeached Impeachment is a process by which a legislative body or other legally constituted tribunal initiates charges against a public official for misconduct. It may be understood as a unique process involving both political and legal elements. In Eu ...

. His first impeachment came in 1798 during a dispute with Blount (who had himself just been impeached from the

United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...

), involving the Treaty of Holston; Campbell escaped conviction at his

impeachment trial An impeachment trial is a trial that functions as a component of an impeachment. Several governments utilize impeachment trials as a part of their processes for impeachment. Differences exist between governments as to what stage trials take place ...

by one vote. Campbell was impeached again in 1803, having been charged with bribery, but was once again acquitted. Campbell died in Washington, Rhea County, Tennessee, in 1812.

References

1750 births 1812 deaths People from the State of Franklin People from Augusta County, Virginia Members of the North Carolina General Assembly Continental Army officers from Virginia United States judges impeached by state or territorial governments {{NorthCarolina-politician-stub