Second Son

David Gladstone Campbell the first was born in 1898. His boyhood at Thornden gave rise to stories of adventures that used the spooky wooded grounds to frighten passers-by. These pranks were often in league with the Pabury boys, sons of the English grounds keeper and farmer who also lived on the property. David's boyhood nickname was "Bunt."

Attending Central High School, as did his sister and brothers, he graduated in time to enlist in the United States Army and saw duty in France in the final months of the First World War.  Prior to his time overseas, he played football in a highly competitive Army league.  With war at an end, he was discharged and entered Dartmouth College's Amos Tuck School of Business, graduating in 1924 with a degree in Finance.

One of his employers, after graduation was the Sealright Company in Fulton, N.Y., a small manufacturing city some thirty miles north of Syracuse. It was there that he meant and ultimately married Monica Gaffney. Subsequently, his employment moved the couple moved to Detroit where they lived until the Depression terminated his position. However, returning to Syracuse, after ending their Detroit stay, they stopped in Auburn to visit his sister, Catherine who had been living in the area for several years. Contacts with persons in that area gave him an opportunity to be interviewed by the management of Beacon Milling Company in the village of Cayuga, just west of Auburn. He was hired; they settled in Auburn and David ended his working years there in 1960, having been the Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer.

David enjoyed retirement and spent much time playing the game of gold that he loved so well. In the good weather months, he could be found on the course at Owasco Country Club. He was also an ardent gardener (ran in the family) and loved storytelling. He invented several imaginary characters including Wug and Hugo who lived on in stories two generations later. He was also a shameless user of puns.

David died in 1966 during a golf game. Monica survived but died in 1975 after a battle with cancer. They are buried in St. Joseph's Cemetery in Auburn, N.Y.

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