Fonds consists of records accumulated by John S. Campbell and his brother James H. Campbell. John and James Campbell were the sons of William (d. 1906) and Margaret Campbell of St. Catharines, Ont.

Fonds includes a minute book and Constitution and by-laws of the St. Catharines Garrison Club (1899, n.d.). Also included are deeds and papers relating to property at 83 York Street, St. Catharines, Ont. (1898, 1901-1902, 1905, 1907, 1912, 1929), and the Grand Central Hotel, St. Catharines, Ont. (1837, 1853, 1856, 1870-1871, 1896-1897, 1913). Three survey maps are included with the Grand Central Hotel papers.

In 1913 The Grand Central Hotel and accompanying land was purchased by Peter Griffin who build an opera house / movie theatre behind the hotel. The theatre was known as Griffin's Opera House and later became the Palace Theatre. Two St. Catharines newspapers dated November 27, 1906 and May 12, 1913 are also included.

John S. Campbell (1860-1950) was a graduate of the University of Toronto and Osgoode Hall. During his university years John began his military career first in "K" Company, Queens Own rifles and then later as Commanding Officer of the 19th Lincoln Regiment from 1906 to 1910. Upon his return to St. Catharines John Campbell served as secretary in the St. Catharines Garrison Club, a social club for military men begun in 1899. After being called to the Bar, he became a partner in the firm of Campbell and McCarron and was appointed to the bench in 1916, serving until retirement in 1934. Judge Campbell served as an alderman for several terms and was the mayor of St. Catharines in 1908 and 1909. He also served as the first chairman of the St. Catharnes Public Utilities in 1914. John S. Campbell was married to Elizabeth Oille, daughter of Jerome B. and Charlotte (St. John) Oille. The family home "Cruachan" was located at 32 Church St.

The published works have been removed and placed within Special Collections stacks.

A later donation of items for the Campbell family fonds (RG47b) focuses on Charlotte St. John, daughter of Alpheus St. John and Charlotte Phelps, one of nine children, of which four died in infancy. Charlotte was the granddaughter of Oliver Phelps and Abigail St. John. She married Jerome Beamer Oille on 3 March 1857. Jerome B. Oille and Charlotte St. John had two daughters, Harriet Oille and Elizabeth Oille.

Harriet Oille married John J. Banfield Elizabeth Oille married John Samuel Campbell.

The Oille family were established in the Niagara region since the late 1780s. The Oille family surname is alternatively also spelled Oil, Oill, Eil or Oehl.

In 1795, Nicholas Oille petitioned the government for the title to 100 hundred acres. Oille states that he has been in Upper Canada for seven years and he has a wife and five children. At the writing of the petition, Nicholas Oille had already improved 300 of the 400 hundred acres he had originally been granted on Lots 6 & 7 in Concession 1 & 2 in Pelham Township.

George Nicholas Oille (1817-1883) was one of twelve children George Nicholas Oille and his wife Eve Decker. He owned and operated a large machinery and foundry business along the Welland Canal in St. Catharines. He was joined in his business by his brother Jerome Beamer Oille.

Harriet Oille was the daughter of George Nicholas Oille and Eve Decker. She lived with her brother George Nicholas Oille in St. Catharines. Harriet Oille died unmarried in 1884.

Lucius Sterne Oille (1830-1903) was a medical doctor practicing in St. Catharines. He received his license to practice medicine in 1858 from Sir Edmund Walker Head. He was instrumental in creating the Water Works Commission and the Niagara Central Railway. He served on the local city council and served as mayor of St. Catharines in 1878. Lucius S. Oille owned many properties in St. Catharines, one of which was the land on which The Grand Central Hotel and Sanatorium Company of St. Catharines was built ca. 1896. Oille was one of the significant shareholders of the company. When Dr. Oille passed in 1903 the bulk of his estate was inherited by his niece Elizabeth Campbell.

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Campbell for Mayor

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