Elizabeth “Eliza” (Flynn) Campbell was born on August 15, 1850, in County Sligo, Ireland, the daughter of Patrick and Mary (McMenamin) Flynn. She came to the United States when she was twelve years old.
In Dodge City, Kansas, she was employed in the home of the paymaster general of the Army's Western Division. On July 27, 1873, she married Daniel J. Campbell in Dodge City. Two years later, she traveled with him to Fort Whipple, Yavapai County, Arizona Territory. According to Daniel’s obituary, written by Sharlot Hall, they bought one of the first ranches located between Fort Whipple and Prescott, where they established a dairy. The Arizona Weekly Journal-Miner, dated June 26, 1889, carried an item: “Mrs. Daniel Campbell has purchased of Mrs. Moeller, what is known as the Buckman place, just north of town for $1,800. She will use it as a dairy ranch.”
Besides the dairy, Eliza and her husband opened a small store in Prescott, the town where they raised their children. Harry was born May 1874; Joseph, born December 10, 1875; Thomas Edward, born January 18, 1878; Alice M. Juleff, born October 1880 and Lila Duffy, born December 1896. A daughter, Nellie, born in 1885, died April 7, 1893, at the age of eight years.
Eliza and Dan celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary on July 27, 1923. According to an article carried in the Prescott Evening Courier, July 28, 1943: “Twenty Years Ago -- The Campbell home on South Pleasant street was headquarters for pioneers and pioneer reminiscences last night when Mr. and Mrs. Daniel G. Campbell celebrated their golden wedding anniversary at the reception tendered to them by their friends of long standing. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell were married in Dodge City, Kansas during a hailstorm 50 years ago yesterday.”
Eliza's home was at 206 S. Pleasant Street. She died on June 17, 1930, and is buried in Mountain View Cemetery. At the time of her death, she was one of the oldest parishioners of Sacred Heart Church. She had helped to build the first small Roman Catholic Church in Prescott.
In Eliza’s obituary, Sharlot Hall referred to Eliza as "a handsome young Irish girl who helped care for the children...in a Fort Dodge home. Telling the story of her marriage a few months before her death, she said ‘and I don't know yet how it happened - but Daniel Campbell was the handsomest man in all the regiment.’"
The Sharlot Hall Museum Library and Archives contains a collection pertaining to Thomas Campbell, Eliza’s son, who was elected Arizona governor in 1916.
Donor: Museum Territorial Women’s Memorial Rose Garden Committee
Photo Located: Thomas Campbell Collection - MS-31, Box 1, Folder 5
Updated: 11/28/2015; D. Sue Kissel
