Mr. Campbell, basso, was born at Sacketts Harbor, St. Lawrence County,
New York, October 30, 1838. His parents removed to Buffalo, New York,
in 1842 and he was graduated from the high school in 1854. He left
New York October, 1858, for California via Straits of Magellan,
arriving at San Francisco July 2, 1859. After spending two years in
placer mining he returned to San Francisco in 1861. He joined the
Handel and Haydn society under its first conductor, Mr. Oliver of
Boston, and commenced the cultivation of his voice in oratorio with
Stephen W. Leach and in German with Mr. J.B. Butler, father of Mrs.
Clara Tippett, well known soprano who left this city for Boston some
twenty-five years ago where she was soprano of the Old South Church
for a great many years. After studying with them for several years he
went to New York City to live with his father and continued his study
of vocal music, commencing with some of the prominent Italian teachers
who were so pleased with his voice that they wished him to study for
grand opera, but not liking their methods of teaching he finally
secured a teacher who did him the most good, Mr. Phillip Meyer, a
German and a fine baritone singer, who after a year's teaching,
allowed him to make his debut at Irving hall, at an afternoon recital
at which a celebrated pianist, Mr. Wehli, just arrived from Europe,
made his first appearance in America. His success was great enough to
induce Mr. Lafayette Harrison, a well known manager to engage him to
sing at the opening of Steinway's new hall in June, 1867, at which
concert Mlle. Parepa made her first appearance in America. She
afterwards became Madame Parepa-Rosa. They were both under engagement
to Mr. Harrison for the season, singing in oratorio and concerts in
New York and Brooklyn.
After the summer of 1867 he returned to San Francisco and was engaged
as basso at Howard Presbyterian church. He remained there several
years, then went to First Unitarian Church where he sang for seven
years and then went to Grace Cathedral. He sang there for ten years
and then took charge of the choir at the Calvary Presbyterian Church,
resigning March 1, 1906, after eight years of service. During all
those years he was known throughout the coast as the San Francisco
basso. He made one tour of British Columbia, Washington, a territory
then, Oregon and California with Madam Anna Bishop. He made another
tour of California with Madam Camilla Urso, the violiniste, and a
second tour of the northwest with Charles Kohler, Charles Vivian and
Mrs. Blake-Alverson. He sang in all of the oratorios given by the
Handel and Haydn society of San Francisco as bass soloist, Creation,
St. Paul, Elijah, Samson, Mendelssohn's Hymn of Praise and Messiah.
He also sang as basso of the Temple Emanuel from 1874 to 1888,
thirteen consecutive years, and was the basso profundo of that
celebrated male quartette, The Amphions, composed of Joseph Maguire,
H.J. Tippett, Jacob Stadfeldt, Campbell and Harry Hunt, pianist. Upon
the death of Joseph Maguire in 1878 the quartette disbanded as we were
unable to fill his place. While singing at the First Unitarian Church
the choir was composed of Mrs. Marriner, soprano; Miss Sallie
Rightmire, alto; Joseph Maguire, tenor; W.C. Campbell, basso. The
soprano and bass were united in the holy bonds of wedlock and are
still living happily together. Having given up concert singing for
several years past, Mr. Campbell still retains his magnificent voice
which gives great pleasure to those who hear him. His voice has a
range of two and one-half octaves from high F to low B flat, a
remarkable range at the present time.
[Illustration:
Ada Koch
Geo. G. Peterson
Lauretta Shaw
Bessie G. Newell
Mrs. Grace E. Dobbins-Ames
Susan Culver
Mrs. J.R. Case