Source: Tribune-Record-Gleaner (Clark County, Wis.) 08/18/1982

Campman, William Arthur (1878 - 1982)

Funeral services for William Arthur Campman, 103, of Neillsville, Clark County, were at 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 17, at the United Church of Christ.

Mr. Campman, the last surviving veteran in the United States of the Spanish-American War, died late Friday, Aug. 13, 1982, at Memorial Home, Neillsville.

Rev. Gary L. Clark officiated and interment was in Neillsville Cemetery. Gesche Funeral Home, Neillsville, handled arrangements.

William Campman was born at St. Louis, Mo., on Aug. 30, 1878. He moved to the Neillsville area with his mother at the age of 10. He graduated from Neillsville High school and was employed in the law office of O'Neill and Marsh until the outbreak of the Spanish-American War in 1898, when he enlisted in the Army. He was a member of Co. A. of the Wisconsin National Guard at Neillsville when the U.S.S. Maine was sunk in Havana Harbor, an act that touched off the war.

When President McKinley's cal for volunteers was received in Neillsville, Capt. John W. Hommel called Co. A. to the Neillsville Armory and plans were made immediately for departure. The company left April 27 for Camp Harvey, West Allis, where the unit and others from Wisconsin were mustered into service on April 28.

He died most of his training at Camp Chickamauga, Ga. Before his regiment was loaded on boats for Puerto Rico. Because Co. A was about 30 men short of wartime strength, Campman was appointed to conduct a recruiting campaign in Neillsville and Clark County before returning to Georgia and embarking for Puerto Rico.
Shortly after the U.S. forces landed in Puerto Rico and about the time they were to make contact with the Spanish units, an armistice was reached.

Campman, a corporal, was named to accompany Capt. John W. Hommel, who was designated as a comissioner for the truce, to sign the agreement in the field at Cayey. He revisited Puerto Rico in 1974.

After the war he returned to Neillsville and attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison and graduated from the law school there in 1902, he worked as a court reporter for the late Judge James O'Neill in clark, Jackson and Juneau Counties. In 1904, he formed a law partnership with Jefferson Schuster of Neillsville and worked as an attorney with the Schuster-Campman Law offices for 68 years, retiring in 1972.

He had served as a member of the board of directors of the Neillsville Bank for 50 years and was a member of the United Church of Christ Neillsville Lodge No. 163, Free and Accepted Masons Neillsville Commandry No. 36, Knights of Templar the Wilson-Heintz Post 2241 of the Veterans of Foreign wars the Wisconsin Bar Association and an honorary member of the Neillsville Kiwanis Club.

He and the former Helen S. Holmes were married at Neillsville on Jan. 16, 1907.

Surviving him are a granddaughter and two great-grandsons.

Preceding him in death were his wife one daughter, Jean his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William A. (Julia Pilski) Campman four sisters and one half-brother.