CAMPBELL, THOMAS JOSEPH

Jesuit author, educator; b. New York City, April 29, 1848; d. Monroe, N.Y., Dec. 14, 1925. He was educated in New York City in the public schools and at the College of St. Francis Xavier, where he received his M.A. in 1867; he entered the Jesuit novitiate at Sault-au-Recollet, Canada. In 1870 he was sent to St. John's College, later Fordham University, New York, where he taught classical literature for three years. After studying philosophy and science at Woodstock, Md., he returned in 1876 to St. Francis Xavier College to teach rhetoric. He then went to Louvain University, Belgium, where he studied French literature and ecclesiastical history in addition to theology. He was ordained in 1881, returned to the U.S., and spent his third year of probation at Frederick, Md., after which he became president of St. John's College. In 1888 he was appointed provincial of the Jesuits' Maryland New York Province, a post he held until 1893. Under his administration colleges were expanded, missionary work among Italian immigrants was undertaken, a laymen's retreat movement was started, and plans were begun for a national Jesuit magazine (America ). Campbell served briefly (1893) as vice-rector of St. Francis Xavier College, devoted two years to giving missions and retreats, and was for five years president of Fordham University. In August 1900 he was attached to the staffs of the Apostleship of Prayer and the Messenger of the Sacred Heart as preacher, editor, and writer. After serving from 1910 to 1914 as editor of America, he went to Canada for historical research and published the results in The Pioneer Priests of North America (3 v. 1908–19) and The Pioneer Laymen of North America (2 v. 1915). After filling posts at St. Francis Xavier Church (1916) and at St. Joseph's Church, Philadelphia, Pa. (1917), he returned to New York as lecturer on American history at the Fordham University Graduate School. He also completed The Jesuits, 1534–1921 (1921), before retiring in 1925.

[v. c. hopkins]