Heritage Preservation, Inc.

Moncure Woodson Camper

Moncure Woodson Camper was born August 18, 1847 in Fincastle, Botetourt County, Virginia, one of at least ten children born to H. W. and Elizabeth Camper.

In his 1860 federal census enumeration H. W. Camper’s occupation was recorded as wagon builder. In 1860 the Campers were apparently fairly well-to-do, as the census enumerator recorded the value of Henry’s real estate as $3,000 and his personal estate at $9,000. He and Elizabeth had a large family of at least ten, perhaps eleven, children. They were: May M., born in 1832; Thomas J., born in 1841; Pauline F., born about 1843; Virginia C., born in 1845; Moncure Woodson, born in 1847; Ellen J., born about 1849; Laura A., born about 1851; Belle J., born about 1851; Alice (this is probably the Laura above, as in Laura Alice), born about 1853; Earnest; F., born about 1853; Charles, born about 1855; and Clinton B., born about 1857.  

The elder Campers had apparently died by 1880, as six of his siblings were enumerated as living with Moncure and his wife in 1880.[1] M. W. apparently also survived most of his siblings, as at the time of his death Camper was survived by only one brother and two sisters.

At 17, M. W. left school to enlist in the Confederate army. According to his 1907 Lauderdale County, AL Confederate Veterans census enumeration, he originally enlisted as a lieutenant in the Virginia home guard in May of 1864, serving until February of 1865 in Co. E, 2^nd Battalion Virginia Reserves. This Company, as the 1907 census says “being boys,” disbanded at Richmond for the purpose of re-enlisting in the regular army. Camper re-enlisted in February 1865 at Richmond as a private in Co. D, 11^th Virginia Infantry, Pickett’s Division.  Camper’s obituary states that he was promoted to officer in Pickett’s Division, serving with distinction until the close of the war (though since his 1907 veteran’s enumeration doesn’t record this, it may be mistakenly referring to his original rank of lieutenant in the home guard).[2]

Returning home to Fincastle, M. W. Camper founded the Fincastle Herald, of which he was editor at the time of his move to Florence in 1888. Camper served two terms as mayor of Fincastle and one term in the Virginia legislature. In 1879 he married Miss Amelia Browne of New Orleans. The couple had two children, Julia H. born in 1874, who married Edward A. O’Neal; and Ambrose B., born in 1881.

Upon his arrival in Florence in 1888 Camper took a job with the American Publishing Co., publisher of the Florence Herald, formerly known as the Florence Wave. Camper served as editor of the Herald until 1890, at which time he founded the Florence Times Co., publisher of the Florence Times, whose first issue was in June of 1890. The Times quickly became one of the most influential and successful weekly papers in Alabama. Beginning as a four-page weekly published on Saturdays, the Times expanded to an eight page weekly published on Fridays in 1897. In the mid-1920s it expanded further and became a daily newspaper.

Upon W. M. Camper’s arrival in Florence in 1888, there were several newspapers being published in Florence: the Florence Gazette, Florence’s oldest newspaper, founded in 1818 and published until the 1890s under various different editors; the Florence Wave; the Florence Banner, and an African-American paper called The Watcher (of which W. C. Handy’s father, Rev. C. B. Handy was assistant editor, and later business manager). Undergoing several name changes over the years, the Times outlasted every one of these other newspapers and exists today as the Times Daily.  Microfilm copies of the Florence Times from 1890 to the present (and the other local papers) are on file in the Genealogy/Local History Department of the Florence Public Library and in the microform department of Collier Library on the University of North Alabama campus. Original copies are housed at the Alabama Department of Archives and History in Montgomery.

Camper’s ability as a newspaper editor was recognized by his peers in the Alabama Press Association as he was elected president of the association on three occasions. He was highly respected among his peers.

In 1915 M. W. Camper was appointed Postmaster of Florence, a position he filled for eight years, until his death.  Among Camper’s other public service activities were his position as President of the State Convict Commission under Governor Jelks, and his term as president of the Florence City Council. He also served as president of several commercial bodies, as a member of the board of education, and as a member and president of several civic organizations, among them the Chamber of Commerce, Commercial Club, and Exchange Club. Camper also served as commander of Camp O’Neal, United Confederate Veterans. Yet Camper, a devout Methodist, a member and Sunday school superintendent of First Methodist Church, considered his Sunday school duties to be his most important work.

In the thirty-four years he lived in Florence, M. W. Camper gained the respect and admiration of the citizens of Florence, white and black, Christian and Jewish, as an honest, civic-minded citizen, known for his avid support for “every public movement for the upbuilding and advancement in industry, agriculture, education, morals, religion, culture and clean politics.”

Moncure Woodson Camper died in January of 1923, after a four days’ illness of pneumonia. He was 75 years old. His funeral was preached at First Presbyterian Church in Florence by Rev. Dr. George Read of First Methodist Church. Businesses in Florence closed their doors for the hour of the funeral as did the Federal Post Office upon the request of Assistant Post Master Logan Mitchell. The Post Office Department at Washington ordered the flag at the Florence Post Office flown at half-mast. Camper’s obituaries were carried in his own Florence Times, as well as in the Florence Herald, Florence Daily News and the Alabamian Dispatch of Tuscumbia; newspapers such as the Montgomery Advertiser also published his obituary. The Florence Exchange, Civitan and Rotary Clubs published resolutions of respect in his honor in the Florence Times.

The Florence Herald began its obituary of Camper by stating that:

Early last Sunday morning Florence lost one of its most useful and distinguished citizens, when Hon. Moncure Woodson Camper answered the call to enter upon his final reward.

The news of his death was a shock to the entire community, in which he had long labored so faithfully and well. . . .[3]

Among other glowing tributes Camper’s Times obituary stated:

Among the priceless jewels of our friend was the fact that neither privately nor through the press could he speak unfairly, unjustly or unkindly concerning any man. . .  Erudite, sagacious, honest and true, refined and affable in nature, ever dignified and gentlemanly in his deportment, he typified the very best that was in the Old South and stood ever for its best traditions, highest ideals and recognized courtesies. His years have been rich with the golden deeds of service.[4]

Sources:

1860 US Census, Botetourt County, Virginia, Fincastle Township, pp

1870 US Census, Botetourt County, Virginia, Fincastle Township, p. 430 A.

1880 US Census, Botetourt County, Virginia, Fincastle Township, 19 A.

1900 US Census, Lauderdale County, Alabama, Florence City, p.  

1910 US Census, Lauderdale County, p. 53 A.

1920 us Census, Lauderdale County, p. 87 A.

United Daughters of the Confederacy Florence Chapter # 309 Confederate Cross of Honor Given to: Ex-Confederate Soldiers, entry for M. W. Camper, dated 1902.

Lauderdale County Confederate Soldiers Census, 1907, entry no. 26, Moncure Woodson Camper’s enumeration.

“Moncure Woodson Camper Enters Upon Eternal Sleep,” The Florence Times, Friday, January 19, 1923, p. 1.

“City Mourns Death of Noble Citizen Hon. M. W. Camper,” Florence Herald, Friday, January 19, 1923, p. 1.

“M. W. Camper,” Alabamian Dispatch, Friday, January 19, 1923, p. 1.

“Memorials Adopted by Civic Bodies,” The Florence Times Friday, January 26, 1923, p. 2.

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