Ironton in Lawrence County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

John Campbell Memorial Home

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., September 3, 2012

1. John Campbell Memorial Home Marker

Inscription.

John Campbell (1818-1891), founder of Ironton, was an ironmaster and president of the Ohio Iron & Coal Company, a Presbyterian, and an abolitionist. This house and barn, which he built in 1850, became a stop on the Underground Railroad for slaves crossing the Ohio River from Kentucky. Fugitives were concealed here and furnace wagons transported the escapees northward by way of Campbell's furnaces in Lawrence and Jackson counties.

Erected 2003 by The Ohio Bicentennial Commission, The P & G Fund, and The Ohio Historical Society. (Marker Number 5-44.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Abolition & Underground RR • Industry & Commerce • Man-Made Features. In addition, it is included in the Network to Freedom, and the Ohio Historical Society / The Ohio History Connection series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1850.

Location. 38° 32.307′ N, 82° 41.092′ W. Marker is in Ironton, Ohio, in Lawrence County. It is at the intersection of Lawrence Street and 5th Street, on the left when traveling east on Lawrence Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 305 North 5th Street, Ironton OH 45638, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Ohio’s Kyova Tri-State Region.

It is also in the American Midwest,

in the Ohio River Valley,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this

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marker: Campbell House (here, next to this marker); Ironton - Lawrence County Memorial Day Parade (approx. 0.2 miles away); Lawrence County Veterans Square (approx. 0.2 miles away); Lawrence County Viet-Nam Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.2 miles away); Replica of the Statue of Liberty (approx. 0.2 miles away); George R. Patterson (D) (approx. 0.2 miles away); This Cornerstone From Old Jail (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Hanging Rock Iron Region / The Blast Furnaces of Lawrence County (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Ironton.

Also see . . . Places of the Underground Railroad. Google Books entry (Submitted on September 10, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)

John Campbell image. Click for more information.

via The Lawrence County Historical Society, unknown

2. John Campbell

Autobiography of John Campbell:
The Lawrence County Historical Society website entry
Click for more information.

John Campbell Memorial Home and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., September 3, 2012

3. John Campbell Memorial Home and Marker

Photographed by Craig Doda, August 16, 2025

4. John Campbell Memorial Home Marker

Photographed by Craig Doda, August 16, 2025

5. John Campbell Memorial Home Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on August 20, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 10, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 1,955 times since then and 57 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on September 10, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. 2. submitted on February 18, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 3. submitted on September 10, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. 4, 5. submitted on August 19, 2025, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio.