GEORGE CAMPTON was born in the West Indies, in 1839. His father, Thomas Campton, was an officer in the British army and was stationed in the Indies when George was born. When he was two years of age his father went to Toronto, and there engaged in the mercantile business on Queen street. During his connection with the British army he had made quite an independent fortune.

The subject of this biographical sketch started out for himself very early in life. At the age of sixteen years he opened a butcher shop in Toronto, and carried it on very successfully for five years. In 1861 he came by steamer route to California, landing in San Francisco, where he again went into the butcher business, in Washington Market.

In 1868 he went to White Pine and tried his luck at mining, but it did not "pan out," so in 1870 he went back to San Francisco, and subsequently to Monterey County, where he hired out as a clerk in a general merchandise store.

After one year he was made general manager of a large stock and agricultural ranch. Here he made two trips each week around the two stock ranches and the agricultural ranch, each trip making seventy miles.

In May, 1875, he took charge of the San Francisco Ranch of 48,000 acres, owned by H.M. Newhall, and was in charge as superintendent till September, 1876, when he opened up the mercantile business at Newhall.

In this he has been eminently successful. He carries a full line of dry goods and general merchandise; also lumber and farm implements. For nine years he served as postmaster at Newhall, being the first one appointed. He is interested in educational matters, and has served on the school board a number of times.

Mr. Campton is a model business man. He began for himself when a mere boy, and by honest integrity and strict attention to business, he has succeeded, and today commands the respect and confidence of the community whose interests he has so materially aided in developing.

Whatever the future of Newhall may be, the name of George Campton, the "pioneer merchant," will never be lost sight of nor forgotten.