Eugene P. Campbell

Eugene Preston Campbell, known as Gene Campbell (February 18, 1870 - January 30, 1940), was thus far the longest serving sheriff in the history of Concordia Parish in eastern Louisiana. He served nearly thirty-two years from June 1908 until his death, which occurred the same month as his reelection to a ninth four-year term.

Campbell's widow, Darlene Schuchs Campbell, served under appointment of Governor Earl Kemp Long as sheriff until her death on July 25, 1941. By that time Noah W. Cross began the first of his twenty-five years in the office, seven nonconsecutive and interreputed terms in the combined law-enforcement and tax-collecting position.^[1] A Vidalia native, Darlene Campbell was the daughter of Mike J. Schuchs and the former Julia Brunk. Oddly, she was buried on the same day that she died.^[2]

Campbell was born and reared on the Black River in Concordia Parish and was the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. F. L. Campbell, who were among the early pioneers of the region. F. L. Campbell was named assessor of Concordia Parish in 1888 by Governor Francis T. Nicholls and again in 1892 by Governor Murphy J. Foster, Sr. Campbell himself was appointed assessor by Governor Newton C. Blanchard. Campbell had five brothers, including a twin who died in early childhood. Campbell graduated in 1896 from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.^[3]

Campbell and his wife, a native of Vidalia, had an adopted daughter, Ruby Chandler Fulton, and husband, Dudley Fulton, of Clarks in Caldwell Parish, Louisiana.^[3]

Campbell died in Ferriday of a lingering illness.^[2] Services for both Campbells were held eighteen months apart at the family residence, a Queen Anne Revival style house at 2 Concordia Drive in Vidalia. The house, included on the National Register of Historic Places, years later burned to the ground.^[4] Both are interred at Natchez City Cemetery.^[2][3]

The Tensas Gazette in neighboring St. Joseph in Tensas Parish opined at the time of Campbell's passing:

There was probably no other man in public life in this section at least, who had a greater hold on the people of his parish than Gene Campbell enjoyed. Indeed, it was often said that Gene Campbell held every public office in Concordia Parish in the hollow of his hand. ... The heavy load laid upon him in the last year of his life almost proved his undoing and unquestionable hastened his death. Gene Campbell's own weakness ... was his devotion and loyalty to his friends, oft at his own prejudice ...^[3]

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