America's Successful Men of Affairs: An Encyclopedia of Contemporaneous Biography Volume I, page 128
HUGH NESBITT CAMP, manufacturer, was born Oct. 14, 1827, in the village of Livingston, N. J., about ten miles from Newark, at the house of his maternal grandfather, Calvin Ely. In the following December he was brought to New York by his parents, and New York has been his home ever since. His parents were Isaac Brookfield Camp and Jeannette Ely, both natives of New Jersey and children of neighboring farmers. Beginning life at fourteen, he was employed in various ways until 1843, when he entered the counting house of James A. Edgar, then of the firm of Booth & Edgar, commission merchants. In March, 1854, at the suggestion of Francis Skiddy, his lifelong and much loved friend, he formed a partnership for sugar refining in Bristol, R. I. With $40,000 capital, loaned to the new concern by Francis Skiddy, Booth & Edgar, and William Platt & Sons, of Philadelphia, the firm of Camp, Brunsen & Sherry engaged in business and were highly successful. Within a year they repaid their borrowed capital, and for fourteen years fortune smiled upon them. In 1868, the firm dissolved, Mr. Camp buying the interest of Messrs. Brunsen and Sherry, and forming a new partnership, taking as partners George Robertson, one of his salesmen, and William McK. Chapman, under the name of Hugh N. Camp & Co. During the war many competitors came into the field, over-production followed, and Mr. Camp succumbed in 1870. He prepared to resume, but finally concluded that the real estate business offered a greater opportunity, and he opened an office in Pine street, as broker and auctioneer, and met with success far ahead of his expectations. In 1880, he began buying and selling on his own account, paying especial attention to lands in the 23d and 24th Wards. In these dealings he has been successful. He is also and has been for many years largely interested in lead mining in Missouri, and in the cement business in Pennsylvania. In 1854, Mr. Camp married Elizabeth Dorothea McKesson, daughter of John McKesson. Of their eight children, six are living—Edward B., Maria Lefferts, who married Perry P. Williams; John McKesson, Fred. Edgar, Alice Emily, and Hugh Nesbitt Camp, jr. Their home has been since 1861 at Morris Heights, where in 1863 he built "Fairlawn." In 1880 Mr. Camp was appointed by Mayor Edson, one of the Committee of Seven, to inquire as to the necessity of an additional supply of water for this city. From the action taken at that time, the citizens of New York are indebted for the magnificent supply of pure water it now has. Mr. Camp has been trustee of The Mutual Life Insurance Co., director of The Mechanics' National Bank, The Continental Trust Co., The Title Guarantee & Trust Co. (and vice-president of the latter), and The Twenty-third Ward Bank; and trustee of Clinton Hall Association, of which he was secretary about thirty years, The Skin and Cancer Hospital, and The House of Rest for Consumptives. At present he is treasurer of The St. Joseph Lead Co., The Doe Run Lead Co., The Mississippi River & Bonne-Terre Railroad, trustee of several charities and a member of The Chamber of Commerce. His clubs are the Century, Union League, Grolier, Church, Republican and City. In politics Mr. Camp is a staunch Republican, and has been since 1859. He died, Sept. 21, 1895.
