CCC Foreward

Below are links to a packet that Will Selph mailed in April of 1923 to all his living Campbell first cousins. It explains how an exchange of letters with his first cousin, Herbert Clinch Hughey, and Herb's untimely death, inspired Will to form the Campbell Cousins Correspondence Club,

Will and Herb had never written to each other, and had not laid eyes on each other since Will was a babe in arms. Herb had shortly thereafter moved from Nelson, PA to Minnesota, and had never returned. In 1922 Will had attended a Campbell Cousins Dinner, held at "The Owls Nest", the home of Andrew and Anna Bosard Owlett, on Oregon Hill, PA, near the border of Tioga and Lycoming Counties. Will took a bunch of photos, had a prints made, created a small album of the photos, and sent one (accompanied by a cover letter) to each 1st cousins.

In his reply Herb mentioned that he planned to attend the 1923 Campbell Cousins Dinner to once again see his relatives and acquaintances after so many years absence. For the first time, he felt he could leave his farm long enough to make the trip. But before that occurred, Herb died.

That got Will thinking about how his 1st cousins, who grew up together in Nelson and were once so close, were now scattered all over the country --- WA, OR, FL, etc. - and now were dying. He came up with the idea of the correspondence club to help them get reacquainted and to remain in touch. All the cousins were to periodically send him a letter (he proposed 4 times a year, but they initially opted for twice a year --- and soon switched to annually). His office staff typed up the letters on stencils, a copy was run off for each cousins, they were bound, and Will mailed them the published letters. The first year in a ring binder; hardbound thereafter.

Campbell Cousins Correspondence Club

How It Began