Ruby Rendl Campbell, Kansas City Attorney
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As a child, I remember my Grandmother telling me about inspiring women who achieved careers and status in a time that women usually stayed home and raised children. One woman was an attorney, someone sang for a local opera house and yet another was an early radio announcer. These women, as I understood the story were all related to my Grandfather, William Scott Martin. Ruby Campbell was one of these women.
Ruby Rendl Campbell was licensed to practice law on February 28, 1925. She attended the Kansas City Law School and obtained her master's degree from that same school. Her mother's name was Stella Campbell. We believe that Stella and my direct ancestor, George Scott Campbell, were brother and sister.
She was held in high esteem by my grandmother and I was often told that women could set their goals high and achieve what they set out to accomplish.
Until we received Ruby's obit, we did not know that Ruby had a brother, S Verdi Campbell His wife, Mrs. S Verdi Campbell was listed in Ruby's obit along with a nephew, Scott V Campbell. But a "Birdie" Campbell was listed in the obit for other family members and my mother remembers meeting Birdie. We are not sure who or how "Birdie" fits into the picture.
Fortunately, Scott Campbell has been found and has provided a colorful image of both Stella and Ruby. Ruby was a free spirit, she apparently had some colorful friends and the local press was known to create cartoons that said that when Ruby's revolutionary friends came to town, the police had to increase staffing.
Ruby also spoke another language, "Espana", a language that was created for the whole world so that everyone could communicate. Apparently, this language did not catch on. A Mr. Rendl, apparently, a teacher in St. Louis was Ruby's father, although Stella never married him. Ruby was "home-schooled" and never attended public school until she went to college.
S Verdi Campbell was about year younger than Ruby, although, Ruby lied about her age for years so it would appear that her brother was older. Her obit incorrectly lists the address of the nursing home.
Timeline
- June 1888 - Born in St. Louis to Stella Campbell
- 1900 - Enumerated St Louis Ward 14
- 1910 - Unknown location
- 1920 - Unknown location, probably Kansas City, MO
- 1923 - Attended Kansas City Law School, Kansas City, MO
- Feb 28, 1925 - Licensed to practice law in Missouri
- 1930 - Probably in Kansas City
- 1933 - Lived in Martin City, MO with mother, Stella
- 1940 - Probably in Kansas City
- June 26, 1970 - Died in Kansas City, MO
Census
1900 St Louis Ward 14, 2738 Walnut Street
Stella Campbell, widowed, age 30, born April 1870, Missouri, father born Ohio, mother born Tennessee
Ruby Campbell, daughter, age 11
Leon Dilley, age 30, boarder
Edward Metcalf, age 19, boarder
Obit
Kansas City Times June 27, 1970
Miss Ruby Campbell
Miss Ruby R. Campbell, of 617 East Forty-second, a retired Grandview and Kansas City lawyer, died yesterday at a nursing home at 1310 East Armour.
Miss Campbell was born in St. Louis, MO. and had lived in Grandview 36 years before moving here four years ago.
She was a graduate of the Kansas City School of Law, and later received her master's degree from the college. She was retired accounting technician from Richards - Gebaur Air Force Base.
Miss Campbell was past president of the Woman's Bar Assn. of Kansas City, past president of the Missouri Assn. of Women Lawyers, a member of the MO Bar, the Kansas City Bar Assn, and the Federal Bar Assn. She was a member of the Kappa Beta Pi sorority and dean of the Theta chapter of the sorority. She was a member of the National Assn of Retired Civil Employees, the Grandview Questers Club and the Wesleyan guild of the Grandview United Methodist church.
She leaves a sister in law Mrs. S. Verdi Campbell of the home, and a nephew, Scott V. Campbell of Melbourne, Fla.
Services will be at 4:30 o'clock today at the George Chapel, Grandview, Cremation. Cremation.
Sources
- Oral Histories - Eleanor Syers Martin Tensing & Scott V Campbell
- Letter from Minnie Eftimoff
- E-Mail Supreme Court of Missouri
- Missouri Bar Assn Letter
- Obit Kansas City Star
- Case Missouri Court of Appeals
Twenty-Seventh Annual Commencement of the Kansas City School of Law
Grand Avenue Temple
Wednesday, June Third, Nineteen-Twenty-Five
Faculty
OLIVER H. DEAN
SANFORD B. LADD
WILLARD P. HALL
EDWARD D. ELLISON
ELMER N. POWELL
FRANCIS H. TRIMBLE
M. A. FYKE
James M. JOHNSON
A. L. COOPER
THOMAS H. REYNOLDS
HENRY L. JO5T
ALBERT L. BEROER
JOHN G. PARK
ROY B. THOMSON
JOHN B. PEW
THEODORE C. SPARKS
SAMUEL A. DEW
W. H. MCCAMISH
PATRICK CARR
JOHN B. GAGE
S. 0. HARGUS
FRANK LEE WILKINSON
WILLIAM E. BYERS
THOMAS A. COSTOLOW
A. P. LEACY
DAVID P. DABBS
LUDWICK GRAVES
EDMUND M. FIELD
HOMER A. COPE
ARTHUR J. MELLOTT
VIVIAN E. PHILLIPS
H. G. LEEDY
STANLEY BASSETT
JOHN H. PATTRICK
HAROLD P. RAGLAND
CHARLES L. CARR
GLEN A. WISDOM
ARTHUR D. SCARRITT
JOHN GRIFFITH MADDEN
Special Lecturers
JUDGE SHEPARD BARCLAY
JUDGE WALLER W. GRAVES
JUDGE KIMBROUGH STONE
JUDGE ALBERT L. REEVES
JUDGE MERRILL E. OTIS
JUDGE JOHN C. POLLOCK
JUDGE E. E. PORTERFIELD
JUDGE ARBA S. VAN VALKENBURGH
JUDGE RALPH S. LATSHAW
HON. JOSEPH A. GUTHRIE
JUDGE J. E. GUINOTTE
JUDGE JAMES E. GOODRICH
Mr. ARTHUR C. BROWN
EDWARD H. SKINNER. M. D.
Program
Organ Recital - by Miss Lila Steele, Organist
Hon. Edward D. Ellison, Dean, Presiding
Invocation - Dr. C. A. Riley, Pastor of First Congregational Church, Kansas City, Kansas
Duet - Mrs. George Cowden, Soprano
Mrs. Arthur D. Brookfield, Contralto
Oration - The Average American Citizen" Paul E. Vardeman of the Graduating Class
Presentation of Prizes
GRADUATE RECEIVING summa cum laude MISS MILDRED ALICE CONNOR
"Randall on Instructions" (five volumes) Offered by Vernon Law Book Company
FIRST JUNIOR PRIZE WILLIAM A. BYSEL Scholarship in Senior Class
SECOND JUNIOR PRIZE JOHN JOSEPH BURKE "Black on Rescission and Cancellation"
Offered by Vernon Law Book Company
THIRD JUNIOR PRIZE DAN JOSEPH CAMPBELLE "McQuillin on Instructions to Juries"
Offered by Vernon Law Book Company
FOURTH JUNIOR PRIZE Miss MARY RYAN Callaghan & Company, Law Publishers, Chicago Prize consisting of "Cyclopedic Law Dictionary"
FRANCIS M. BLACK HONOR (Sophomore) WALTER II. GOUGH "Bispham on Equity"
THE GEORGE MOWNY WAYLAND PRIZE (Sophomore) Miss RUTH ALEXANDER"Brandenburg on Bankruptcy" Offered by Mr. John Wayland of the Kansas City Bar
CODE PLEADING PRIZE (Sophomore) ARTHUR E. JOHNSON"The Revised Statutes of Missouri" Offered by Mr. Patrick Carr of the Faculty
FIRST FRESHMAN PRIZE EARL I. VAUGHAN Set of "Greenleaf on Evidence"
SECOND FRESHMAN PRIZE ROY MCNALLY Cooley on "Constitutional Limitations"
THIRD FRESHMAN PRIZE MRS. IRENE WILLIAMS
Pattison's "Missouri Code Pleading"
Offered by the Vernon Law Book Company
THE MRS. MARY A. POWELL HONOR (Freshman) EARL I. VAUGHAN "Black's Law Dictionary" Offered by Hon. Elmer N. Powell of the Faculty
THE BEN F. TODD PRIZE (Freshman) JOHN W. LEE "Tiedeman on Real Property"
THE WILLIAM P. BORLAND PRIZE (Freshman) EARL I. VAUGHAN "Borland on Wills"
ORATION-"QUR NATIONAL PROBLEM WITHIN-TRANSPORTATION" - - - ARTHUR B. TAYLOR of the Graduating Class
DUET
COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS JUDGE FRANK E. ATWOOD of the Supreme Court of Missouri
DUET
Presentation of Diplomas and Conferring of Degree of LL. B. and Honors - - HON. OLIVER H. DEAN, President of the Faculty
Receiving Degree of LL. B.
HARRY LEE AKER
BRYAN ALLEN
WILLIAM MATTHEW ANDERSON
HOMER RAYMOND BALSBAUGH
ROBERT JEPP BENSON
WALTER INGRAM BIDDLE
THOMAS JEFFERSON BOMAR
CLOY CHESTER BREWER
ALLAN ROLAND BROWNE
HOWARD S. BRYANT
EDWIN G. BUSH
JAMES CAIRNS
*RUBY RENDL CAMPBELL
HENRY DWIGHT CARPENTER
JOSEPH COHEN
**MILDRED ALICE CONNOR
JOHN FOREST COOK
DONALD HARLEY CORSON
JOSEPH ALEXANDER CRESSLER
SAMUEL CROSS
GARNET STEPHEN CUDDY
GEORGE BURYL CUMMINS
HUGHES C. CUNNINGHAM
* ANDREW LEIGHTON DARBY
JASPER DEMARIA
RICHARD PARKE DODDS
ALBERT LLOYD DYE
THEODORE DEMUTH EASTON
AUBREY BRITZ ENGLAND
WILLIAM CLARENCE FINNELL
KENNETH IRVING FLIGG
EDWARD JOSEPH FLYNN
CLARENCE Louis GERSHON
WILLARD NEWTON GRABILL
JOHN FAY GRIFFICE
RUSSELL WALTER GUNN
AUSTIN DARWIN HADSELL
JOHN P. HANCOCK
CLAYTON P. HOLMES
*ANNE HOOLEY
HARRY EMIL JAMES
JOHN PAUL JAMES
CHARLES BURTON JONES
KATHARINE LEE JONES
THOMAS EDWARD JOYCE
VIRGIL A. JULIAN
CARL CLAYTON KELLER
JAMES DODD LAUGHLIN
BERT RAWLEIGH LOOP
RUBY KASHNEU LORING
EUGENE MATFHEW LYNN
*ALBERT WILLIAM MCWHORTER
T. RUSSELL MALONEY
LOUIS JOSEPH MAZUCH
JOSEF VLADIMIR MATOUSEK
LAWRENCE PHILLIP MILLER
STEPHEN JOSEPH MORANDI
JOSEPH MICHAEL MORRISSEY
RALPH LEWIS MORSE
HARRY FRANCIS MURPHY
*DONALD EDGAR O'HARA
ROLAND RAYMOND OLSON
GEORGE BANKER OWENS
JOSEPH B. PATITO
CECIL ASHLEY PAYNTER
JOHN CHARLES POHLMANN
LLOYD GEORGE POOLE
JAMES LEO QUINN
EVERETT MONROE RAYBOIIN
LOUIS ALBERT REALE
JOHN EDWARD REDMOND
ROSE URSULA REDMOND
WILLIAM STEWART REED
ALBERT A. RIDGE
CARMEL RENO RITTMAN
HARRY STANLEY SAUNDERS
URBAN ALOIS SCHICK
JACK SCHULTZ
MILTON CROMER SIEGFRIED
CHARLES OSWOLD SMITH
CHESTER A. SMITH
LESLIE WILLIARD SMITH
JO ZELMA SMITH
JOSEPH RICHARD STEWART
FRANCES E. SUBLETTE
ARTHUR B. TAYLOR
ELMER F. THOMPSON
ARTHUR BERGER TOBIAS
DALE FRANCIS TOURTELOT
PAUL E. VARDEMAN
FRANK LUTHER WADE
GEORGE FREDRIC WESTON
WILLIAM J. WHITE
EDWARD C. WOODARD
IDA MAY WOODWARD
WILLIAM BRUCE WRIGHT
**Summa cum laude
* Cum lande
Ushers
JUNIORS
W. A. BYSEL, President
D. J. CAMPBELLE
JOHN H. BURKE
JOSEPH N. MINIACE
SOPHOMORES JOHN C. O'BRIEN, President
WILLIAM A. HANNON
LINDSAY J. KIRKHAM
J. E. THOMAS
FRESHMEN
WILLIAM E. GREGORY, President
EDWARD T. DONAHUE
NICHOLAS J. NERO
N. E. BURRUS
1923 Roster - Kansas City School of Law 1923 Kansas City School of Law Sophomore Class Roster
- Barnes, William Elliott
- Barnett, Craig Barrett
- Barrett, Kenneth Robert
- Bell, William James, Jr.
- Beysel, William A.
- Borrello, Carl
- Brauninger, Clarence L.
- Brown, Byron Baker
- Brown, Ethel
- Bruffev, Raymond Twining
- Bryant, Howard S.
- Burke, James B.
- Burke, John Joseph
- Cain, Guy S.
- Calhoun, James Roy
- Calhoun, William L.
- Cameron, Howard Payne
- Campbell, Graham G.
- Campbell, Ruby Rendl (Miss)
- Campbell, Dan Joseph
- Cannon, William
- Carroll, William James
- Case, Sumner M.
- Cashman, William
- Clark, Joseph Earl
- Claunch, Roy
- Clevenger, Robert I).
- Cole, Leslie Curtis
- Cooper, David Marvel
- Craver, Charles C., Jr.
- Danker, Zella E. (Miss)
- Dickert, William A.
- Dillenberger, Willis Kavc
- Doerr, Edward William
- Doughton, Lewis LeRoy
- Dowling, Thomas E.
- Downey, G. Charles
- Dunhar, Ed L.
- Dunn, Charles Hawkes
- Fehr, William Herman
- Ferguson, Walter Scott
- Fester, August H.
- Filson, Morris Eugene
- Finch, Harold Ernest
- Flory, John Donald
- Gay, Ethridge
- Gile, Clifford
- Goldberg, Harry
- Goldsmith, Sidney H.
- Gore, Gerald L.
- Gray, Byron Morey
- Gugel, William Walter
- Haggard, Harwood
- Hain, William Mark
- Hammond, William French
- Hanks, Louis Roscoe
- Harris, Walter Henry
- Hartell, George Walter
- Hay, Ralph Stigrnan
- Hayes, William James
- Hinde, George Thomas
- Izlockensmith, Thomas C.
- Hoth, Elmer Lawrence
- Houtz, Dudley William
- Hutchin, Rita Ethel (Miss)
- Hyde, Edward Clymber
- Ingram, Claude Robert
- Jenner, Clifford Melvin
- Johnson, Julius Ludwig
- Johnston, Francis Homer
- Johnstone, Theodore A.
- Kicnker, Elmer
- Knight, Joe R.
- Krarnps, Clarence Orr
- Kunau, Ewin Otto
- LaForge, Russell Vincent
- Lauderdale, Gertrude (Miss)
- Law, J. Louise (Miss)
- Leihy, Ordway Isaac
- Levin, Joe
- Levy, Joe Sidney
- Lobdell, Charles Elden
- Loughbom, Chester Hill
- McArdle, John Michael
- McCaffrey, James F.
- McGuire, James Patrick
- McKirn, Fay Helene (Mrs.)
- McLaughlin, William
- McMillon, William H.
- Martin, Clifford Benjamin
- Mathews, Archie Vernon
- Maupin, Dorsey Burkhart
- Messersmith, James Arthur
- Miceli, Anthony
- Miniace, Joseph N.
- Moneymaker, Lyle B.
- Moore, John William
- Moore, Roy Chester
- Munro, Donald Duncan, Jr.
- Nash, W. L.
- Nelson, Robert George
- Newton, Leonard Ezra
- Nichols, Clifford Dudley
- Noel, Richard Bruce
- Oliver, Frank Harden
- Peach, Paul F.
- Perry, Dexter S.
- Personett, Merton D.
- Peterson, Judson Jay
- Petitt, Alvin Harrison
- Phelps, Bertan Franklin
- Pipkin, Earl F.
- Pritchard, Iona L. (Miss)
- Reagan, Joseph David
- Nice, Guy Win.
- Roberts, Amos Louis
- Robertson, Howard Conrad
- Rogers, Frank John
- Rogers. Paul B.
- Rooney, James S.
- Rovensky, Charles
- Rule, Joe
- Ryan. Mary J. (Miss)
- Sadler. James Timothy
- Sandhaous, Win. Van Patten
- Shapiro. Sam S.
- Shay, William McBride
- Sheley, Edward Lee
- Shoemaker, Loren Price
- Smith, Claude Oliver
- Smith, Eugene Choates
- Smith, Harry Owen
- Smith, Hubert Montgomery
- Smith, Robert Samuel
- Spaulding, Walter Rodney
- Stevens, Oscar Hampton
- Stewart, Roy Baird
- Stine, Edward A.
- Storer, Everett
- Stothers, James Moore
- Sullivan, Mrs. Antoinette
- Swarner, Earl B.
- Terry, Philip May
- Thompson, Elmer F.
- Thurmond, A. H.
- Toof, Fred Olmstede
- Townley, Charles Vernon
- Trevillyan, Frank Stiles
- Triplett, Charles Scott
- Triplett, James Frank
- Van Valkenburgh, Roscoe C.
- Walker, Lucian Morton
- Walsh, James F.
- Welden, Arthur Able
- Whitney, Harry Everette
- Williams, Max Warner
- Wirthman, John J.
- Woodard, Edward C.
- Wortz, Ober Leland
- Young, Samuel James
Fun Links
- Truman Library - Harry went to school at the same place as Ruby Campbell http://www.trumanlibrary.org/places/kc13a.htm
Interesting Tidbits
Response to an inquiry: Thank you for your email about your "cousin." The mid-1920s were a time of political ferment in Kansas City in many ways. The Tom Pendergast regime cemented its power [literally, of course] between 1925 and 1928. The KKK was active from 1922 to 1925. I know that there was some socialist activity as well, some of it descended from the International Workers of the World [I.W.W. or "wobblies"] that had been active in the 'teens, but almost no research has been done on this topic that I am aware.
At the Kansas City Public Library in their Special Collections area, they have both a "general index" and newspaper indexes from the era that pick up a lot folks who might have been covered by newspapers in their activities. You might check with them. Their web site is www.kclibrary.org I hope this information is helpful.
Bill Worley, Director, Kansas City Regional History Institute-UMKC