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, , 1 1 1 1 • 1 1 1 I J. N. CAMDENS HIGH HONOR. Louisville. Kv.. June 2. — Turfmen, net only la Kentucky, but throughout the country, feel elated thai the ranks of noted breeders and owners of prominent racing stables contained a man of states manlike Qualifications so marked as to receive from i; reran* .lames It. McCreary the honor of an ap !• .int meat : the United states Senate to fill the unexpired term of the late W. 0. Bradley. J. N. Camden, who has just been so honored is one of the most extensive breeders of thoroughbreds in America and his horses are raised to be raced in his colon and not for the sale market. He served as a niein-ber of the Kentucky state Racing Commission for one full term of four years and on recently being reappointed was selected by his colleagues to be chairman of the lioard which governs racing In Ken-lucky. Senator Camden has a greater interest in racing and the breeding of thoroughbreds thin any man honored with such a great i.osiiion since the days of the gnat comnaner. llcury Clay. His I laid land stud, in Woodford county, is one of the Snest breeding estates in all America and he has spared no expense to secure the liest of blood lines in the mares and stallions be owns end from which he is raising annually the recruits for his big racing stable. Mi one time during the present local race meetings. Senator Camden had close to thirty hor-ses in training. Li fact throughout the year he campaigns one of the biggest strings to be found al any track wheat his horses race. He takes great pride in any star performer developed in his stable and n.ver sells his tH-st horses. lie has made sev oral trip to Europe to buy thoroughbreds to improve his Hart la ad stud and he probably owns more Kng lishhri il mares ihan any broader now in Kenatcky. unless it le Price McKiuney. who secured the pick of the lale J. It. Keeties imported stud matrons. The thoroughbred horse lias now two strong sup porters in the two senators from Kentucky, as Sinator Ollie .lames is afeje a warm admirer of racing. Senator Camden is many limes a millionaire, owning vast Interest* in eastern Kentucky. Wist Virginia and a magnificent country bonte near Versailles. His father. Senator Camden, represented Wesl Virginia in the United Stales Senate for one full term ami part of another, in the opening up and development of tin- rich coal-producing regions of West Virginia and eastern Kentucky are sum inaiized the most aignincaut events in the recent material history of those stales. The work has involved the uuitiiaiion of many scattered antago aistie interests, the formation of a strong operating iganixation and the extension of railroad lines into a vast area hitherto inaccessible, giving to its mineral wealth adequate outlel to the markets of the manufacturing districts of the country, in the achievement of this triple task. Mr. Camden ha -played a conspicuous part. and. in furtherance of the big undertaking, is today a dominating figure. lie was born at Iarket sbuig. V. Va.. January •" . ls.b."i. the son of Johnson Newion a ml Anne Thompson Camden On the paternal side of the family he is of English, and on the maternal side of Scotch-Irish and Dutch ancestry. His father was for many years one of the foremost citi7.ens of West Virginia, a powerful factor alike in its political life and material development lie had large holdings of oil and coal properties, and was identified with many enterprises in connection therewith. He represented the state as United States Senator from 1881 to iss7. end from 1893 to 1886. Mr. Camden yvas educated at Phillip* AndOVer Academy and the Virginia Military Institute at Lexington, Va.: afterward attending the Columbia Law School. New York City. He entered upon his active career as treasurer and paymaster of the Ohio Kiv.r Railroad, a line which had been built by the elder Cain.l.n. this position lie resign.-. 1 to become president and treasurer of the construction company whlefa was engaged in the building of a road biter known as the Uooongahela River Railroad, and extending from Fairmont to Clarksburg, . Va. In this work he continued until the com p let ion of the line. In I8M, yith the object of recuperating his health, he took up his residence on the family estate of about 1,600 acres, one of the handsomesi and most characteristic of the blue grass, known for genera tious as the Spring Hill Farm, at Versailles. Kv. Not content to lead here a life of idleness, he found a congenial occupation in the breeding of thoroughbreds. Purchasing tie- noted stallion Spendthrift with thirtv choice mares from .lames R. Keen*, he acquired from time to time many thoroughbred mares, and later added to his si ud such imported horses as Lsher. Albert, Oddfellow. Ma/.auan. St. Slrnonian and Peter Quince. As a result, the spring Hill Farm has contributed many great thoroughbred* to the turf: and the history of the American horse owes much to Mr. Camden for the time and energy he devoted to this avocation, as well as for the Important service he. with a few others, rendered in having drafted and largely through his efforts having enacted into law a hill creating the Kentucky Stale Racing Commission. Becoming actively interested in politics in 1911, he serv.-.i on both the executive and financial committees of the Democratic state committee, and took a prominent part in the fall campaign, which, resulting in a sweeping Democratic victory throughout the state, overturned the Republican plurality that for a number of years previous hoi been regularly polled. Among the extensive Wist Virginia coal interests of Mr. Camdens father was the famous Hoaogafa property, and in conjunction with c. W. Watson. the late Senator began the development of this promising tiehl. which is now operated by the Con solidatioii Coal Company. After his fathers death he associated himself with John C. Minn ami C. W. Watson and formulated comprehensive plans for the Immediate and future development of the resources ..f the vast coal fields of eastern Kentucky. Through th" effort* and influence of ibis trio, such great railroad corporations as the Louisville ami Nashville, Ihe Chesapeake and Ohio, the Baltimore aud Ohio and the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton were Induced to build branches. Involving the outlay of millions of dollars, to penetrate this, till then. isolated territory, with results of advantage to the states of West Virginia and Kentucky, not the least s considerable of these results being the placing on the market of the valuable deposils ol eastern Ken- i tacky, from which are mined coking coal. Mr. Camdens activities for several years have been v largely directed to solidifying and bringing in mining and marketable shape this widely extended 1 field. I He is a member of the Lexington and Country Club, of Lexington. Ky.. and of the Pemlenuis Club, of Iiouisville. He was married in 1888 to Miss i Susanna Preston Hart, of Woodford County, Ky. I
