Johnson Newlon Camden (March 6, 1828 – April 25, 1908) was a prominent oilman, industrialist, banker, railroad tycoon, and politician who was estimated to have $25 million at the time of his unexpected death. Although both of his attempts to become governor of the new state of West Virginia failed, he did become United States Senator, representing West Virginia on two occasions. Early and family life Born in 1828 in Collins Settlement, the county seat of Lewis County, Virginia (now West Virginia), to Col. John Scrivener Camden (1798–1862; who would serve in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1845-1846) and his wife, the former Nancy Newlon, Johnson Newlon Camden was the grandson of Rev. Henry Benjamin Camden, who freed his slaves in Maryland in 1804 and moved west to what became Harrison County, West Virginia during the American Civil War and this Johnson Camden's lifetime. His siblings included CSA Lt. Col. Edwin Duncan Camden (1840–1922) of the 25th Virginia Infantry, William D. Camden (1842–1878), Amanda McKinley, Lorenzo Dow Camden (1844–1910) and John Scrivener Camden Jr. (1851–1923). His uncle, Judge Gideon D. Camden of Harrison County, resigned his judicial position as the Civil War began and declined to become a delegate to the Confederate States congress and later a became West Virginia state senator. Johnson N. Camden attended school in Sutton and at age 14 apprenticed with his uncle, the county clerk in Weston. In 1846, he won an appointment as a cadet to the United States Military Academy at West Point while his father represented Braxton, Lewis and Gilmer Counties in the Virginia House of Delegates for a single term (1845–46). Young J. N. Camden studied for two years but resigned in 1848, to read law in his home state. On June 22, 1858, in Wheeling, Johnson N. Camden married Anne Thompson (1834–1918), daughter of prominent lawyer George W. Thompson, who had become a U.S. Congressman and was then a prominent local judge. They would have children Johnson N. Camden Jr. (1865–1942) and Annie Camden Spilman (1862–1958), although their son George died as an infant. Law and politics Camden was admitted to the Virginia bar and began his practice in Sutton, the Braxton County seat in 1851. Although his father continued to live in Lewis county, his brothers Edwin, William and Lorenzo had moved to Braxton County. Young Johnson N. Camden was appointed the same year as Braxton County's prosecuting