(February 4, 1826 – April 21, 1900) was a Scots-Irish industrialist in sugar cane processing, who became one of the largest landowners in the United States Territory of Hawaiʻi, and a real estate developer.

He established the Estate of James Campbell for his heirs, which continued for more than 100 years as one of the largest landowners in the islands.

[1] In 1850, the young Ulsterman boarded another whaling ship which reached the port of Lahaina on the Hawaiian island of Maui.

[1] With the boom in the sugar industry in the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi and high international demand, Campbell became one of the wealthiest people in Lahaina.

[2] On October 30, 1877, the 51-year-old Campbell married 19-year-old Abigail Kuaihelani Maipinepine Bright (1859–1908), a Hawaiian woman of aristocratic family.

Abigail would marry Prince David Kawānanakoa of the reigning House of Kalākaua and assume the title of Princess of Hawaiʻi.

While raising his family, Campbell ventured into real estate with purchases of extensive parcels of land.

Other businessmen criticized Campbell for making what appeared to be such a wasteful, unproductive investment and called him insane.

In 1879 Campbell hired James Ashley of California to drill the first artesian well in Hawaii to use to irrigate his lands with fresh water.

Campbell continued to purchase underestimated plots of real estate and transformed them into productive agricultural districts.

In August 1896 while in San Francisco, Campbell was kidnapped by Oliver Winthrop, who pretended to be asking real estate advice.

[5] Campbell died on April 21, 1900, with US$3 million to his name, left in trust to his children and their heirs, and extensive property owned by his estate.