Caroline Belzora Portman (1859-1926) was born in Marshall, Michigan to Reverend James H. Portman and Caroline Miner. She married James H. Campbell on January 18th, 1879 and they resided in Grand Rapids, Michigan for more than forty-four years.

Campbell was active in the YWCA, the DAR, the Michigan State Federation of Arts, the American Red Cross and the Daughters of 1812. She also did much work for the Historical Society of Grand Rapids, and was an active supporter of the local public library. Campbell conducted extensive research on the history of Michigan during the Civil War, helping to create a permanent museum in Grand Rapids for the relics and manuscripts she had collected. Her efforts resulted in the recognition and protection of numerous historic landmarks.

As with Rebecca Richmond, she received letters from Grand Rapids artist Frederick Stuart Church, that often included illustrations by the artist. Church exhibited at the Grand Rapids Public Library, which served the community as gallery space in lieu of the yet to be formed art museum. It may be Campbell or Richmond's connections with the Library that brought him back to the Grand Rapids Public Library, which finally resulted in a gift of Church's work from the Estate of the famous art collection and Church's friend, Charles Freer.