Thomas Campbell reported his birthplace as Fossaway, Perth, Scotland in the Kilbirnie Branch records of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His parents came from the common class, poor but strictly honest. He received a little education, which helped him in later life. When quite young he went into the coal mines to work; there he was promoted several times on account of his honesty and ability.

Thomas and his brother Alexander moved from Perth west to Aryshire in the mid 1840s. Thomas married Elizabeth Davis, a lass from Kilbirnie, in 1846. He joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1851.

In 1855, with his wife and three children, he started for Utah. They crossed the ocean on the ship Charlie Buck. The voyage took eight weeks from Liverpool, England to New Orleans. They traveled up the Mississippi and Missouri rivers to Florence, Nebraska. They crossed the plains in the Miles Anderson Company (using ox-drawn covered wagons) and first settled in the Sevier River Valley.

Soon Brigham Young asked them to move south, and they went down to Cedar City, Utah where he was engaged to open up coal mines near there.

He was working there when the Mountain Meadows Massacre took place, and he knew some of the men who took part in that infamous affair with the Indians. At that time his wife was cooking all their food, even the bread, in a frying pan. A baking skillet or Dutch oven that had been brought back from the massacre was offered for sale, and although it would have made things much easier for his wife, he would have nothing to do with any of the spoils from the disgraceful affair.

They left Cedar City and moved to Wales in Sanpete County, where he helped open some coal mines. They lived in the town of Moroni. Brigham Young sent him from there to Salina on the Sevier River to form a new settlement. At that time, the Black Hawk Indian war started and the Indians stole practically all of their stock, so that they were forced to leave.

Late in 1865, the family moved to Heber City, where they managed to build a new home on very little property. Thomas Campbell helped to build one of the first, if not the first, kiln on that side of the Provo River. It was located on Lake Creek.

He was a great reader and had a vast fund of general information, especially concerning the gospel. His health finally failed and he was an invalid for several years before his passing. He had great love for his wife and children. He was honored and respected by them as well as all who knew him.

Thomas died on 25 Apr 1894 in Heber City and is buried there.