The Bell Family

The Family Tree of the Bell generations as compiled by Jamie Bell

Children

Children of Joseph Blythe Bell and wife

The two Bell cousins came to the United States from North Ireland about the year 1803. What the name of or what became of the one is not known. However, the Alexander Nelson at the top of the first page is the second of the two cousins and head or our family in America. He settled in North Carolina and married (some believe) a young widow, because in the oldest records we can find her name is shown: Sarah Howard Ala (Dixon) (Bell). We believe all the children were born in North Carolina. And the two oldest girls married men by the name of McCollum there. The rest of the family moved to south east Alabama. One girl married there to a Dozier. Then the remainder of the family moved on to Choctaw Co. Ala. and points west. The original couple are buried in a cemetery in south west Choctaw. Not too far from the "John Green Place", and just a few miles south of the bend in the west boundary of Alabama.

Elizabeth McCollum and Jane Ann McCollum married and lived all their lives in North Carolina as far as is known. It is believed that Elizabeth had no children and that Jane Ann had several children. It is not known just what town they lived near. My grandfather, Joseph Blythe Austin Bell, upon being released from prison after the end of the Civil War in 1865 and on account of his poor health, went to live with one or both of these sisters for several months and when he was better returned to his home in Choctaw County Alabama where his wife lived but thought her husband to be dead until his return some six months after the war ended. Soon after the war had ended she learned that one of the men her husband was with (an old man by the name of Downey I believe) had returned and had something for her. She went to see him and talked with him for some little time. When he got up, went away for a few minutes, came back with Grandfather's blanket and a few other items and threw them in her lap and simply told Grandmother that he did not know what happened to her husband but there was what he had left.

John Brown Bell lived some few miles west of Silas, Alabama. Children: John (Walton et al); James Toomey (Oscar, Fred, Josh, et al); Mallie Todd (John, Ollie, Ed et al); Ella Todd (F. Arch of De Soto, Miss et al); Thomas A (Johnnie, Hasty, Garlen, et al, Texas). By second marriage: Alexander Nelson Bell who has one son, Wesley. Alexander Nelson Bell lived near DeSoto Miss. Children: David Alexander, born Mch. 3rd 1849 and whose descendants live near Jackson, Miss. Henry, born April 7, 1855, Married a Weir, was a county officer at Quitman, Miss had one son Henry, who in 1953 lives in Birmingham, Ala. who is an architect and related to the Weir Sisters who lived then near Pigeon Forge in Sevier County, Tennessee; John lived near Newton or in Newton Miss and had one son and one daughter.

Joseph lived in 1953 near Beaumont Miss. with a daughter and he has a number of sons and daughters: Rebecca married Wesley Allen. They had a large family and lived in Wayne County Miss. near the Clarke County line. Elizabeth and Mattie married a Boykin. Children lived near DeSoto Miss.

Mary Dixon Bell Dozier had two children: Daniel Dozier who was 51 years old in 1910 and Nancy Dozier whose address was Route 1, Samson Ala. and Daniel had a daughter, Alice, who married a Blair. Nancy Moore had a large family: Robert Howard Moore (who had a son named Joe that was about 2 years old in 1910) and lived near Elba Alabama: Mary Alice Gillen: Gus Moore: Porter Moore: Milton (who married in August 1912) and Curtus who was 13 years old in October 1910. All of whom then lived near Elba Ala.

Samuel Henry Dixon Bell lived near Carmichael Miss. Children: Lee Carmichael: Jane Brewer; Bettie Kemp: William A (lived in Meridian Miss, but had no son to live) had a number of daughters;; Ann P. Long: Margaret. All had children except Margaret, who was post mistress at Carmichael for many years.

Thomas Theodore Bell is believed to have lived in Monroe La. and had several children.

Joseph Blythe Austin Bell lived in Choctaw Co Ala. Children to become grown: Emily (Emma) Carney had a large family at and near Toxey Ala. One daughter in 1953 is post mistress at Toxey, Ala, namely Mrs. Nell Davidson.

James Alexander Bell had four children three of them to have families of their own. The writer is one of these three.

Eleanor (Aunt Ellen) Peel lived at the Eddie Horton place near the Frank McKenzie place in Beat 7, Choctaw County Ala. Children: W. Jason who died in Texas married "Dave" Barbour of Toomy: Josephine Moaley: Mary House: Margaret Owen (Freeman is her son) Dora Hodges: and Robert "Oscar" of Waynesboro, Miss.

"A Short History of the Bell Family written by Thomas A. Bell of Rogers, Texas, from memory and supplemented by James A. Bell, of Gatlinburg, Tennessee".

John Brown Bell (father of Thomas A. Bell) was born in Charleston, S. C., in 1811. He had 7 brothers and 6 sisters. One brother and one sister died very young, and another brother, Robert Howard Gorden Bell, died at about age 17 before he married. The other brothers were: William Howard, Samuel Henry Dickson, Alexander Nelson, Thomas Theador, and Joseph Blythe Aulston Bell. John Brown Bell (my father) married Sarah Brown in Macon County, Ala., where most of his children were born; he moved from there to Choctaw County, Ala., between Okatuppa and Billie's Creeks, east of Melvin (then known as Nicholson's Store) where I was born May 24, 1865. In about 3 years he bought a farm from Josh Everett four miles east of Isney, Ala., and move there. But I must go back: Father's oldest child, Eliza, was born December 1842; she was married twice, first to Isaac Canterberry, then to Billy Reaves; she had no child. The next child, Jane, was born May 31, 1845; she married Thomas P. Toomey in July 1871, and had children. Next, John A. was born March 1847; he married Octavier Toomey in 1871 and had children. Next, Mollie was burn in February 1850 and married John N. Todd in 1879, and had children. Next, Ella was born in June 1853 and married Joe C. Todd and had children (she married in 1875). Then Thomas A. (I) was born May 24, 1865 and married Ida Boney February 20, 1894, and had children (see later). My mother died in July 1866. In 1871 my father married a widow, Cleo Lester Johnson; she was a half sister to the wife of my Uncle Blythe Bell. Father and her had at least 3 children but reared only one son, Alexander Nelson, who was born June 5, 1876; who married Carrie Lee Swann, and had one son, Wesley W. Bell (of Purvis, Miss., in 1970).

Now to list father's brothers:

1. William married Catherine Brown about 1939; Catherine was a sister to Sarah Brown (my mother). William Bell and wife had no children. He died in 1841 and Catherine then married David Peel to to her and David Peel were born: J. A. Peel, Nora Peel (Cameron), Frank Peel and Addie Peel.
2. Henry married Elizabeth Lowery. They had six children: Lou married Randol Carmichael; Billie (a son) married Emma Love but had no son to live; Jane married Dick Brewer; Bettie married Jeff Kemp; Annie married Jim Long; Maggie never married. All the children who married had children but no descendent of Henry bears the surname of Bell now.
3. Nelson married Sara Peel. They had 12 children, eight of whom married and had at least one child: David Alexander married Mollie Owen (Jackson, Miss.); Rebecca married Wesley Allen (Clarke Co., Miss.); James Henry married Josie Weir (line all dead in 1970); John Lawson married Laura Owen; Lizzie married Monroe Boykin (Desoto, Miss.); Mattie also married Monrow Boykin after Lizzie died (Desoto, Miss.); Joseph Edward married Laura Burdine (Beaumont, Miss.); Cammie married Joe McGee.
4. Thomas married Harriett Dull and have 5 children in Monroe, La. They were: Charles, Howard and George, and two daughters whose names are not known. Nothing is known of who these married or of their families.
5. Blythe married Martha Ann Lester (pronounced then Lister) and had James Alexander ho married Margaret (Matttie) McInnis; and Martha Emily (called Emma) who married John Carney; and four other children who died very young. James (Jim) and Emma lived in mid-Choctaw County, Ala., all their lives.

Father's sisters who lived to marry were:

1. Elizabeth who married James McCollum and lived about 4 miles east of present day (1970) Monroe, N. C., on Olive Branch Road. She had one daughter, Margaret, to live to marry. She married her cousin, Dan McCollum and had two sons. many of her descendants through her son Henry still live in the area and have a reunion each 4th Sunday in August.
2. Jane Ann who married Daniel McCollum, a brother to James, above, in the fall of 1937. This family later moved to Baker County, Georgia and had a number of children. Only the following are known to have had children: Robert (Bob), Moses (Moke) >, and Margaret (Mag) who married Jim Waters. Descendants are scattered far.
3. Mary Dickson married a Dozier (his first name is not known) in south central Alabama when her father lived in Macon County, Ala. She is known to have had two children, maybe more: Nancy who married a Moore (a descendent was Mayor of Opp. Ala., about 1966.
4. Emily married Nat Zitterow, an old man after she was up in years. They had no child. She is buried at Shubuta, Miss., beside her sister Ellen.
5. Eleanor (Ellen) Catherine Pemeler married William Peel. They had two sons, Jason and Oscar, and four daughters: Margaret (Mag) who married an Owen, Dora who married John Hodges, Josephine (Josie) who married Monroe Mosley, and Mary who married a House [believe spelled "Howse"]. It is believed that Jason went to Texas, Oscar lived at Waynesboro, Miss., Dora lived near Mt. Sterling, Ala., Mag lived in or near Shreveport, La., and all had children. Ellen's husband and her brother Nelson's wife were brother and sister.  (Thomas A. Bell did not give the relation to David Peel, but there surely was some relation).

The Bell family was headed by Alexander Nelson Bell, born Sept. 6, 1785 in North Ireland. He came to America at about age 18 years with a cousin whose name is not known. Alexander Nelson Bell married Sarah Howard Dickson [her mother was a Blythe - handwritten note] probably in Charleston, S. C., or maybe on nearby Sullivan Island. Son Henry records that the family moved from Charleston, S. C., to Ansen County (Now-1970-Union County portion), North Carolina, in the latter part of the summer of 1822. He again writes "13th of February 1838 father left North Carolina for Alabama; settled in Macon County." But this was after Elizabeth and Jane had married the McCollum brothers. Bell remained in Macon County, Ala., for nearly 20 years, finally moving to Choctaw County, Ala, about 1856 or 1857, and was here that he died just a few days after falling off his high porch. Date of death was October 20, 1860. He is buried in the Priester cemetery, about 2 miles southeast of Melvin, Ala., near the Frank McKenzie Place. Grave is unmarked and exact location unknown. His wife died Nov. 21 1871 and is buried in Providence Cemetery in the same community as he, but exact location is unknown. Elizabeth McCollum is buried in Liberty Chapel Cemetery (No longer in use) near the McCollum Homestead in North Carolina. Jane is buried in "Hardup" Cemetery about 7 or 8 miles south of Albany, Ga., on the west side of the Flint River. John is buried at Mt. Zion in South Choctaw County, Ala. Henry is buried at Carmichael, Miss., in Methodist Cemetery. Blythe is buried at Brightwater Methodist Cemetery, beat 6 Choctaw Co. Ala. Nelson is believed buried in a cemetery about 2 miles east of Desoto, Miss. (maybe now abandoned). Emily and Ellen are buried in Shubuta, Miss. It is not known where the others are buried, some likely in Charleston (who died young), William likely in Macon County, Ala., Mary in southern Alabama, Thomas near Monroe, La., and Robert back in Macon County; it was he (Robert) who found the sword at an Indian Grave and it is still in the family.

Thomas A. Bell was born near Melvin, Choctaw County, Alabama, May 24, 1865, and was raised near Isney, Alabama, in the southern part of that county. Ida Viola Boney, my wife, was born at Bergamot, Beat 6, Choctaw County, Alabama, August 17, 1872. We were married at Bergamot, where her father, Thomas Ridgeway Boney, lived, on February 20, 1894.

John Thomas Bell (our oldest son) was born at Bergamot, Ala., June 20, 1895.

In the fall of 1896 we moved to Desoto, Miss., in Clarke County.

Hasty B. Bell was  born July 15, 1898. We left Desoto, Miss., and went to Texas July 13, 1899, landing at Temple, Texas.

We moved to Rogers, Texas, Aug. 7, 1899.

Lois Vivian Bell was born at Rogers July 7, 1900. In 1901 we moved to Port Sullivan and stayed two years.

Eunice Jane Bell was born on the Booth Place near Bell Falls Feb. 27, 1903.

Garlen Oscar Bell was born October 6, 1905 on the old Rawton Farm near Bell Falls.

In the fall of 1907 we moved back to Rogers to the old J. W. Rowe Farm and lived there until 1927 and moved to Rogers.

Ida May Bell was born May 31, 1911 and died April 111, 1912.

Note:

James Alford Bell, grandson of Blythe Bell, and James' wife, Emily Boney Bell (daughter of Albert Boney, and first cousin of Ida Boney Bell, above) visited Thomas A. Bell and wife, Ida Boney Bell, in Rogers, Texas, in the summer of 1929, and saw four of their children, Hasty, Lois, Eunice, and John T. (the latter was then living in Greenville, Texas, and married to Arla McIlwain, a first cousin of James A. Bell through their mothers: Elizabeth and Margaret McInnis).

"The following letter, much worn with years, written in beautiful script was in about 1953 still in the hands of a descendent of the one to whom it was written."  Macon Cty., Alabama  Aug. 9th 1955

Son Henry

These few lines will inform you of myself, your Mother, Emily and Blythe. Also Jane McCollum and Mary Dozier are in good health. Hoping these few lines will find you and all the connection enjoying the same blessings. Blythe returned last week from Baker County visiting your sister Jane and found them all well. He stayed a night going to and returning from Baker at Dozier's. I have very little to write about at present, having written to John all the news I had from whom you can get what I have written him. Some time since, John in one of his letters to me mentioned that you was doing a very good business considering the size of your Capital, and recommended me if I came out in that country to put in what I could spare in cash with you. If I should move out in that country it is not my intention of farming as I would not be able to work at that business and if I should sell my land could command something like 13 of 14 hundred Dollars that I could spare so as to make my money support your mother and myself. It would take but little for to support us and it is probable we shall not want that little long. Our corn crop is very good but our cotton lay a long time in the ground before it came up owing to the weather yet it will make some.

We have a protracted meeting going on at Providence. It began the 28th July, part of the time day and night. At present it is only at night. The Garrs have been constant mourners, that is, Calvin and William. I know not when it will close. There have been but few conversions but a great many mourners.

Give our love to Elizabeth
and little Girl as also
Enquiring Friends.
Your affectionate Father
/s/ Alex. N. Bell

"This rough typing by James A. Bell, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, 9/27/1961. I am the grandson of Blythe, mentioned in the letter. I personally saw a photocopy of the above letter in 1954 and copied it then. My father James Alexander Bell, born 10/18/1867, was named James for his Uncle James McCollum and Alexander for his Grandfather Bell who wrote the above letter."

"Life of Samuel Henry Dickson Bell (Son of Alexander Nelson Bell)"

I was born on the fourth (4) of June 1821 in Charleston, S. C. In the latter part of the summer of 1822 father removed from Charleston to Ansen County, N. C. (later Union County portion). On the 23rd of Jan. 1823 brother Nealson was born on the 3rd of July 1824 brother Robert was born. In the summer of 1926 sister Emily was born and in the spring of 1928 brother Thomas was born. In the spring of 1830 brother Nielson [sic] and myself boarded at grandfather's and went to school to sister Elizabeth. On the 7th of September 1831 brother Blythe and sister Ellen were born. In the fall of 1837 sister Jane was married. On the 13th of Feb. 1838 father left N. C. for Ala., settled in Macon County, rented land from Dr. James Boyd. In 1829 [sic] bought a place on Cateba?? [Catawba?] Creek. In 1939 brother William was married. In 1841 brother William and Robert, also Lisy, a negro girl, died. In 1842 brother John was married. On the 18th of Dec, 1842 I left Macon County with Magruders negroes for Ark. and overseed for him until the spring of 1846. In the summer of 1846 I went to N. C. and back to Macon County, Ala. In the spring of 1947 I lived with Dr. Crimes, and on the 30 of Nov. 1847 I left home for Mexico. Got to Montgomery on the 1st of Dec. and remained there until the morning of the 5th, and on that day left Montgomery on board a steam boat for Mobile. Got to Mobile on the 7th in the night. On the morning of 8th took quarters at the old steam press at the lower end of town and remained there until the 14th or 15th when myself with about 190 more was mustered into the service as soldiers in the service of the U.S. under the following officers: F. L. Seble, Colonel; Lomax Capt 1, Lieu. Hardway 2, Clanton. On the 15th we left that place and went into camps 3 miles above town, where we remained until the 30th when we got on board of a steam boat and went out to the vessel that was to carry us to Vera Cruz and was landed there on the evening of the 7th of Jan. 1948. (Remaining portion tells of his hikes and experiences in Mexico, typically G. I. in a strange land; interesting but no family history) (Evidently he did not complete his life story, or a part was lost before I ever saw it0.

Prepared by James A. Bell, Gatlinburg, Tenn. 12-22-70

Letter from "Sister Elizabeth" to Henry (above)

Dear Brother and Sister:

I thought I would try to write to you once more. I do not remember whether I answered your letter that I received that was wrote in 1885. I was looking over some letters today and thought if that was the last letter I had received from my brother I would put him in mind that he has a Sister that would be glad to hear from him and his family. I will now let you know that we are all as well as could be expected. I feel that I am getting old. I can get about as well as any age. I will be 79 in June. I have spend a long life. I have tried serve my Heavenly Father and I expect to try to serve Him while I live. My family is Margaret and her son John and his wife; she is Sister Jane's youngest daughter, Ellen. Henry and his wife have 4 children living: 1 bon and 3 girls. You inquired about Dr. Cuthbertson's family. There is not one of them living but Betsy Jane; she married Dr. Smith and she is in had health at this time. I reckon I have told you that Old Liberty Chapel Church is no more a preaching place. We still bury our dead there. We have a church a quarter of a mile from where we live. We have preaching once a month. We have no Sunday School or Class Meeting. The old members of Liberty Chapel are all dead and gone but me and Eber Jerome.

I will tell you what John is doing. He is planting cotton today. We had some corn up but it has got frost bit.

This is the 24th. Margaret and Ellen are gone to Henry McCollum's to spend the day and I am by myself in the house. There are darkys in the yard and in the field.

I reckon you have heard of the death of Aunt Betsy Howard. She died in Florida some time ago and Cousin Hiliard Wolfe is also dead. He was struck with paralysis and went to the springs and died directly after he got there. The people that you were acquainted with are nearly all gone and we will soon be gone. Dear Brother. let us try and be ready when the Master shall call. I will have to quit writing for my hand is so nervous and I reckon I have written more than will be interesting.

We want to hear now you all are. Write Soon. Remember us to all the friends.

From your affectionate Sister E. B. McCollum

Jamie Bell's note:

Written from near Monroe, North Carolina, to near present day Melvin, Ala. (1970). Elizabeth lived for several years after this. Margaret that she refers to is her daughter and John and Henry are Margaret's sons. John never had any children but Henry had 8, 2 of whom were still living, very old in August 1970. Her descendants still hold an annual reunion at the old home place (McCollum) on Olive Branch Road, about 4 miles northeast of Monroe, N. C. Elizabeth was lovingly known as "Little Grandma" by her great grandchildren. She was evidently a small woman. Her descendants say that in her old days she returned to Sullivan Island, S. C., to visit old friends and old home site.She is buried at Liberty Chapel, on Olive Branch Road, Monroe, N. C. Note that in the "Story of his life" Henry Bell did not mention the birth of Elizabeth, nor any other brother or sister older than him, and there were several. Keep this in mind and refer to the full listing of the family elsewhere in studying the family. There were 14 children.

This prepared December 22, 1970 by James A. Bell, Gatlinburg, Tenn.

[This web page by Kevin Davidson, grandson of Nell Davidson (see preceding), from handwritten and typed pages.]

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