Scott Co, Iowa USGenWeb Project

Descendants of James Bell

Researched by Elaine Rathmann

Generation No. 1

 

1. JAMES1 BELL was born Abt. 1791 in VA.. He married ELIZABETH EATON Bet. 1820 - 1830 in KY?, daughter of JACOB EATON and NANCY FOWLER. She was born Bet. 1793 - 1794 in VA..

Notes for JAMES BELL:

Although his birthplace is listed as VA., there is some doubt that he was actually born there. The boundary lines for the state of VA and the state of Kentucky changed about the time he was born. Also county lines in VA and KY changed several times at the end of 1700s-early 1800s.

 

Children of JAMES BELL and ELIZABETH EATON are:

2. i. GEORGE E.2 BELL, b. Abt. 1824.

ii. JOHN J. BELL, b. Abt. 1826, KY; m. ELVIRA BELL, November 20, 1853, Shelby Co., MO..

3. iii. WILLIAM H. BELL, b. Abt. 1827, Harrison Co., KY..

 

Generation No. 2

 

2. GEORGE E.2 BELL (JAMES1) was born Abt. 1824. He married MILDRED DYE March 20, 1845 in Shelby Co., MO..

Notes for GEORGE E. BELL:

According to the U.S. Land Patent office, there are two patents for George E. Bell in Shelby Co.

 

Child of GEORGE BELL and MILDRED DYE is:

i. ELIZABETH3 BELL, b. Abt. 1850, KY.

 

3. WILLIAM H.2 BELL (JAMES1) was born Abt. 1827 in Harrison Co., KY.. He married MARIAH (MARIA) BELL November 25, 1857 in Shelby Co., MO.. She was born Abt. 1838 in MO..

Notes for MARIAH (MARIA) BELL:

Her surname was also Bell. It is possible that her father was Samuel Bell and mother was Fanny (Francis). Samuel Bell is listed as an "Old Settler" and came to Shelby Co. in 1835.

The 1850 Shelby Co. census:

Fanny Bell 44 KY (b abt 1806)

Elvira 17 MO (b abt 1833)

Nancy 15 MO (b abt 1835)

Maria 11 MO (b abt 1839)

Mary E. 9 MO (b abt 1841)

Thomas 7 MO (b abt 1843)

William 5 MO (b abt 1845)

Samuel 3 MO (b abt 1847)

I think that the Fanny Bell [above] was the widow of Samuel Bell. In early probate records I found: Samuel Bell--heirs: Elizabeth Bell, Elvira Bell, Nancy Bell, Emiline Bell, Wiley Bell, Thomas Bell, Samuel Bell, and Frances Bell widow. He seems to have died in 1846. There appear to be some records in 1849.

An Elvira Bell was married to James Bell, son of John.

 

Children of WILLIAM BELL and MARIAH BELL are:

i. SUSAN ELLEN3 BELL, b. Abt. 1860.

Notes for SUSAN ELLEN BELL:

Susan was still alive in 1946, according to Cornelius M. Bell's obituary. She probably lived in Oregon.

4. ii. CORNELIUS MARION BELL, b. March 23, 1863, Shelbyville, Shelby Co., MO; d. January 01, 1946, Davenport, Scott Co., IA.

iii. ARINDA BELL, b. Abt. 1864.

iv. SAMUEL BELL, b. Abt. 1867.

v. EMMET BELL, b. Abt. 1873.

vi. IDELLA BELL, b. Abt. 1874.

vii. LEWIS BELL, b. Abt. 1875.

viii. LEONA BELL, b. Abt. 1877.

ix. FRANK BELL, b. Abt. 1880. Lived and possibly died in Montana.

 

 

 

Generation No. 3

 

4. CORNELIUS MARION3 BELL (WILLIAM H.2, JAMES1) was born March 23, 1863 in Shelbyville, Shelby Co., MO, and died January 01, 1946 in Davenport, Scott Co., IA. He married (1) TENNIE PHILLIPS in Missouri. She was born 1865, and died January 26, 1894. He married (2) MARYEDITH RAFF August 27, 1919 in Muscatine, Muscatine Co., Iowa, daughter of ALMON RAFF and ELLA SANDERS. She was born November 17, 1883 in Muscatine, Muscatine Co., IA, and died December 17, 1968 in Davenport, Scott Co., IA.

Notes for CORNELIUS MARION BELL:

Cornelius was supposedly a sheriff in "LaGrange" county Missouri from abt. 1893-1895. Although there is no LaGrange Co., there is a town called La Grange in Lewis Co. which is next door to Shelby Co., where C.M. was born. CM owned and operated a burial vault business in Muscatine Iowa for many years. He supposedly invented the concrete burial vault, but neglected to get a patent for it, thereby losing the Bell family fortune before it was made.

At some point Cornelius married Tennie Phillips in Missouri. I believe they had four children. Ruby, Earl, Ernest and Elmer. Tennie died in 1894, and he decided to raise the children from that union before remarrying, which he did. Ruby married William Petersen and they farmed near Muscatine, Iowa for many years before retiring to Muscatine. Will died suddenly at home one evening in 1965. Ruby was devastated and she died a year later. Elmer married Lina ? and they lived in Rock Island, Il. Earl married Caddy Ribble. They lived in Cedar Rapids, IA., and then CA. I don't know about Ernest.

My grandmother, (Mary) Edith Raff, married C.M. Bell in 1919 in Muscatine.

The following obituary was taken from the Davenport newspaper:

 

Cornelius M. Bell, who was formerly connected with the Hildebrand Vault Co., died at 3:15 P.M. Tuesday at his home 2313 1/2 Eastern Avenue, following a short illness. Mr. Bell was born March 23, 1863 in Shelby county, Mo., and received his education in the schools there. His first wife, Tennie Phillips, to whom he was married in 1884, died in 1890. There were five children by his first marriage. ( I believe this number was wrong, unless there was a baby we don't know about) He was married in July 1919, to Edith Raff in Muscatine, and to this marriage one daughter was born. He had resided in Muscatine for some time before coming to Davenport 12 years ago. He was a member Calvary Baptist church.

Surviving are his widow; two daughters, Mrs. William Peterson of Muscatine and Mrs. James Hanson of Davenport; three sons, Elmer Bell of Rock Island, Earl Bell of Palo Alto, Calif., and Ernest Bell of Long Beach Calif.; four sisters, four Brothers and six grandchildren.

The body was removed to Hill & Fredericks mortuary and services will be held in the chapel at 1:30 P.M. Friday. Burial will be in Oak Dale cemetery.

*************

Note: according to Cornelius' obituary, all his siblings were alive in 1946.

1880 Census from Marilyn Philips. Response to my Bell query on Shelby Co., MO., RootsWeb Board.

Rec’d 9/27/01.

Census Place: Jackson, Shelby, Missouri, 1880

Source: FHL Film 1254737 National Archives Film T9-0737 Page 398D

Relation Sex Marr Race Age Birthplace

Wm. H. BELL Self M M W 50 KY

Occ: Farmer Fa: TN Mo: KY

Maria BELL Wife F M W 41 MO

Occ: Keeping House Fa: VA Mo: KY

Susan BELL Dau F S W 20 MO

Occ: At Home Fa: VA Mo: KY

Cornelus BELL Son M S W 17 MO

Occ: At Home Fa: VA Mo: KY

Arinda BELL Dau F S W 16 MO

Occ: At Home Fa: VA Mo: KY

Samuel BELL Son M S W 13 MO

Occ: At Home Fa: VA Mo: KY

Emmett BELL Son M S W 7 MO

Occ: At Home Fa: VA Mo: KY

Idella BELL Dau F S W 6 MO

Occ: At Home Fa: VA Mo: KY

Lewis BELL Son M S W 5 MO

Occ: At Home Fa: VA Mo: KY

Leona BELL Dau F S W 3 MO

Occ: At Home Fa: VA Mo: KY

Frank BELL Son M S W 4M MO

Occ: At Home Fa: VA Mo: KY

Notes for TENNIE PHILLIPS:

Census Place: Shelbina, Shelby, Missouri, 1880

Source: FHL Film 1254737 National Archives Film T9-0737 Page 423D

Relation Sex Marr Race Age Birthplace

William Y. PHILLIPS Self M M W 43 TN

Occ: Carpenter Fa: TN Mo: TN

S. K. PHILLIPS Wife F M W 41 TN

Occ: Keeping House Fa: NC Mo: TN

Tennessee PHILLIPS Dau F S W 15 IL

Occ: School Girl Fa: TN Mo: TN

Evaline PHILLIPS Dau F S W 13 MO

Occ: School Girl Fa: TN Mo: TN

John W. PHILLIPS Son M S W 12 MO

Occ: School Boy Fa: TN Mo: TN

Mariam PHILLIPS Dau F S W 7 MO

Fa: TN Mo: TN

Georgia PHILLIPS Dau F S W 5 MO

Fa: TN Mo: TN

Carl PHILLIPS Son M S W 3 MO

Fa: TN Mo: TN

Leroy PHILLIPS Son M S W 3M MO

Fa: TN Mo: TN

 

Notes for MARY EDITH RAFF:

Mary was always called by her middle name, "Edith." She was a school teacher in Muscatine for many years and became one of the first female principals in the Muscatine Schools.

While going through Edith's letters and photos, I found two letters that indicate that Edith was married to C.M. Bell in an elopement-style manner. At least her good friend Mabel and her cousin Frank and Aunt Jo had no idea it had happened until after the fact.

Marriage Notes for CORNELIUS BELL and MARYEDITH RAFF:

This was C M Bell's second marriage. His first wife was Tennie Phillips Bell. From this union came four children, Ruby, Elmer, Caddie? and ? These children were born in Muscatine, Iowa , I believe.

 

Children of CORNELIUS BELL and TENNIE PHILLIPS are:

i. RUBY I.4 BELL, b. June 30, 1886; d. November 27, 1966, Muscatine, Iowa; m. WILLIAM PETERSEN; b. Abt. 1887; d. December 17, 1965, Muscatine, Iowa.

5. ii. ELMER BELL, b. Abt. 1891, Mo..

iii. EARL BELL, m. CADDIE V. RIBBLE; b. April 05, 1891; d. November 05, 1965, Santa Clara Co., CA.

Notes for EARL BELL:

At the time of his father's death, according to C.M. Bell's obituary, Earl was living in Long Beach, CA in 1946

Notes for CADDIE V. RIBBLE:

I remember visiting Caddy and Earl in Cedar Rapids, IA in abt. 1959. The funeral "card" says "In memory of Caddie V. Bell, Date of Birth April 5, 1891, Date of death, November 5, 1965. Services from John E. Dowdle Mortuary Clergyman Officiating Rev. John C. Stokes. Final Resting Place San Jose, California."

iv. ERNEST BELL.

 

Cornelius Bell and Mary Edith Raff had one child.

 

Generation No. 4

 

5. ELMER4 BELL (CORNELIUS MARION3, WILLIAM H.2, JAMES1) was born Abt. 1891 in Mo.. He married LINA UNKNOWN.

 

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