William Donald Bell (1849 - 1942)

Born 3 Oct 1849 in Pontotoc, Mississippi, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Martha Jane (Wood) Bell — married 28 Aug 1868 in Alvin, Brazoria, Texas, United States

Descendants

Died 20 Feb 1942 at age 92 in Galveston, Galveston, Texas, United States [uncertain]

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Theresia Kennedy [send private message]

Biography

William Donald Bell was born on 3 Oct 1849 in Pontotoc, Mississippi, United States. His parents were Robert Allen Bell I (1816 - 1896) and Elizabeth Dixon (Kennedy) Bell (1821 - 1906).

He is living with his parents until some time between 1860 and 1870. In 1868 he marries Martha Jane Wood in Alvin, Brazoria TX. I can not find him in the 1870 census. IN 1871 his father sells him land, presumably in Pontotoc County. His first child Lillie is born around 1871 in Texas. In 1880 "William D Bell" he is living in Kimble County TX. with four children (ages 8 to 0). His occupation appears as "stock ranch" in the 1880 census. He was a rancher...or a cowboy? In 1900 a widowed "Don Bell" he is living in Abilene, TX a widower with four children. His occupation is listed as "stockman". At this time he is involved, together with his siblings, in litigation (ultimately unsuccessful) to establish membership in the Choctaw Nation. In 1910 he is living with his daughter Martha (Mattie) in Ft. Worth TX. In 1920 he appears to be living in a boarding house in Denver, CO, though this identification is uncertain. I can not find him in the 1930 census. In 1940 he is living with his daughter Martha and her husband in Texas City, TX. He dies in 1942 in Galveston, TX and is buried in Abilene, TX.

His wife appears to be buried in the Abilene Municipal Cemetery and a listing for a W. D. Bell is on findagrave.com with a death date of Feb 19, 1942 - Plot Masonic 18/4/12 - with a note "no headstone"

Jim Vondrak

Census data differ on date of birth; 1880 has "age 35" giving 1845; 1900 has "Oct 1849"; 1910 has "age 58" giving 1852; 1920 has "age 69" giving 1851; 1940 has "age 90" giving 1850.

Sneed-20 18:19, 20 April 2013 (EDT)

His siblings were...

1. Alfred Henry Bell (1846 - 1846)
2. Emily Jane (Bell) Pickens (1847 - 1913)
3. Hugh Gilbert Bell (1851 - 1918)
4. Margaret Elizabeth (Bell) Williams (1852 - 1903)
5. Thomas Ellen (Bell) Donaldson (1856 - 1910)
6. Seila Castilla (Bell) Collins (1858 - 1945)
7. Sarah Frances (Bell) Carroll (1860 - 1942)
8. Mary Caroline (Bell) Atkison (1862 - 1948)
9. Robert Kennedy Bell (1864 - 1865)

William married Martha Jane Wood (1851 - 1891) on 28 Aug 1868 in Alvin, Brazoria, Texas, USA.

Their children were...

1. Lillie Irene (Bell) Hearn (1871 - 1897)
2. Gertrude Emma Bell (1876 - 1904)
3. Mary Augusta (Bell) Jackson (1877 - 1899)
4. Donald Clyde Bell (1882 - 1957)
5. William Wood Bell (1885 - <1940)
6. Martha Jane (Bell) Mikeska (1887 - 1970)
7. Robert Allen Bell II (1889 - 1910)
8. Unnamed Infant Bell (1891 - ~1891).

William died on 20 Feb 1942 in Galveston, Galveston, Texas aged 92.^[1][2]

Research Notes

Bell Family has:

"E-3 William Donald Bell, b 10-3-1849, m 8-28-1868 Alvin, TX Martha Jane Wood, b 1-6-1851, d 12-28-1891. Lived Alvin, TX. Information from R. C. Bell, Abilene, TX and tombstones and mortuary records in 1929. Writing very faint, but appears they bur Masonic Cem. Robert Allen Bell sold him land 3-11-1871, Book 21, p 680."

I can not find the marriage in Texas, Marriages, 1837-1973

Sneed-20 17:24, 21 April 2013 (EDT)

Sources

1. ↑ "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3D6-281 : 20 February 2021), W D Bell, 20 Feb 1942; citing certificate number 7302, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,138,981
2. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (Find A Grave: Memorial #62968262 : accessed 11 November 2021), memorial page for William Donald Bell (3 Oct 1849–19 Feb 1942), Find A Grave: Memorial #62968262, citing Abilene Municipal Cemetery, Abilene, Taylor County, Texas, USA ; Maintained by Howard Busch (contributor 47282333) .

• "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4LF-4C5 : 22 December 2020), William Bell in household of Robert Bell, Pontotoc, Pontotoc, Mississippi, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

Robert Bell M 32 Tennessee

Elizabeth Bell F 28 Tennessee

Emily Bell F 3 Mississippi

• "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6GF-PDT : 18 February 2021), Wm D Bell in entry for Robt A Bell, 1860.

Robt A Bell Male 44 Tennessee

Elizabeth D Bell Female 38 Tennessee

Emily J Bell Female 13 Mississippi

Wm D Bell Male 10 Mississippi

Hugh G Bell Male 8 Mississippi

Margaret E Bell Female 6 Missouri

Thomas Ellen Bell Female 4 Mississippi

Selia C Bell Female 3 Mississippi

Sarah F Bell Female 0 Mississippi

• "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFNP-561 : 20 February 2021), William D Bell, Precinct 2, Kimble, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district ED 97, sheet 272B, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,255,315.

Martha Bell Wife F 30 Mississippi, United States

Lillia Bell Daughter F 8 Texas, United States

Gertrude Bell Daughter F 5 Texas, United States

Mollie Bell Daughter F 4 Texas, United States

Jeddie Bell Son M 0 Texas, United States

• "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M356-Y6G : accessed 11 November 2021), Don Bell, Justice Precinct 1 Abilene city Ward 3-4, Taylor, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 150, sheet 1B, family 17, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,672.

Gertie Bell Daughter F 24 Texas

Mattie Bell Daughter F 14 Texas

Will Bell Son M 13 Texas

Robert Bell Son M 11 Texas

• "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M23C-TJX : accessed 11 November 2021), Don W Bell, Fort Worth Ward 8, Tarrant, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 130, sheet 11B, family 244, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1591; FHL microfilm 1,375,604.

Don W Bell's Spouses and Children

Martha Bell Daughter F 24 Texas

• "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MX2K-ZVM : 31 January 2021), William D Bell, 1920.

• "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KWVL-RJ3 : 29 July 2019), W D Bell in household of H J Miskeka, Texas City, Justice Precinct 5, Galveston, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 84-61, sheet 7A, line 13, family 151, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 4039.

• Bell Family

Acknowledgements

• This person was created through the import of JDS_09_17_10.ged on 09 February 2011.