William Samuel Bell (1862 - 1930)

Born 6 Feb 1862 in Benton, Arkansas, USA

Ancestors

Husband of Anna Elmira (Palmer) Bell — married 22 Oct 1889 in Seattle, King, Washington, USA

Descendants

Died 6 Aug 1930 at age 68 in Bremerton, Kitsap, Washington, USA

Biography

Working as a laborer with brother Samuel in Jasper Co, MO - 1880 census

Hawthorne File has birthplace Fayetteville AR.

Bell Family has:

"E-11 William Samuel Bell, b 2-1/6-1861 Benton Co, AR, d 8-6-1930, bur Ivy Green Cem, Bremerton, WA, m 10-22-1889 Seattle, King Co, WA, Anna Elmina Palmer, dau of Sylester Sampson Palmer & Henrietta Freeman, who had come from Dade Co, MO, via Washington Co, KS. They “met on the street in Seattle.”

Another story would be that he met her in Washington Co, KS, as he had a sister and a brother living there. William had come to Seattle, where one of his first jobs was helping to clean Seattle up after the fire. He worked at the mill at Yesler before moving to Getchell, Snohomish Co, WA.

The Bells moved to Elma, Grays Harbor Co, WA 1891, where he and his brothers, Bob and Tom and he worked a mill owned by Bob, leaving ca 1901, returning 1902. For two years he drove a dray for his bro-in-law, John Palmer. In 1906 they moved to Charleston, where he was the first distributor for Watkins Products in Kitsap Co. He was by trade a millwright. He had been an active member of the Knights of Pythias Lodge for 30 years. He was injured in Aberdeen, WA, which necessitated his buying two vehicles and started a bus line from Bremerton to Charleston. He sold this and bought a grocery store, which the family operated until Mr. Bell's last illness.

The 1920 census shows them on Bloomington Ave in Charleston, Kitsap Co, WA. He is a Jitney Driver. They have Dewey, Earl, Clarence, Nellie, and James living at home. Dau Mrs. Georgia Cooper and her chi. Eugene, William. and Elsie are with them. Dewey is a ship fitter in the Navy Yard. Earl. is a chauffeur, Clarence a machinist. Georgia was a pipe coverer in the Navy Yard.

Anna was a member of Aurilla Rebekah Lodge #133.

William "Doc Bell" built a house off Burwell on Bloomington in Charleston. Grandson, Robert Smith, remembers a toilet under the stairs. He remembered such a toilet at his Aunt Clara's house. There it was installed outside in a room at the end of the porch. Robert remembers baths in a tub in the kitchen of his grandma's house.

Katherine Jeffrey

Marriage

Husband: William Samuel Bell

Wife: Anna Elmira Palmer

Marriage:

Date: 22 Oct 1889

Place: Seattle, King, Washington, USA

Child: [[Bell-1188|Clara Etta Bell]

Child: Georgia Anna Bell

Child: Edna Leona Bell

Child: Dewey Sylvester Bell

Child: Earl William Bell

Child: Clarence Robert Bell

Child: Nellie Bell

Child: James Daniel Bell

Obit

William S. Bell was born in Arkansas. His family, consisting of wife Anna and children Clarra, Georga, Edna, Dewy and Earl were living in Marysville, Snohomish County, Washingtin in 1900. He and wife Anna E. Bell were living in Charleston (now Bremerton), Kitsap County, Washington in 1910. Daughters Clara, Georgia, Edna and Nellie May and sons Dewie, William E. and Clarence R. Bell were living at home. In 1920, William was 57 years old; Anna was 48. Sons Dewey S., Earl W. Clarence R, and daughter Nellie were all at home. His divorced daughter, Mrs. Georgie Cooper and her two sons, Eugene W. and William E. and daughter Elsie were also at home. William died August 6, 1930 in Bremerton, Washington.

Burial

Burial: Ivy Green Cemetery

Plot: Block 7, site 2

Place: Bremerton, Kitsap, Washington, USA

Event

Event: Knights of Pythias

Type: Fraternal Oranizations

Sources

• https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=32786772

Bell Family, Smith, 2004

Hawthorne File, Hawthorne, 2004

Personal Knowledge [[Hammermeister-Knapp-1 | Katherine Jeffrey]

"Washington, Death Certificates, 1907-1960," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NQ97-FQP : accessed 6 November 2015), William Samuel Bell, 06 Aug 1930; citing Bremerton, Kitsap, Washington, reference cn 220, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Olympia; FHL microfilm 2,022,718.

United States Census, 1910

Charleston, Kitsap, Washington, United States

Age 48 , Married

Birth Year (Estimated) 1862

Birthplace Arkansas

Father's Birthplace Tennessee

Mother's Birthplace United States

Sheet Letter B, Sheet Number 11

Census Household

William S Bell Head M 48 Arkansas (Salesman Drugs)

Annie E Bell Wife F 38 Missouri (Spouse)

Clara E Bell Daughter F 19 Washington

Gergia A Bell Daughter F 16 Washington

Edna L Bell Daughter F 14 Washington

Dowie S Bell Son M 12 Washington

William E Bell Son M 10 Washington

Clarence R Bell Son M 8 Washington

Nellie May Bell Daughter F 4 Washington

• [("United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MGVN-Q7R : 29 October 2015), William S Bell, Charleston, Kitsap, Washington, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 228, sheet 11B, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,375,675.)]

Washington Death Certificates

Name William S. Bell

Event Date 13 Oct 1930

Event Place Seattle, King, Washington

Male Age 44 years 3 months 8 days

Birth Year (Estimated) 1886

Marital Status Married

Spouse's Name Alice C. Bell

Father's Name John Bell

• [("Washington Death Certificates, 1907-1960," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N357-1MB : 5 December 2014), William S. Bell, 13 Oct 1930; citing Seattle, King, Washington, reference 3082, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Olympia; FHL microfilm 2,022,723.)]