Thomas Bell (abt. 1618 - bef. 1678)

Born about 1618 in Maidstone, Kent, England

Husband of Mary (Neale) Bell — married 1650 in Northampton County, Colony of Virginia

Descendants

Died before Dec 1678 before about age 60 in Northampton County, Colony of Virginia

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Biography

Thomas Bell was a Virginia colonist.

Thomas was born circa 1618 (age 17 in 1635) in Gravesend, Kent, England.^[1] His parents are at this time unconfirmed. (See Research Notes.)

Thomas arrived in the colonies 1635 on the ship Thomas and John. The ship "Thomas and John" was owned by Thomas and John Culpeper, the sons of John Culpeper of Salehurst, Kent, England.

• Thomas Bell, 17, on the Thomas and John, 17 June 1635. ^[2]

"16 Junij 1635 - The under-written are to be transported to Virginia embarked n the Thomas & John, *Richard Lambard Mr, being examined by the Minister de Gravesend concerning their *conformities to the orders & Discipline of the Church of England: And took the oath *of Allegiance."^[3] Alphabetical order:

Aldred Robert 24
Allin Thomas 33
Ashborn Francis 20
Aymie William 26
Banks James 30
Bead William 15
Bell Tho. 17...

Marriages & Children

Thomas married only once. His wife's given name was Mary, as she is named in his will. There is some dispute about his wife. Most sources located state she is Mary Neal, daughter of Capt. John Neal. (See attached photo on this profile.) Some family trees state she was Mary Harrington, based (it appears) solely on the fact that one land grant for Thomas Bell adjoined that of Edward Harrington. I am inclined to the opinion that her name was Mary Neal. Further research is needed to confirm this.

Thomas Bell Sex Male
Birth 23 October 1618 Gravesend, Kent, England1
Death 10 December 1678
Jamestown, James, Virginia, USA
Other 1635
Virginia1PARENTS
Father Robert Bell
Mother Alice Colston
MARRIAGES (2)Spouse
Mary Neal Marriage ,1650 Accomack, Virginia
Spouse Mary Neale
Marriage 1650
Accomack, Virginia, United States

Thomas and Mary probably married about 1650 in Northampton County, Virginia (became Accomack County in 1661). Known children (named in his will) include:

1. Thomas Bell, Jr. (1651-1696), d w/o issue^[4]
2. George Bell
3. William Bell
4. Robert Bell, c 1658
5. Mary (Bell) Maddox ^[5]
6. Anthony Bell
7. Elizabeth Bell, md Thomas Giddins

Land Grants & Transactions

• Land Office Patents & Grants/Northern Neck Grants & Surveys
  
  • GRANTEE Bell, Tho. grantee.
    
  • DATE 21 November 1654.
    
  • NOTE Location: Northampton County.
    
  • NOTE Description: 350 acres at the Seaboard side, near Matchepongo.
    
  • Adjoining the land of Edwd. Harrington, late decd.
    
  • NOTE Source: Land Office Patents No. 3, 1652-1655, p. 294 (Reel 2).
    ^{[6] [7]}

• Nov 1657 - Thomas Bell, 227 acs. Northampton Co., 27 Nov. 1657, p. 134, (198). At the head of Nuswattocks Cr., Sly. upon a branch parting it from land of Jno. Tillney & Jno. Johnson, Junr. & Nly. on land of John Peper. Trans. of 5 pers: Ellinor Lashberry, Hoell Gladeinge, Wm. Mitchell, Mary Batcheller, Elizabeth Roseer.^[7]
• Oct 1661 - Thomas Bell, 350 acs. Northampton, adj. Edward Harrington, dec'd. P. 47 (489). (20 Nov. 1654.)^[7]

Death & Legacy

Thomas wrote his will on 6 July 1678 at Northampton County, Virginia, it was proved 10 December 1678. Abstract of will posted on ancestry.com:^[8]

To my son Thomas Bell my 250 A. plantation where I now live.

To my son Thomas 350 A. in Northampton Co. on the seaboard side near Matchepungo as mentioned in my pattent dated 20 Oct. 1661 subscribed by Francis Morryson and Thomas Ludwell.

To my son Thomas my handmill.

To my sons William and Robert Bell 300 A. which belongs to the land I now live upon to be eq. div. as they themselves have agreed.

To my son George Bell one shilling and I hereby disinherit him from any part of my land.

To my dau. Elizabeth Giddins now the wife of Thomas Giddins one shilling.

To John Giddins the youngest son of my dau. Elizabeth, one heifer.

To my loving wife Mary Bell her full 1/3rd of the remainder of my cattle, and the remaining 2/3rds to be eq. div. by my children Thomas, George, William, Robert, and Anthony Bell, my dau. Mary Maddux, and my granddau. Elizabeth Gethings.

Wife Mary extrx. and to dispose of remaining estate as she sees fit.

Witt: Morgan (an unknown value) Dowell, Thomas Barton, John Burroughs.^{[9] [10][11]}

Research Notes

He has been detached from Robert Bell and Alice Colston as parents, due to lack of evidence. That family was in Norfolk. See G2G discussion https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/952128/review-needed-of-bell-family-of-norfolk?show=954025#c954025 and comment/discuss there before adding parents. The Thomas I was writing about was 19 when he came to America.

Sources

1. ↑ Robert Irving Upshur & Thomas Teackel Upshur IV, Upshur Family in Virginia, 2nd Edition, p. 249.
2. ↑ Thomas & John
3. ↑ Hotten, John Camden, Editor. The Original Lists of Persons of Quality; Emigrants' Religious Exiles; … and others who went from Great Britain to the American Plantations, 1600-1700. John Camden Hotten: London, 1874. Reprinted Empire State Book Co., New York. Page 84,
4. ↑ Four Early Thomas Bells
5. ↑ Hungars Parish Records for 1660-1661
6. ↑ Bell, Tho:. grantee
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2} Nugent, Nell Marion, Abstracted and Indexed by. Cavaliers and Pioneers: Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants, 1623-1800. In Five Volumes. Richmond, VA.: Press of the Dietz Printing Co., 1935. [https://archive.org/details/cavalierspioneer00nuge/page/210/mode/2up Pages 296, 356, 412
8. ↑ Thomas Bell, RSr.
9. ↑ Stratton Nottingham, Accomack Co, VA, Wills & Administrations, 1663-1800, p. 103 (will of Thomas Bell Sr., wife Mary).
10. ↑ James Handley Marshall, Northampton Co, VA, Abstracts of Wills & Administrations, 1632-1802, p. 103 (will of Thomas Bell Sr., wife Mary).
11. ↑ Thomas Bell Sr

See also:

• Sir Robert Bell and His Early Virginia Colony Descendants: A Compilation of 16th, 17th, and 18th Century English and Scottish Families with the Surname Bell, Beale, Le Bel ... James Elton Bell, Frances Jean Bell Wheatmark, Inc., Jan 1, 2007
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravesend
• http://www.picturesofengland.com/England/Kent/Gravesend
• https://www.accessgenealogy.com/virginia/early-virginia-bell-immigrants.htm

• Family Tree file (2:2:2:MM6C-8W2), submitted 11 March 2018 (Unable to access file 26 June 2021)

• Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s, Place: Virginia; Year: 1635; Page Number: . Ancestry.com :
  
• Ancestry Family Trees, Ancestry Family Trees Ancestry.com :
  
• "Pedigree Resource File," database, FamilySearch [[1]]