Private JAMES BELL, Co. C, 86th Illinois

James Bell was born on or about Nov. 20, 1842 in Ohio County, Virginia, the son of Edie S__________ Bell, who was born c. 1814/15 in _________ County, Virginia (now West Virginia), and Eleanor (__________) Bell, who was born c. 1821 in ___________ County, Virginia (now West Virginia). According to the 1880 census, her father and mother were born in Ireland and Virginia (now West Virginia), respectively.
The children born to Edie and Eleanor include;
1. James Bell, born c. November 20, 1842 in Ohio County, Virginia. See his biography below.

2. Samuel M. Bell, born c. 1845 in Virginia. Samuel M. Bell is likely the Samuel M. Bell, who died in 1928 in Americus, Lyon County, Kansas. He was married to Clementine Charlotte "Lottie" Fosbender.

3. Robert Hamilton Bell, born c. 1848/49 in Ohio, most likely Muskingum County. Robert could be the Robert H. Bell, who was born in 1847, who died in 1926, who was married to Mary E. __________ (1847 - 1931), who served in Co. G of the 89th Illinois Vol. Infantry and whose mortal remains were laid in the Bristow Cemetery in Osborne, Osborne County, Kansas. See his Find A Grave Memorial# 39809724.

4. William W. Bell, born c. 1852/53 in Ohio. William may be the William Wilson Bell,who was born on Oct. 17, 1852 in Ohio and who died on Nov. 22, 1947. This William Bell was married to Elizabeth McFarland (1849 - 1925) and his mortal remains were laid in the Floral Hill Cemetery in Iroquois County, Illinois. See his Find A Grave Memorial# 19491351.

5. Sarah E. or B. Bell, born c. 1857/58 in Illinois.

6. John Blair Bell, born 12 May 1860. John was married to Effie ______________. John died on 10 Aug 1954 and his mortal remains were laid in the Loveland Burial Park in Loveland, Larimer County, Colorado. See his Find A Grave Memorial #149686009.

At the time of the 1850 census, the Bell family is found in Brush Creek, Muskingum County, Ohio;
Edie S Bell M 35 Virginia
Eleanor Bell F 29 Virginia
James Bell M 7 Virginia
Samuel M Bell M 5 Virginia
Robt H Bell M 1 Ohio
Catharine Sheppard F 11 Ohio

The Bell family came west to Illinois in 18__, where they settled in Marshall County, Illinois. At the time of the 1860 census, the Bell family is found in Laprairie Township, Marshall County, Illinois;
E S Bell M 45 Va
Eleanor Bell F 38 Va
Jas Bell M 17 Va
Saml Bell M 14 Va
R H Bell M 11 Ohio
Wm W Bell M 7 Ohio
S E Bell F 2 Ills
John Bell M 0 Ills
S J Hamilton M 14 N. C.

At the time of the 1870 census, the Bell family is found in LaPrairie Township of Marshall County, Illinois;
Edie S Bell M 54 West Virginia
Eleanor Bell F 48 West Virginia
R Halilton Bell M 21 Ohio
William W Bell M 17 Ohio
Sarah B Bell F 12 Illinois
John B Bell M 10 Illinois

At the time of the 1880 census, the Bell family is found in La Prairie Township, Marshall County, Illinois;
Edie S Bell Self M 65 West Virginia
Eleanore Bell Wife F 58 West Virginia
S Ella Bell Daughter F 22 Illinois
J Blair Bell Son M 20 Illinois
Ellen King Other F 13 Illinois
James King Other M 19 Illinois

Edie S. Bell died on 22 January 1901 in La Prairie Township, Marshall County, Illinois.

Now to continue with the biography of James Bell;
On August 11, 1862, James Bell volunteered to serve in a company which was being raised in Chillicothe, Illinois, and in the townships immediately north and west of Chillicothe, including Halleck Township in Peoria County and LaPrairie and Saratoga Townships in Marshall County. This company was being raised for service in the Union Army by John H. Batchelder, who operated the Ferry at Chillicothe, and Dr. Joseph Thomas, a Chillicothe area Physician. When he volunteered, James gave his residence as Lawn Ridge, which is just north of the Peoria County line in Marshall County.

ILLINOIS CIVIL WAR DETAIL REPORT
Name BELL, JAMES
Rank PVT Company C Unit 86 IL US INF

Personal Characteristics
Residence LAWN RIDGE, MARSHALL CO, IL Age 19 Height 5' 5 Hair BLACK
Eyes BLUE Complexion LIGHT Marital Status SINGLE Occupation FARMER
Nativity OHIO CO, VA

Service Record
Joined When AUG 11, 1862 Joined Where CHILLICOTHE, IL
Joined By Whom J H BATCHELDER Period 3 YRS
Muster In AUG 27, 1862 Muster In Where PEORIA, IL
Muster In By Whom N/A Muster Out N/A
Muster Out Where N/A Muster Out By Whom N/A
Remarks DIED IN MARSHALL CO ILL WHILE ON FURLOUGH JAN 20, 1865

When Batchelder and Thomas had almost 100 volunteers, they led the Chillicothe area company into Peoria where they went into camp at Camp Lyon, near present day Glen Oak Park. On August 27, 1862, Batchelder, Thomas and 87 of their volunteers were mustered into service as Co. C of the 86th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Dr. Thomas was elected by the men of Co. C to serve as their Captain, while Batchelder was elected to serve as their 1st Lieutenant.
On September 7, 1862, the men of the 85th & 86th Illinois marched out the gates of Camp Lyon, through the streets of Peoria, with much fanfare, and boarded a train bound for Camp Joe Holt, Jeffersonville, Indiana, located across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky. By early October, the men of the 85th & 86th were in the field in Kentucky as part of Col. Daniel McCook's Brigade, in pursuit of Confederate troops. On Oct. 8, 1862, the men of McCook's Brigade were engaged with those troops in the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky, the 86th Illinois suffering their first casualties. There would be many more to come. After the Battle of Perryville, the Confederate troops withdrew from Kentucky and the men of McCook's Brigade marched on to Nashville, Tennessee where they would go into winter camp.
During the next two and a half years, Private James Bell served faithfully in Co. C as the men of the 86th served in Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. During this time, James was witness to and a participant in numerous battles and skirmishes, some of the bloodiest fighting in the Western Theatre of the war, including the Battles of Chicakamauga, Georgia; Resaca, Georgia; Rome, Georgia, Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia, Peach Tree Creek, Georgia, Jonesboro, Georgia and is believed to have marched with General Sherman to the Sea.
However, it is possible that James, like many of the men in the service was having some major issues with his health. Late in 1864 or very early in 1865, Private James Bell was sent on a furlough. On January 20, 1865, while he was home on this furlough, Private James Bell died. His earthly remains were laid to rest in the United Presbyterian Church Cemetery, near LaPrairie, Illinois in Marshall County.

by Baxter B. Fite III and Cheryl Bell, Find A Grave Contributor #46896766, whose email address is [email protected]

(Baxter would love to hear from anyone, especially descendants of the Bell family, who might be able to add to the biographical material that we have on Private James Bell and the Bell family. Baxter would also love to see copies of any pictures of Private James Bell, that may have survived the years, especially any showing him in uniform from his days in the service, added to his Find A Grave site for all to see.)