William W. (Washington?) Bell was the eldest child of John Granville Bell and Martha Jane "Patsy" Belcher. There has been some speculation about his birthdate, especially being May 1848. However, the census records for 1850, bear out that his parents were not married at the time of the 1850 federal census. Therefore, it is more likely he was born in 1851. He was born in Princeton, Mercer, West Virginia
William's father, John, was a farmer, as most people were in that period of history. His family had come to Mercer some 20 years before from Tazewell, Virginia. All was well, until the Civil War. John, William's father, was a Confederate soldier, along with several of his uncles. The Confederate troops burned Princeton in 1862. The ruins of Princeton became occupied the Union troops. The Bell boys deserted to move their families to the safety of Logan, WV, a "confederate" town, where some remained before looking for greener pastures after the bloody conflict was over in 1865.
William met his future wife, Letha J. Haner's there. Though their may have been more children, we know that Joseph, and Albert survived to adulthood. When Letha died in April, 1889, William was devastated. By the end of the year, he married a widow, Rebecca Wall (s) Hill. She was Leonard Hill's second wife, and brought several children of theirs to the new marriage. William also moved to Hart's Creek, where Rebecca lived. There they prospered. Three more children were born: Elbert Harrison, William Noah, and an unknown (non-viable) child.
The 1900 census shows William's family has 3 boarders: John, Polly, and Jones Fowler; his sister Rebecca's children. Becky's 1st husband, Jones Fowler had died and she had remarried a Joseph Dotsun.
Jones Fowler is still with William and his family 10 years later. Elbert, William and Rebecca's son marries and moves in with them.
William Bell died before the next census, 1920. It is assumed he was buried on the family homestead with his 2nd wife, Rebecca. The Bell Cemetery in Lincoln County did not come about for another decade.....
M. Bell
William's father, John, was a farmer, as most people were in that period of history. His family had come to Mercer some 20 years before from Tazewell, Virginia. All was well, until the Civil War. John, William's father, was a Confederate soldier, along with several of his uncles. The Confederate troops burned Princeton in 1862. The ruins of Princeton became occupied the Union troops. The Bell boys deserted to move their families to the safety of Logan, WV, a "confederate" town, where some remained before looking for greener pastures after the bloody conflict was over in 1865.
William met his future wife, Letha J. Haner's there. Though their may have been more children, we know that Joseph, and Albert survived to adulthood. When Letha died in April, 1889, William was devastated. By the end of the year, he married a widow, Rebecca Wall (s) Hill. She was Leonard Hill's second wife, and brought several children of theirs to the new marriage. William also moved to Hart's Creek, where Rebecca lived. There they prospered. Three more children were born: Elbert Harrison, William Noah, and an unknown (non-viable) child.
The 1900 census shows William's family has 3 boarders: John, Polly, and Jones Fowler; his sister Rebecca's children. Becky's 1st husband, Jones Fowler had died and she had remarried a Joseph Dotsun.
Jones Fowler is still with William and his family 10 years later. Elbert, William and Rebecca's son marries and moves in with them.
William Bell died before the next census, 1920. It is assumed he was buried on the family homestead with his 2nd wife, Rebecca. The Bell Cemetery in Lincoln County did not come about for another decade.....
M. Bell
William W. (Washington?) Bell was the eldest child of John Granville Bell and Martha Jane "Patsy" Belcher. There has been some speculation about his birthdate, especially being May 1848. However, the census records for 1850, bear out that his parents were not married at the time of the 1850 federal census. Therefore, it is more likely he was born in 1851. He was born in Princeton, Mercer, West Virginia
William's father, John, was a farmer, as most people were in that period of history. His family had come to Mercer some 20 years before from Tazewell, Virginia. All was well, until the Civil War. John, William's father, was a Confederate soldier, along with several of his uncles. The Confederate troops burned Princeton in 1862. The ruins of Princeton became occupied the Union troops. The Bell boys deserted to move their families to the safety of Logan, WV, a "confederate" town, where some remained before looking for greener pastures after the bloody conflict was over in 1865.
William met his future wife, Letha J. Haner's there. Though their may have been more children, we know that Joseph, and Albert survived to adulthood. When Letha died in April, 1889, William was devastated. By the end of the year, he married a widow, Rebecca Wall (s) Hill. She was Leonard Hill's second wife, and brought several children of theirs to the new marriage. William also moved to Hart's Creek, where Rebecca lived. There they prospered. Three more children were born: Elbert Harrison, William Noah, and an unknown (non-viable) child.
The 1900 census shows William's family has 3 boarders: John, Polly, and Jones Fowler; his sister Rebecca's children. Becky's 1st husband, Jones Fowler had died and she had remarried a Joseph Dotsun.
Jones Fowler is still with William and his family 10 years later. Elbert, William and Rebecca's son marries and moves in with them.
William Bell died before the next census, 1920. It is assumed he was buried on the family homestead with his 2nd wife, Rebecca. The Bell Cemetery in Lincoln County did not come about for another decade.....
M. Bell
William's father, John, was a farmer, as most people were in that period of history. His family had come to Mercer some 20 years before from Tazewell, Virginia. All was well, until the Civil War. John, William's father, was a Confederate soldier, along with several of his uncles. The Confederate troops burned Princeton in 1862. The ruins of Princeton became occupied the Union troops. The Bell boys deserted to move their families to the safety of Logan, WV, a "confederate" town, where some remained before looking for greener pastures after the bloody conflict was over in 1865.
William met his future wife, Letha J. Haner's there. Though their may have been more children, we know that Joseph, and Albert survived to adulthood. When Letha died in April, 1889, William was devastated. By the end of the year, he married a widow, Rebecca Wall (s) Hill. She was Leonard Hill's second wife, and brought several children of theirs to the new marriage. William also moved to Hart's Creek, where Rebecca lived. There they prospered. Three more children were born: Elbert Harrison, William Noah, and an unknown (non-viable) child.
The 1900 census shows William's family has 3 boarders: John, Polly, and Jones Fowler; his sister Rebecca's children. Becky's 1st husband, Jones Fowler had died and she had remarried a Joseph Dotsun.
Jones Fowler is still with William and his family 10 years later. Elbert, William and Rebecca's son marries and moves in with them.
William Bell died before the next census, 1920. It is assumed he was buried on the family homestead with his 2nd wife, Rebecca. The Bell Cemetery in Lincoln County did not come about for another decade.....
M. Bell
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