WILLIAM M. BELL, a progressive farmer of Cecil township, is a native of the same, born in 1823, a grandson of John and Mary Bell, natives of eastern Pennsylvania, who came to Washington county and to Cecil township at an early day, buying three farms, one of which was in Peters township. The grandfather after coming to this county passed his life in Cecil township. He was a Revolutionary soldier. John Bell, a son of the above-mentioned couple, was born in Virginia, and coming with his parents to Washington county was reared and educated in Cecil township. In early life he was married to Mary Hall, a native of Chartiers township, this county, and they settled on a farm in Cecil township, where eight children were born to them, of whom William M. is the only one yet living. The father was an active worker in the Whig party, and a stanch supporter of W. H. Harrison. In religion Mr. and Mrs. Bell were members of the Presbyterian Church at Miller's Run, of which he was a ruling elder. He died about the year 1854, in his eighty-fourth year, followed by his widow in 1876, she being then ninety-three years of age.
William M. Bell, the subject of these lines, was born on the farm adjoining his present home, and was educated in the subscription schools of Cecil township, in the same district where he is now living, and where he has devoted his attention to farming and carpentry. In 1846 he married Miss Roxanna Smith, a native of Westmoreland county, Penn., and the young couple began married life on the farm where they are yet residing, and which comprises 103 acres of well-cultivated and fertile land. Twelve children blessed their union seven daughters and five sons six of whom are now living, namely: J. S., Charlie, Florence, Georgie, Leonora and Alexander; two of the sons and two of the daughters are married. In politics Mr. Bell is a pronounced Republican.
Text taken from page 1419 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).Transcribed January 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project.
Published January 1997 on the Washington County, PA pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.[ [Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]