Notes for Thomas Bell: Oak Knoll Cemetery is the main cemetery in Bellville slightly SE of the square. Here is what I have gathered together on John G. Bell starting with Thomas Bell's death.
THE DEATH OF THOMAS BELL (by Betty Meischen) Judge John P Bell wrote that "Thomas Bell, the man for whom Bellville was named, was a native of Florida. He came to Texas in 1822, and in connection with his brother James, bought a large tract of land from John Nichols out of the Nichols league and settled it. He married Miss Abigail Grimes, a member of a family of Austin's Colony. After coming to Texas he became a devout member of the Methodist Church and contributed largely to the material advancement of this church here. The present Methodist Church in Bellville was largely paid for with funds derived from his donations. There is a story told that a Methodist minister traveling in the wilds of Texas became lost. Night overtaking him, he wandered for a while. He heard a voice in the stillness of the night which he recognized as the voice of a man offering his evening devotion to Almighty God. Upon approaching the house, he found it to be the home of Thomas Bell. He was received with a cordial welcome. This house was located where the Gratis Fisher's home is now. Thomas Bell died in 1858 at his home near Bellville and was buried at the Medford graveyard." Attesting to Bell's faith in almighty God, on April 26, 1839, Thomas Bell and his brother-in-law Benjamin Granville donated to the Methodist Church 50 acres," for the purpose of forming a campground. James Stephenson is listed as trustee of the Methodist Church in this document. **More follows about the involvement of this family with Methodism in Texas in the chapters on Stephenson and Granville. Memorial Resolutions adopted at the time of his death. At a meeting of the citizens of Bellville, held in pursuance of previous notice, on the 18th day of January, 1858, as a token of respect to the memory of the late Thomas Bell, Hon. Wm. Bradbury was called to the chair, and A.W. Frear appointed Secretary. On motion a committee of five was appointed by the chair to draft resolutions expressive of the sense of this meeting. The chair appointed J.P. Osterhout, Ben T. Harris, N. Holland, Z. Hunt and B.F. Elliot said committee, who reported the following preamble and resolutions, which were unanimously adopted:
"Whereas, in the providence of Almighty God, Thomas Bell, a citizen of this community and the Father of Bellville, was on Monday, the 11th day of January, A.D. 1858 removed by death from this world, and whereas the death of a man who filled so large a space in the respect and esteem of the community in where he lived and died and who had spent so many years of his life in the vicinity calls for some public token of respect to his memory. He was one of the early settlers in Texas, having immigrated to the country in the year 1822, as one of the original "twenty-five" and settled soon after in Austin's colony, for a period of more than thirty years resided in the place where he died. His early settlement in Texas and being a participant in the hardships and induced by the early settlers made him familiar with all the incidents of our history and the history of our country. The struggles, trials, and difficulties suffered by the colonists in former times were often recalled by him for the pleasure and gratification of those who listened to him and are worthy a place on the historic page. Ever prompt in discharge of his civic duties, he was equally so in those regarding to the defense of his country. When the Texans determined to throw over their yoke of Mexican tyranny and oppression, he was not one of those who lingered or faltered in the discharge of his duty to his country. When under the direction of Santa Anna, the Mexican army invaded the country in 1835, and took possession of Bexar, Thomas Bell was one of those chivalrous spirits who went with brave old Ben Milam and Francis Johnson to storm the city. As a private in the artillery company, he did good service to the cause of Texas liberty. Through his well directed arms, the Mexican guns on the tower of the cathedral were put to silence, and many a Mexican invader caused to bite the dust. For the indomitable spirit by which he braved the terrors, dangers, and hard ships of this then western wilderness, inhabited principally by savages, and Mexicans some barbarous for that courage and noble daring and hatred of oppression, and love of liberty, we honor his memory. But while we honor him for these commendable traits in his character, we prefer to remember him for the quiet and unobtrusive tenor of his life, his unostentatious manners and for the stern and inflexible honesty and integrity of character and sincerity of purpose, and life of virtue so conspicuous in him during his whole career in Texas. Political preferment was never in the line of his aspirations and it is doubtful whether he ever held any, even the smallest political office by the suffrages of the people. He preferred his own quiet home and the toils and labors to which life long he had been accustomed. "Along the cool sequestered vale of life, he kept the noiseless tenor of his way." But above all we delight to remember him as the earnest and sincere Christian. For many years to the close of his long and eventful life, a member of the M.E. Church, his greatest desire as well as his most pleasant duty and highest aim, was to serve the cause of the divine Master, and "to adorn the doctrines of God our Savior by a well ordered life and a goodly conversation," and well did he fulfill his mission. Death found him waiting and prepared to meet the summons. His whole work as a citizen, a patriot and a Christian was done and well done. The time of his departure was at hand. Well might he have said, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness." Thus after a long and useful life, at the age of sixty-six years Thomas Bell sunk to rest and has been gathered to his fathers. "Uncle Tommy" as he was familiarly called will henceforth be missed not only from among his neighbors and friends, but from all social meetings of the church he was a member and an ornament and whose walls often echoed with his earnest prayers and exhortations: but most of all will be missed in the bosom of his bereaved family. May they remember that they sorrow not as those who have no hope. The people of Bellville and vicinity thus appreciating their loss, and sympathizing with the afflicted widow and family of the deceased, feel it their duty to pay this public tribute of respect to his memory, and offer the following resolutions. RESOLVED: That in the death of Thomas Bell, society has lost a good citizen, a kind neighbor, and one who was emphatically a good man and a Christian. RESOLVED: That we sympathize with the bereaved family, in the severe affliction and that the secretary of this meeting be requested to furnish the widow of Thomas Bell with a copy of the proceeding of this meeting. RESOLVED: That a copy of the proceedings of this meeting be sent to the Texas Christian Advocate for publication. On motion, the meeting adjourned. Wm. Bradbury Chairman A.W. Frear, Secretary
Mention is made that Thomas Bell served under Ben Milam at the battle of Bexar, which occurred before the battle of the Alamo at San Antonio. From the book Judge Robert McAlpin Williamson: Texas' Three-legged Willie by Duncan W. Robinson (c. 1948 Texas State Historical Association) the story is told of the Bexar siege in which Thomas Bell participated. "A period of indecision upon the part of Burleson and other army leaders as to whether to attack San Antonio or to retire into winter quarters was seemingly resolved by a decision of a war council on December 3 to abandon the siege. This dismal eventuality was prevented by Milam, who, although only recently arrived, regarded the disbanding of the army as disastrous. He drew a line, it is said, across the ground, and shouted to the bewildered troops, "Who will follow old Ben Milam?" "After three hundred men volunteered for the adventure, Milam stormed San Antonio and in less than three weeks inflicted a crushing defeat upon a Mexican army of thirteen hundred men, commanded by General Cos. The Mexicans surrendered, and Cos agreed to withdraw his army from Texas. Killed in the fighting was the great-hearted Milam, Original settler & co-founder of Bellville Texas
Thomas Bell had no natural children. Susan Bell was mostly likely the adopted neice of Abigail Grimes (I believe the daughter of Susan Grimes Kuykendall Alford.
John Giddeon (Giddings?) Bell supposedly was the son of Thomas and James sister Mary Bell Slade, wife of the traveling Methodist minister John Slade. He was full grown when he came to Bellville, Texas with his wife Penelope Greene who supposedly was the neice of General Nathaniel Greene. They came from Hamilton County, Florida.
More About Thomas Bell: Date born 2: 26 Sep 1802, North Carolina, USA.187 Died 2: 19 Jan 1858, Bellville, Austin, Texas, USA.187
More About Thomas Bell and Abigail Grimes: Marriage: 13 Nov 1828, Austin, Texas, USA.187
Children of Thomas Bell and Abigail Grimes are:
+John Giddeon Bell, b. 02 May 1820, Tallahassee, Leon, Florida, USA187, 187, 187, d. 17 Sep 1893, Bellville, Austin, Texas, USA187, 187, 187.
Thomas Bell (b. 1804)
Notes for Thomas Bell: