My Genealogy Hound

ROBERT BELL, farmer, post office Mansfield, was born in Robinson township, in 1819, and is a direct descendant of James Bell, who married Mary Newkirk, of Dutch descent, and had by her nine children, seven sons and two daughters James Bell when a boy of ten years was captured by the Indians and taken from his father’s home, and held until he was returned by a treaty with the whites. He died, aged eighty-five years, on the farm he purchased in this county, and the house which he erected, and in which he died, still remains. His son James was born in 1787, married Elizabeth Fairley, daughter of John Fairley, of Irish descent, and nine daughters and two sons were born to this marriage, Agnes M., now Mrs. John C. Morrow, being the eldest of this family. James followed farming all his life, and died in 1847 his wife in 1843. Robert Bell, the eldest son, received in youth a common-school education, and was reared to farming, which he followed until 1864, when he was employed by the Mansfield Coke & Coal company, as superintendent of their mines, a position he ably held for twenty-two years. He was married in 1842 to Susan Kearns, daughter of Thomas Kearns, of this county, who bore him one son, Washington Bell, and two daughters, Rebecca (now Mrs. McDowell) and Evaline (now Mrs. Hageman). Mrs. Bell died in 1859, and Mr. Bell married, for his second wife, Isa Bell McDowell, daughter of Robert and Fannie (Lee) McDowell, of this county. Four children, all living, were born to this union: Robert, William, Charles and George. Mr. Bell now resides on a farm of eighty-seven acres near the present town of Mansfield. He is a republican, and has been school director and, town councilman; is a member of the Presbyterian Church.