Lonoke County ArArchives Biographies.....Bell, John Albert 
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Robert Sanchez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00027.html#0006574 August 16, 2009, 8:03 pm

Source: See Full Citation Below Biography
Author: S. J. Clarke

JOHN ALBERT BELL.
    For twenty-eight years John Albert Bell was numbered among the
representatives of merchandising in Lonoke, for throughout this entire period he
was proprietor of a grocery store and at the time of his death was also owner of
the Queen Theatre, a moving picture house. A native of Lonoke county, he was
born in Brownsville in 1860 and was a son of William and Mary Ann (Liggett)
Bell, who were, natives of Mississippi and of Arkansas, respectively. The father
served in the Confederate army as a private and throughout his entire life was a
loyal defender of any cause which he espoused. To him and his wife were born six
children, three of whom are yet living.

    John Albert Bell pursued his education in the schools of his native county
and in his youth divided his time between his studies, the pleasures of the
playground and the work of the fields. He continued to assist his father on the
farm for some time after leaving school but at length determined to enter
commercial circles and established a grocery business in Lonoke in 1894. In
addition to conducting a retail store of large proportions Mr. Bell also sold to
the wholesale trade and was a dealer in feed, conducting this branch of his
business under the name of the Bell Commission Company. He carried a large and
well selected line of staple and fancy groceries. The neat arrangement of his
store, the excellent line of products which he handled and his thoroughly
reliable business methods were the salient features in the attainment of his
success. Ever watchful of opportunity he also entered upon another field of
labor as proprietor of a moving picture house, which added materially to his
annual income and he furnished to the public the best film attractions,
therefore making his theatre worthy of a liberal patronage.

    Mr. Bell was married to Miss Barbara Alice Johnson, of Lonoke county, a
daughter of William Johnson, who was a native of Kentucky. To Mr. and Mrs. Bell
were born the following children: Alta is now Mrs. W. N. Morton of Lonoke;
Walter, the eldest son, is an ex-service man, having done active duty in the
World war; Myrtle is deceased; Minnie is the wife of George Martin of El Dorado;
John is also deceased; Ila is a professional motion picture operator and, being
of a mechanical turn of mind. is perhaps one of the best operators in the state
of Arkansas; Wesley, Eugene, Grace. Wallace and Clyde are at home. Having lost
his first wife Mr. Bell was married to Mrs. Lola Peel and they had two children:
Dorothy and Francis. By her former marriage Mrs. Bell has one son, Remmel Peel,
now eleven years of age.

    In public affairs Mr. Bell was always keenly and helpfully interested and.
called to the office of mayor of his town, he was -continued in the position by
reelection for eight years, during which time he gave to the city a businesslike
and progressive administration, productive of many excellent results in the way
of advancing civic standards and civic service. Fraternally he was a member of
the Knights of Pythias. He died at his home in Lonoke, December 18, 1921,
honored and respected by all who knew him.


Additional Comments:
Citation:
Centennial History of Arkansas
Volume II
Chicago-Little Rock: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company
1922



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