BELL, Hon. John C., b 1851; 1905 Bio, Montrose County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/montrose/bios/belljc.txt --------------------------------------- Donated September 26, 2001 Transcribed by Judy Crook from the book: Progressive Men of Western Colorado Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill. --------------------------------------- Hon. John C. Bell The United States house of representatives, notwithstanding the ridicule to which it is often subjected by the unknown or the thoughtless, and the charges of dishonesty and corruption which are sometimes made against some of its members, is in fact one of the most learned, upright and patriotic bodies of men in the world. The wisdom, manliness and integrity of the American people are epitomized there, and it is at the imminent danger of exposure and certain loss of reputation that a member is ever guilty of any form of wrong doing. That Hon. John C. Bell held a position of commanding influence in that exalted forum during his service as a member of the body is a strong proof of his ability, wisdom and industry, and a high tribute to his character and manliness. Mr. Bell was born at the village of Suwanne, Tennessee, on December 11, 1851, and is the son of Harrison and Rachel (Laxson) Bell, the former born in Tennessee and the latter in Mississippi. The father was an extensive planter and owner of a number of grist mills. He was also a speculator and prominent business man, and one of the influential citizens of his portion of the state, serving at times as sheriff of Grandy county and in other official positions giving trend and cogency to public affairs. Both parents died amid the scenes of their useful labors and the people by whom they were universally esteemed. Their son John C. was reared in his native county and educated at the private schools of Prof. Rufus Clark and those of Profs. Hampton and Miller in Franklin county, Tennessee. He read law at Winchester, that state, and was admitted to the bar there in 1874. In June of that year he moved to Colorado and began the practice of his profession at Saguache. He was soon afterward appointed county attorney of Saguache county and held the position until May, 1876, when he resigned it and moved to Lake City, then the most thriving town in the great San Juan mining region. There he immediately took a prominent place in his profession and in politics as a Democrat of unwavering fidelity and great force of character and resourcefulness. In 1878 he was elected county clerk of Hinsdale county, but he did not perform the duties of the office personally. He was also twice elected mayor of Lake City, and in 1885, during his second term, he resigned the office to form a partnership with Hon. Frank C. Gaudy for the practice of law, removing to Montrose, where he has ever since resided, for the purpose. In November, 1888, he was elected district judge of the seventh judicial district of the state for a term of six years, and resigned this position after being elected to congress in the fall of 1892, to represent the immense second district, which now comprises forty-four counties. He was four times re-elected, sitting in the fifty-fourth, fifty-fifth, fifty-sixth and fifty-seventh congresses after his first term, receiving at his last election more than thirteen thousand majority over three opposition candidates. During his service in the house he was connected with much important legislation for this section of the country, and being a hard-working and hard-fighting member, he secured almost everything he asked for. After a long fight he got an appropriation for a federal building at Colorado Springs, secured the opening of the Southern Ute Indian reservation for settlement, a term of the United States court to be held each year at Montrose, and the survey for the Gunnison tunnel for irrigation purposes long before the national reclamation act was passed. He introduced the original Gunnison tunnel bill, and from this the present reclamation law was largely copied. When the strength of eastern opposition to western irrigation schemes, especially to making appropriations for the same, is recalled, Mr. Bell's tireless energy and his great service in this behalf will be duly appreciated. The Gunnison tunnel is a project of enormous proportions and weighty with benefits to an immense scope of country. The tunnel will be six miles long, and will convey water from the Gunnison river for the irrigation of many thousands of acres of otherwise valueless land in the Uncompahgre valley. It will have a capacity of twelve thousand cubic feet of water per second, and its flow and distribution will be so regulated as to secure the greatest good to the greatest number of ranches for the longest period of time. Another of the little known but highly valuable achievements of Mr. Bell in congress is the prohibition of the use of the Pension building or any other public building in Washington for the quadriennial inauguration ball, which it is said will effect a saving of over two hundred thousand dollars to the government every four years. When an inauguration ball is approaching it has been the custom to lay off all the clerks in the building in which it is to be held eight or ten days so that proper preparations for the event can be made. The salaries of the clerks so laid off alone amount to over seventy thousand dollars for the time they are idle. Still another of the important measures which he introduced and passed in congress was the exemption of soldiers in the Cuban and Philippine wars from forfeiture of their mining claims by failure to work the assessments during their absence in the army. He gained by just dessert the reputation of getting more pension bills successfully considered than any other congressman ever sent from Colorado; and in his campaigns he always received the solid soldier vote of his district. He served on many important committees in the national house and, as a marked recognition of his industry, wisdom and ability, he was appointed by Speaker Reed on the most important one in the body, the committee on appropriations. On September 1, 1881, Mr. Bell was united in marriage with Miss Susie Abernathy, a native of Franklin county, Tennessee, and a daughter of Dr. Jones B. and Sue (Sumner) Abernathy, also natives of that state, where they died a number of years ago. The father was a very prominent physician with a national reputation in his profession. Mr. and Mrs. Bell have two daughters, Susie and Ethel. Mr. Bell is an active lodge, chapter and commandery mason, with membership in the bodies at Montrose, and also belongs to the Odd Fellows lodge at Lake City. He recently received a medal for having been a member of the latter body continuously for twenty-five years. Since retiring from congress he has been active and eminent in the practice of his profession. =================================================== Contributed for use by the USGenWeb Archive Project (http://www.usgenweb.org) and by the COGenWeb Archive Project USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.