Baldwin County GaArchives History .....History of Baldwin County - Miller Bell Biography 1925 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 7, 2004, 12:37 am p. 278-280 MILLER S. BELL Miller S. Bell of Milledgeville is- one of the foremost citizens of Georgia. He ranks high in banking circles, in educational work, in Church support, and in State affairs. He was born in Milledgeville, March 19, 1874, being the son of Matthew Raiford Bell and Susan Edwards Bell. His education was obtained in the Georgia Military College at Milledgeville. As a young man he became connected with the Milledgeville Banking Company, of which he is now the President. When he was only thirty-one years old, he was elected President of the Georgia's Bankers' Association, in 1905. He has served as Vice-President of the Mayor's Convention of Georgia. He was one of the youngest men in Georgia to serve as Past Grand Chancellor of the K. of P. He has served as Supreme Representative of Georgia to the Supreme Lodge, beginning in 1915, until the present date. In 1914 he was appointed by the President as a member of the annual Assay Committee to test the value of gold and silver in the United States mints. He served for many years as a trustee of the Georgia Military College and was the chief influence in the re-building of the Barracks after the fire in 1918. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Georgia State College for Women since 1908, and is now the Secretary-Treasurer of that Board. He served as Lieutenant-Colonel on the Staff of Gov. Dorsey, 1917 to 1920. He is State Treasurer of the Kiwanis, District of Georgia, 1921-1924. He is a Mason, and a member of the Methodist Church. He has been a member of the Board of Stewards of the Methodist Church for more than twenty years. He was the leading spirit in organizing and financing the movement in the building of the magnificent Methodist CBurch, which is an ornament to Milledgeville. He has served on a number of occasions as delegate to the district conferences, to the annual conferences, and in 1922, he was elected by the North Georgia Conference as delegate to the General Conference of the Southern Methodist Church which met in Hot Springs in May, 1922. In 1924, he was requested by Hon. Wm. G. McAdoo to manage his campaign in the Democratic primaries of Georgia in his candidacy for the democratic nomination. At great expense to himself, Mr. Bell went to Atlanta and waged a vigorous campaign throughout the State for the nomination of Mr. McAdoo. He showed unusual qualities of generalship in this campaign, and was able to report to Mr. McAdoo a complete victory with an unexpectedly large majority of more than two to one against his opponent, Senator Underwood. Mr. Bell was elected as one of the delegates from the State at large to the Democratic Convention in New York, and was chosen as Vice Chairman of the delegation. One of the most remarkable things about the career of Mr. Bell was his service as Mayor of Milledgeville. He was re-elected eight different times as Mayor of the city, by the people of Milledgeville. His record as mayor is unsurpassed in length of term and in constructive accomplishment. He completed the City Hall, helped to build up the Georgia Military College, improved the Fire Department, paved the streets, paved the side walks, beautified the City, and gave a remarkedly fine business administration. At the end of each year, he gave the people a complete statement of the affairs of the City, including a detailed financial report. He worked for several years to secure for the City a better water plant. The new plant was secured and improved at a remarkably low cost. He thus gave to the City, cheaper, clearer, cleaner, and purer water, and rendered great service to all the people. He promised that the water works would be more than self-sustaining, and in the first year he proved that the water works had earned for-the City more than $10,000 and had greatly reduced the taxes of the City. Such is the remarkable career of Miller S. Bell. His life has been one of constructive achievement that is resulting in good to his city and the Public. He was happily married, on June 30, 1897, to Olive West, of Griffin. She proved a rare help-meet and in turn he has shown a rare devotion. The three living children are: Olive, who married Captain C. M. Davis; Miller; and Frank. Additional Comments: From: Part V HISTORY of BALDWIN COUNTY GEORGIA BY MRS. ANNA MARIA GREEN COOK ILLUSTRATED ANDERSON. S. C. Keys-Hearn Printing Co. -1925— File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/baldwin/history/other/gms259historyo.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 5.0 Kb