Bell, Thomas F.; Lancaster Co., VA; now Caddo Parish, Louisiana Submitter: Mike Miller ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** Bell, Thomas Fletcher, well-known attorney and jurist, Shreveport, La., was born in Lancaster county, Va., Aug. 24, 1836, and died at Shreveport, La., Nov. 14, 1912. He was a son of James Lewis Bell, a native of Virginia and of Scotch descent. The mother previous to her marriage, was a Miss Sherman, of an old Virginia family. She died when the son was about 10 years old. In 1839 when the son was 3 years old, the family removed to Cooper county Mo., and there located on a farm, where the childhood and youth of the boy were passed. He attended the public schools and later graduated from the University of Missouri, following which he entered the Lebanon Law school (Tennessee) and in due time graduated ftom that institution with the degree of LL. B. He was admitted to practice before the supreme court of Tennessee in 1858. Shortly following his admission to the bar he located at Kansas City, Mo., and was there engaged in the practice of law when the Civil war came on. In 1861 he enlisted in the Confederate army and served throughout the war, chiefly as captain on the staff of various commanders. He surrendered at Shreveport, and a short time thereafter visited St. Louis on a prospecting tour, but determining that he could not subscribe to the oath then required of attorneys, he returned to Louisiana and settled in De Soto parish as a farmer. There he was married to Miss Sallie Ross. Subsequently he removed to Shreveport, and when the political disabilities had been removed began the practice of law in that city, this being in the year 1867. He served as superintendent of the Caddo parish public schools for several years, and afterward resumed the practice of law there, where he continued to reside until the time of his death. He was associated in the practice of law for many years with E. H. Randolph, a recent president of the Louisiana State Bar association. He was appointed adjutant-general by Gov. Nicholls and reappointed by Gov. Foster. He was appointed judge of the First District court of Louisiana in 1903 and elected to succeed himself in that position in 1904, reelected in 1908 and again in 1912, but died before receiving his commission for the latter term. He was very active in the anti-lottery movement, which resulted in the overthrow of the Louisiana state lottery. He also served as chairman of the suffrage commitee in the Louisiana Constitutional convention of 1898. This committee formulated provisions which, standing the test of law, effectually delivered Louisiana from the domination of ignorance and fear of negro influence in government. Withal Judge Bell's decisions were so fair, and so strictly in accord with the true principles of the law that the negro race always respected him and appreciated the justness of his motives. As an evidence of this they selected him to present to an audience of his home people the most prominent personage among negro educators. His zealous courage, honesty, eloquence, and learning, together with splendid physical proportions, made Judge Bell long a marked figure in Louisiana legal and political history. He was a lifelong Democrat and always active in supporting the principles of his party. Judge Bell was twice married. His first wife was Miss Sallie Ross, who lived only about 5 years after their marriage, leaving 2 children, Goodwin Ross Bell, now of St. Louis, Mo., and James L. Bell, deceased. His second marriage was to Mrs. Mary Culp, nee Buckelew, who survives him. To this second marriage 3 children were born, viz.: Sallie, Wilbur B., and Thornton Fletcher Bell. The last named and youngest was born at Shreveport, La., Oct. 10, and is elsewhere referred to this work. Source: Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 42-43. Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association. Note: a photograph of Judge Bell is included in the original work.