Biographical Sketch of Hon. David A. BELL (1841-1896); Philadelphia Co., PA

Contributed to the PAGenWeb Archives by Diana Smith 
[christillavalley@comcast.net] 

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"Philadelphia, A History of the City and its People; A Record of 225 Years"
Author, Ellis Paxson Oberholtzer
Publisher:  S. H. Clark; Philadelphia; 1912     
Vol. 3, page 398
 
HON. DAVID A BELL
     The political, business and social interests of his life brought the Hon. David A. Bell a 
wide acquaintance and his admirable qualities won him the kindly affection and lasting regard 
of those with whom he came in contact. He was born in Matawan, New Jersey, March 16, 1841, and 
the greater part of his life was there passed. His parents were George W. and Laura M. (Bray) 
Bell, the former of English and the latter of Holland descent. In early life they were residents 
of New Brunswick, New Jersey, but after their marriage removed to Matawan, occupying one house 
for a half century. The father was a prominent man of affairs in Matawan, conducting a drug 
business there, also engaging in the monument business, acting as notary public and taking a 
keen interest in all matters relative to the public welfare. He was a scholarly man and a keen 
intellect enabled him to correctly judge of the value of any public project and made him an 
influential factor in the public life.
     David A. Bell was educated in the public schools of Matawan and of Pennington, New Jersey, 
and in the Glenwood Institute of the former place, at that time one of the leading schools in 
the state. He also continued his education in New York city, where he was a classmate of George 
W. Hobart at one time candidate for vice president of the United States. He chose medicine as a 
profession and studied for two years, as was the custom at that time. under the direction of 
Alfred B. Dayton, a prominent physician of Matawan, after which he matriculated in the College 
of Physicians & Surgeons of New York. He was preparing to become interne in a hospital but by 
too close application to his work he undermined his health, was taken dangerously ill and was 
forced to give up all study for a year or two at least. After his recovery he turned his 
attention to journalism.  His father, George W. Bell, had become possessed of the type presses 
of the New York Times, a paper whose publication had ceased, and David A. Bell in order to while 
away the time began to do a little printing for his own amusement. He then took little jobs of 
work for the townspeople until finally he had enough printing coming in to keep him busy most of 
the time. Having enough type and presses to conduct a newspaper he conceived the idea of 
publishing one and the Matawan Journal was established July 25, 1869. At first it was independent 
in politics but in 1878 became democratic. He conducted it successfully for a number of years and 
at length sold it to B. F. Brown and purchased the Red Bank Standard at Red Bank, New Jersey, 
which he published for about three years when, his health becoming impaired, he went south for a 
short time. In Atlanta, Georgia, he took charge of all printing matter and program for the Cotton 
States Exposition, in 1895.
     About 1891 before going south he had removed with his family to Philadelphia. After a brief 
period spent in Georgia he returned to his home and because of continued ill health he gave up 
all strenuous business cares. He continued to write occasionally, however, for the Philadelphia 
North American and accepted the editorship of the International Ticket Association, a monthly 
magazine issued for railroad men. He was also the corresponding advertiser for the Southern 
Pacific Railroad Company but gave up all work about a year prior to his demise. Mr. Bell married 
Isabella Shepard and it was one of the chief delights of his life to entertain his friends in his 
own home with an open-hearted and open-handed hospitality. In the various communities in which he 
lived he was not only a successful business man but a prominent and influential citizen whose 
words carried weight because of the well known honesty and wisdom of his opinions. No one spoke 
of him except in terms of good will and of praise.
     His early political allegiance was given to the democracy but after 1892 he voted 
independently. In 1877 he was private secretary to the Hon. Leon Abbott, president of the New 
Jersey senate, and in the following year acted in the same capacity for Hon. George C. Ludlow, 
both of whom afterward became governors of the state. Mr. Bell was nominated and elected to the 
assembly from Monmouth county for the legislative session of 1882, after a very strong effort had 
been made to defeat him by some of the leaders of his own party because of his pronounced views 
and standing upon the temperance question and by his political opponents on his war record. As a 
member of the house he took a leading part in all debates, was a very effective speaker and an 
active legislator, being on several important committees and carefully watching all bills 
introduced to prevent laws being made that would be detrimental to the interests of the people. 
He was spoken of as the "people's watch dog." He served for three terms in the legislature. It 
was the time of the Kelsey-Little-Ross rule in the state and the machine was accustomed to get 
what it wanted. Mr. Bell perhaps represented in the democratic party at that time about the same 
idea that ex-Senator Colby and his helpers represented in the republican of New Jersey today, 
freedom from boss rule. He was reelected without opposition to the assembly for 1883 and during 
the closing hours of that winter's session a bill that  Mr. Bell believed to be inimical to the 
interests of the state was introduced. The machine had so fixed matters that its passage was 
certain but Mr. Bell blocked it by speaking against it for nearly six hours until the time for 
final adjournment had arrived. Notwithstanding the three times he accepted the office of 
legislator he shunned notoriety, rejecting many opportunities for political advancement, and was 
recognized as a man of innate modesty.
     While Mr. Bell was busy with his business affairs and political interests he was never 
unmindful of his duties as a private citizen and was among the foremost in doing what he could to 
advance the interests of the community in which he lived. He gained and he!a the respect of even 
those who might honestly differ from him in their views. Many of his townspeople were wont to go 
to him for advice and help which he was always willing to give freely and cheerfully. He was very 
pronounced in his view on the temperance question, believing in the principle of local option and 
that the saloon should be wiped out wherever it was possible to do so. Still he had sympathy for 
the man who was a slave to the drink habit and was known frequently to put himself to much 
inconvenience to assist such an unfortunate one. He was fond of travel and a lover of music and 
of home. He held membership in the Methodist Episcopal church at Matawan and for many years 
served in local positions such as local preacher, superintendent of the Sunday school and 
secretary of the board of stewards, while at one time he was president of the Monmouth County 
Sunday School Association.
In all of these positions he zealously guarded both the interests of morality and religion. As a 
local preacher he was often called upon to fill the pulpits in churches where the minister was 
absent in Matawan and the surrounding towns and villages. As an employer he had the highest 
respect of those who served him. He had no use for one who would shirk duty and expected and 
demanded honest work from all. To those who tried to do their best he not only accorded a good 
living wage but by his advice and kindness proved his friendship and gave to such an incentive 
for always doing their best, thereby developing in them habits of life-long value. He died 
September 29, 1896, and his passing was the occasion of deep and wide-spread regret to all who 
knew him, for he was a man who drew to himself many warm friends and retained their regard by 
reason of the many sterling traits of his character.



 

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