BIOGRAPHY:   T. J. Bell, M. D. - Smith Co, TX

Submitted by Gayle Basaldu [basaldus@hotmail.com]
March 16, 2004 

Copyright.  All rights reserved.
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"Biographical Souvenir of the State of Texas"
Containing Biographical Sketches of the Representative Public, and 
Many Early Settled Families, Chicago, F. A. Battey & Company, 1889

T. J. Bell, M. D.

      T. J. Bell, M. D., is a native of Greene county, Tennessee, 
born July 11, 1848, a son of Thomas W. and Susannah (Bullen) Bell, 
natives also of Tennessee, where they were married and in the fall 
of 1849 moved to Texas and settled in Smith county, about eight 
miles southeast of Tyler, where they lived two years, then moved 
to old Canton, where the mother died in 1861.  His father was a 
blacksmith by trade, and also kept a public boarding house at old 
Canton in the early days of the county.  He took an active part 
in politics, and during the war served as assessor and tax 
collector.  He was at one time the candidate of his party for the 
office of representative, but was defeated by the whigs.

      T. J. Bell was but a year old when his parents moved to 
Texas and received his education in the public schools of Smith 
county.  Choosing the profession of medicine he attended lectures 
at Tulane University, New Orleans, and graduated from the Missouri 
Medical College, at St. Louis.  He first located at Troup, and 
built up a large practice, which extended for many miles into the 
surrounding country, and in 1886 moved to Tyler, where in connection 
with his practice, he is interested in a flourishing drug store.  
Dr. Bell was a poor young man when he began his business career, 
but by close attention and hard study has become one of the leading 
physicians of Smith county and his practice yields him a handsome 
revenue.  He has made good investments of his money owning 
considerable real estate, and is also interested in the Tyler Car 
and Lumber Company.

      Mrs. Bell was formerly Fannie O. Calhoun, daughter of Squire 
Calhoun, of Houston county, Texas, and a second cousin of John C. 
Calhoun.  Dr. Bell is an adherent of the Scotch Presbyterian church, 
in which he was reared, his parents and grandfather Bullen being 
members of that denomination.