Col. Thos W. Bell and Family, Smith County, TX ****************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm Submitted by Carey L. Smith -- ccoloradomtn@cs.com 22 May 2001 ******************************************************************* COL. THOS. W BELL AND FAMILY "Biographies of Old Settlers." Historical, Personal and Reminiscent. Volume I By Sid S. Johnson, 1900: Sid S. Johnson, Publisher, Tyler, Texas Chapter XCII - Pages 367-368 Col. Thos. W. Bell moved to Texas in 1849, and opened up a farm near Whitehouse, Texas. In 1852, he removed to Omen, (old Canton), and kept hotel until after close of the war. His wife died at Canton; she was a devout Christian. His oldest son died soon after his removal to Canton. This left Col. Bell with a family of four children; three daughters and one son--Mary J., Sarah C., Harriett C. and Thomas J. Mary J. Bell married Henry Floore; Sarah C. Bell is the wife of J. M. Hays, of San Antonio, Texas; Harriet C. Bell married Robert Engledow. Thos. J. Bell married Miss Fannie Calhoun, of Houston county, Texas. Henry Floore is an old and prominent citizen of Omen, Texas; he has raised and educated a family of very intelligent children who occupy good positions in business and social life. He is an old-timer, and an early settler of old Canton; has spent a useful life as an honest man and citizen; made a competency in the struggles of life to be comfortable as the shadows thicken in the declining evening of a stay on earth. The good he has done, the flowers he has strewn along life's pathway has added to his moral and Christian life and is a solace as age creeps on. Sarah C. Bell's first husband, Washington Bell, died in the Confederate army. The second marriage was with Dr. J.M. Hays, a leading man and prominent physician of Alamo City. Harriet C. Bell married Robert Engledow, a leading citizen of Smith county. She is a resident of Troupe, Texas. The only son left was Dr. Thos. J. Bell who is now a prominent citizen of Tyler. Dr. Bell was raised at old Canton (Omen) in Smith county; graduated in medicine in 1877 from the Missouri Medical College; settled at Troupe, Texas, and soon built up a lucrative practice. At Troupe, he and J.H. Smith were in the drug business, doing an extensive trade. This firm moved to Tyler and bought the drug store of Shuford & Cherry, and within a few years sold his interest to his partner. Dr. Bell has, and is now, a successful physician and surgeon, ranking high in his profession. He is an honest man, a member of the Presbyterian church, taking a deep interest, and is a leading member of this church; a Christian gentleman of intelligence and popularity. Mrs. Bell is a very intelligent woman, and very popular wherever she has lived. They have a bright and intelligent family of children. I note them as follows: Jas. L. Bell received his preparatory education under Prof. Orr, at Omen, Texas; graduated at Hampton Sidney College, Va.; has been a professor in Austin College, at Sherman, Texas, will enter this year the Theological Seminary at Richmond, Va. He married one of the intelligent daughters of Rev. Albert Little. They have three children --all boys. Maggie O. Bell married A. P. Prestwood; they reside in Tyler, and have one child--a girl. Annie C. Bell married J.V. Hughes, of Tyler, Texas and have three children. G. Gideon Bell is a student at Austin College, Sherman, Texas. Dewitt Burkhead Bell has been a student in the Tyler schools; he is now in Tyler College. Col. Thos. W. Bell was a well informed man on the issues of the day; a great reader and kept posted on current events, and had a store of general history knowledge. As a conversationalist, he was versatile, intersting, and attractive. He held several positions of honor and trust, performing official duties with honesty and intelligence. He lived to the age of seventy-five years, and died at Canton, (Omen), Texas, since the war.