CONFEDERATE BIOGRAPHY:  P. H. BELL - Smith County, TX

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Submitted by Mary Love Berryman - marylove@tyler.net
7 September 2001
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TEXANS WHO WORE THE GRAY by Sid S. Johnson

P. H. BELL.

Peter Hansborough Bell, third governor of Texas, was born in Culpeper, 
Virginia, May 18, 1812. He was educated in his native State and in 
Maryland, and having passed through a college course, he came to Texas 
in 1836. At once enlisting under Gen Sam Houston, he served through 
several campaigns as a private, was in the battle of San Jacinto, 
and by 1839 had attained such popularity as to be made inspector 
general of the army of Texas.  In 1845 he was chosen cap­tain of Texas 
rangers, and during the Mexican war served as a colonel of volunteers 
under Gen. Zachary Taylor, winning particular distinction at Buena 
Vista.  In 1849 he was elected governor of Texas and was re-elected in 
1851, but resigned in 1853 a few months before the expiration of his 
second term to take his seat in congress where he represented the West 
Texas district for a number of years.  He entered the Confederate army 
on the outbreak of war in 1861 and did valiant service as a colonel of 
infantry.  In 1891 the Texas legislature voted him a donation of land 
and a liberal pension in recognition of his valuable services to the 
Texas republic and to the State.  A number of his relics of the Texas 
war for independence, and the Mexican war of 1846, are preserv­ed in 
the State Capitol at Austin. Gov. Bell was married in 1857 to Ella 
daughter of Gen. William Eaton of North Carolina.  They had no 
children.  He died at Littleton, Halifax County, N. C., April 20, 1898.