Wythe County, Virginia, Obituary:  Stephen Bell, 1942

Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
H. Edgar Bell, Jr. 
<edbell@htcomp.net>
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Obituary of Stephen Bell, 1942 - Wythe Co. VA


The death of Capt. Steve Bell, as he was best known to his wide 
circle of friends, which occurred at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Harry 
Bryan, of Bonne Terre, a few minutes before midnight on Thursday night of 
last week at the advanced age of 85 years, 10 months and 13 days, removes 
from the Lead Belt one of its pioneer and best known mining men. From 1882 
when he came to Bonne Terre and began working for St. Joseph Lead Company as 
assistant mining captain under the late Capt. Thos. Porter, until he retired 
in 1920--38 years--he served as assistant or mining captain for the various 
lead companies operating in the St. Francois County district. Most of the 
men now working in the district of 50 years of age or older at some time or 
other worked with or under him for the St. Joseph Lead Company, the Federal 
Lead Co., or the St. Louis Smelting & Refining Co. In 1901 he was sent by 
the St. Joseph Lead Company to the Leadwood district where he laid out what 
are now the Leadwood, Gumbo, and Mitchell school districts. He was a brother 
of the late Capt. Frank K. Bell, who also for many years was mining captain 
for the St. Joseph Lead Company at Flat River.
Stephen Bell was born at Austinville, Va. On Jan. 6, 1857, the son 
of James and Mary Logan Bell. In 1878 he was united in marriage to Josephine 
Lyons, who preceded him in death on Feb. 9, 1932. To their union seven 
children were born, four of whom-Thomas, Sarah, Colar and Huey-also preceded 
their father to the Great Beyond. Surviving are two sons, William, of St. 
Louis, and Wilson, of Doe Run; one daughter, Luzena (Mrs. Harry) Bryan, of 
Bonne Terre; also two brothers, James and John Bell of Austinville, Va.; one 
sister, Miss Sally Bell, of Austinville, Va.; a large number of 
grandchildren, great- grandchildren and two great- great- grandchildren.
Early in life he joined the Methodist Church at Austinville, Va. He 
was of rugged, pioneer stock, industrious, intelligent, kind, honest and 
loyal. He had been in good health until a few weeks before his death when he 
contracted pneumonia.
Funeral services were held at the Benham Undertaking Parlors at 2:30 
o'clock Sunday afternoon by Rev. J. N. Broadhead, pastor of the Bonne Terre 
Methodist Church. Interment was in the Bonne Terre Cemetery with Benham 
service.

(Submitter Comments: 
This article appeared in the Farmington (MO) News. Stephen Bell died on 
November 19, 1942. His wife, Josephine, was from Carroll County. On their 
marriage license, Stephen identifies his parents as Leander and Elizabeth 
Bell as his parents, not James and Mary Logan Bell. Census data places 
Stephen in the home of Leadner and Elizabeth as a child. Also, it appears 
that Frank Bell was not Stephen's full brother, but some lesser degree of 
relative, perhaps cousin. Frank Bell's death certificate lists his father as 
Hugh Bell.)