Bell Davis, Addie 1864-1914

BELL, GREEN, DAVIS

Posted By: Geo Clinton (email)
Date: 11/4/2016 at 11:40:58

Jan 15, 1914 - Carroll Times - Mrs. Addie Bell Davis, colored, was thrown from an automobile Sunday afternoon and instantly died. The circumstances were about as follows: Mrs. Davis had been riding in an auto driven by her son, Arthur Bell, most of the afternoon, another younger son, occupying with her the rear seat of the car. They had been to Glidden and were on their way back to Carroll, when they encountered another car coming this way.

The car in which the Bells were riding passed the other at race speed not far from Kotas' corner. The car which was passed was also going at high speed and continued but little in the rear. When the cars neared Storm Creek bridge the Bell car was seen by those following to wobble a moment and then turned completely over, throwing out the occupants, but strange to say, stopping right side up. The top of the car was completely demolished and it is believed that the injuries received by Mrs. Davis were due to her head being caught between the bow which supported the top and the back of the seat in which she was sitting with her younger son.

Her skull was crushed and death must have been practically instantaneous. The little boy who sat in the same seat with her and the older son, who occupied the drivers seat, were practically uninjured. A coroner's inquest was held on Monday which returned a verdict of accidental death in acordance with the facts cited above.

Mrs. Addie Bell Davis was born in Lincoln county, Kentucky, her parents being held as slaves, although the date of her birth, June 7, 1864, was subsequent to the emancipation proclamation. This did not become effective in that section, however, until about three weeks after her birth.

The parents improved the opportunity which freedom afforded to move to Indianapolis where the deceased was married to Jesse Bell at the age of fourteen years. The children survive her, of whom five are the fruit of this marriage and the other of a later marriage to Mr. Davis.

Mr. and Mrs. Bell moved to Carroll shortly after their marriage and the deceased had been a resident of this city for twenty nine years at the time of her death. She labored earnestly for the education of her children, a number of whom have graduated from the Carroll High School. She was a member of the Baptist church, but as that church is without a pastor at this time, her funeral was held on Wednesday afternoon at the First M.E. church conducted by the pastor Rev. S. Grant Lewis.