BELL, John

BELL, WARNER, FONTS, YANNEY, KANAGY, REFFEY, ALEXANDER, LONG, GRIMM

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/20/2014 at 06:11:38

History of Decatur County Iowa and Its People
Illustrated, Volumne II.
Prof. J. M. Howell and Heman C. Smith, Supervising Editors
The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company. pp. 312-74. Chicago. 1915.

JOHN BELL

JOHN BELL has been engaged in wagon making in Leon since 1869 and some of the wagons which he made thirty-five years ago are still in use, which is proof of the excellence of his work. He was born at Keedy's Mill, on the Antietam river, ^Maryland, August 13, 1838, a son of Daniel and Mary (Warner) Bell. The father was born at Bedford, Pennsylvania, and was a son of John Bell, a miller by trade, who emigrated from Germany to America prior to the Revolutionary war and settled in Pennsylvania. He fought for the independence of the colonies and was a man of many admirable qualities. Daniel Bell conducted a shop at Hagerstown, Ohio, for some time, but subsequently removed to Stark county, that state, where he followed his trade until his demise, which occurred when he was in his seventy-sixth year. His wife was also born in Pennsylvania and was a daughter of John Warner, who farmed and conducted a sawmill in Bedford county, Pennsylvania. To their union were born eleven cbildren, of whom our subject is the sixth in order of birth and of whom eight grew to maturity. All are now deceased, save John and a sister, Mrs. Susan Fonts, who is living at Canton, Ohio.

John Bell accompanied his parents to Harrison county, Ohio, when eight years of age and later removed with the family first to Stark county and then to Tuscarawas county, that state. He attended the subscription schools and also learned the wagon maker's trade from his father during his boyhood. On the outbreak of the Civil war he joined the Union army, enlisting in Company A, Thirteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, on the 18th of April, 1861. When the three months for which he had enlisted expired, he reenlisted for three years and in 1864 veteranized in the same company and regiment, serving in all for four years and eight months. He was first with the army in Virginia and later was with the western army in Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Louisiana and went with Sherman as far as Atlanta, Georgia. He was discharged at San Antonio, Texas, to which point his command had been sent. He participated in the battles of Missionary Ridge and Lookout Mountain, took part in the fighting about Atlanta and was in twenty-three general engagements. He has twice wounded and was twice taken prisoner by John Morgan's men, once near Nashville, Tennessee, and the other time near Whitesburg on the Tennessee river. After being discharged from the service he returned to Ohio, but in 1869 he settled in Leon, Decatur county Iowa, which has ever since remained his home. He immediately opened a wagon shop and has made many of the wagons used in this county, where he has long been recognized as an excellent workinan and as a thoroughly reliable business man. From time to time he has also given some attention to farming and to carpentering.

Mr. Bell was married in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, in April, 1867, to Mrs. Mary A. Yanney, who was born in Wayne county, Ohio, on the 25th of August, 1843, a daughter of Henry and Mary (Kanagy) Reefy, both natives of Switzerland, where their marriage occurred and where two of their children were born. Upon emigrating to the United States with their family, they settled in Wayne county, Ohio, where Mr. Reefy gave the greater part of his attention to farming, although he was by trade a shoemaker. Both he and his wife passed away in Tuscarawas county, that state. They were the parents of eight children, of whom Mrs. Bell is the seventh in order of birth. One died in Switzerland and three sons and three daughters reached maturity, but Mrs. Bell is now the only one living. She was reared in Tuscarawas countv and first married Edward Yanney, who served in the Civil war in an Ohio regiment and who died at Franklin, Tennessee. To that union was born a daughter, Ida, the deceased wife of W. A. Alexander, of Leon. Mr. and Mrs. Bell have five children: Eva, who married O. S. Long, of Shenandoah, Iowa; Harry P., who is a pharmacist by profession; Edgar E., a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work; Ralph R., who was killed in a railroad accident near Davis City, this county, when twenty years of age; and Susan, the wife of R. A. Grimm, who is manager of the Bell Telephone Company at Omaha.

Mr. Bell is a republican, as he believes that the adoption of the policies for which that party stands vrould insure the continued prosperity and welfare of the country. He has been a member of the Grand Army of the Republic for many years and for thirty-seven years has belonged to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, while his wife holds membership in the Rebekahs. Both were formerly identified with the Methodist Episcopal church. There are few others now living in Leon who were here at the time of his arrival in this city and in the forty-six years that have elapsed since, he has at all times done his share in promoting the advancement of his community. He has erected a fine residence and is recognized as a substantial and representative citizen. While living in Ohio he formed the acquaintanceship of William McKinley and his mother and became a close personal friend of the McKinley family.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2014