ISSAC ABNER BELL 1862-1932

BALL, BELL, COFFMAN, COURTRIGHT, COX, EMMERSON, HOUNSLEY, OATES, PARKER, PHILLIPS, PYLE

Posted By: L.K. Newby (email)
Date: 9/15/2006 at 10:23:25

Fort Madison Evening Democrat – March 1932

WORD RECEIVED ABOUT DEATH OF ISAAC A. BELL

Isaac A. BELL of Pecos, Texas, died of a heart attack at Silver Dome Mountain prospect mine district * in Presidio county Friday, March 18, according to word received by relatives here.

Mr. Bell was born Dec. 10, 1862 in Dover Iowa the second son of William E. and Minerva P. (Courtright) BELL and the second grandson of John and Jane (Emmerson) BELL all of whom preceded him in death.

Two of Mr. Bell’s ancestral paternal grandfathers were Sir Isaac Bell of Hull, England and Sir Robert Emmerson of Staintondale, England. ** On his mother’s side he was descended from Cortez, the Spanish explorer.

He has friends and relatives’ living in the vicinity as Mr. Bell was at one time a successful photographer in Fort Madison, a member of the firm, Bell and Courtright. These experiences lead him to invent the Bell panoramic camera which revolutionized the taking of panoramic views. Mr. Bell also invented a device for taking photographs from the air, which eliminated the heavy loss of life through the use of dirigible balloons in the photography of enemy fortifications and hostile movements.

During the war Mr. Bell perfected a device known as the depth bomb, which proved to be the first really successful weapon used by the Allies in combating apparent invincibility of the submarine. It was used successfully during the war. (W.W.I)

Mr. Bell went to Pecos in 1928 and was associated with his brothers in the development of minerals in the Silver Dome Mountain mining district.

Funeral services were conducted from the Baptist church in Pecos with Rev. Edgar Ratliff officiating.

He is survived by seven sisters: Mrs. Brawley (Clara) OATES of Pecos, Texas; Mrs. Flora PHILLIPS and Mrs. Charles W. (Maggie) BALL of Kansas City; Mrs. William W.H. (Ida) HOUNSLEY, Los Angeles, California; Mrs. William H. (Merta Ellen) COX, Jacksonville, Florida; Mrs. John S. (Victoria) PARKER, Mt. Sterling, Illinois; and Mrs. Lottie PYLE of San Diego, California; and three brothers: Ira J. and Leon Bell of Pecos, Texas; and Arch W. Bell of Los Angeles, California.

[This was transcribed for Lee county Iowa genealogy purposes, the news clipping was found among other family scrapbook items gathered by Mrs. J.M. Newby, 1882-1964.]

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* Loma Plata Mine is (Big Mine; Silver Dome Mountain prospect) located 36 miles southwest of Marfa, TX.

**Genealogists disclaimer Note: I have NO verification of the honorary titles given these ancestors in this obituary. This disclaimer is not meant to disrespect the original authors’ claims, just to add perspective on the need for further qualification that may indeed be archived in unknown vaults.