John Bell, a prosperous farmer of Carroll County, Iowa, residing on section 23, Sheridan Township, is a native of Down County, Ireland, born January 26, 1838, and was the fourth in a family of ten children of Andrew and Elizabeth (Brown) Bell. The father being a blacksmith, John was reared to the same avocation. He remained in his native county till 1857, when he sailed from Liverpool, England, alone, landing at New York City, and a short time afterward went to Warren County, New York, where he followed farming, working by the month for two years. He then went to Washington County, New York, where he resided about nine years, when he immigrated to Cedar County, Iowa, where he worked on a farm by the month for one year. He was married in New York State March 15, 1870, to Miss Emma Wood, who was born in Washington County, New York, May 10, 1849, a daughter of Charles and Sarah (Hollinbeck) Wood, who were natives of the State of Vermont. Mr. and Mrs. Wood had a family of eight children, Mrs. Bell being the sixth child. To Mr. and Mrs. Bell have been born nine children, of whom seven are living—Lizzie, Jennie S., Albert, Carrie M., Minnie A., Effie C. and Mattie E. Mattie died in 1878, aged thirteen years, and Stephen A. died in 1884, aged one year and seven months. Mr. Bell left Cedar County in 1870, when he came to Carroll County and settled on his present farm, which at that time was raw prairie land. He now has one of the finest farms in the county, located as follows: the northwest quarter of section 23, the east half of the southwest quarter of section 23, the south half of the northeast quarter of section 22, and the southeast quarter of section 15, Sheridan Township. He is successfully engaged in farming and stock-raising. He has on his farm a native grove covering two acres, and one acre of ground for an orchard. His residence is both comfortable and commodious, and his farm buildings are in good condition, making his farm one of the most desirable in his neighborhood. In politics Mr. Bell is a Republican, and is a strong advocate of the principles of his party.

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