Frederick G. Bell maintains
his residence in his native city of McGregor, Clayton
county, and has gained prominence and influence as
one of the representative factors in connection with
the important operations involved in the grain
industry in this section of the Union, as he is now
the incumbent of the responsible position of manager
at McGregor of the interests and extensive business
of the firm of Gilchrist & Company, which
maintains a great chain of grain elevators throughout
Minnesota and northern Iowa. Mr. Bell is one of the
alert business men and popular and publicspirited
citizens of McGregor and is a member of a family
whose name has been long and worthily identified with
the annals of Clayton county.
He was born at McGregor on
the 12th of May, 1874, and is the second in order of
birth of the three children of Colin F. and Lacy
(Sloan) Bell, the former a native of the State of New
York and the latter of Illinois. Of the three
children the first-born was a son who died in
infancy, and the youngest of the number is Miss
Elizabeth Bell, who still maintains her home at
McGregor. Colin F. Bell came to Clayton county in the
pioneer days and was for many years engaged actively
and successfully in the buying and shipping of grain,
with residence and business headquarters at McGregor,
where he died Feb. 1st, 1905, when about 82 years of
age, and where his wife passed away May 1st, 1906.
Frederick G. Bell acquired
his early education in the public schools of McGregor
and supplemented this discipline by an effective
course in the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, at
Troy, New York. After his return to McGregor he
became associated with his father in the grain
business, with which he has since continued to be
identified and in connection with which his
experience has been such as to give him authoritative
knowledge of all conditions and details. As manager
for Gilchrist & Company he has supervision of a
large and important business in the buying and
shipping of grain, and his progressiveness and
loyalty are further shown in the lively interest
which he shows in all that touches the welfare of his
native city and county. His political allegiance is
given to the Republican party. Mr. Bell holds
membership in the Congregational church, his wife
following the precepts of the Christian Science
church.
August 8,1911, was the date
that recorded the marriage of Mr. Bell to Miss Emma
Farnum, who was born and reared at Mason City, Cerro
Gordo county, this State, and they have four children
— Farnum, Colin, Lyman and Lacy. It should be
noted that Mr. Bell's interest in and prominent
association with the grain business is further
evidenced by his holding membership in the Board of
Trade of the City of Chicago.
source: History of
Clayton County, Iowa; From The Earliest Historical
Times Down to the Present; by Realto E. Price,
Vol. II; pg. 34
-OCR scanned by S. Ferrall
