Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1915
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 878
JOHN M. BELL

A veteran of the Civil War and a resident of Harrison county, Iowa, since 1886, John M. BELL is one of the highly respected citizens of Raglan township, where he has made his home for nearly thirty years. He has devoted himself to general farming and stock raising and has met with that success which always follows the persistent farmer. He enlisted for service in the Civil War when only seventeen years of age, and during the eight months he was in the service, he underwent many interesting experiences. Since locating in Harrison county, Mr. BELL has taken an active part in the general welfare of his community.

John M. BELL, the son of Thomas and Mary (MICK) BELL, was born November 16, 1846, in Tippecanoe county, Indiana. His parents were natives of Mason county, Kentucky, and Ross county, Ohio, respectively, and early settlers in Indiana. They came to the Hoosier state about the time the battle of Tippecanoe was fought in the fall of 1811. Mr. BELL's grandfather, Mick, was an axmaker, a Methodist Episcopal minister, and used to travel with John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Episcopal church when the latter was establishing churches in this country.

John M. BELL was educated in the schools of Indiana and lived at home until he enlisted for service in the Civil War. He became a member of Company H, One Hundred and Fiftieth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, enlisting on February 28, 1865, for one year, he was mustered out August 5, 1865. His first engagement was at the siege of Richmond, where he was sent without ammunition supplies. The company would pretend to make a charge, but had no intention of so doing on account of the fact that they had no ammunition for their guns. At another time Mr. BELL was stationed for guard duty at a point where two other men had been shot by sharpshooters, and again Mr. BELL's shrewdness undoubtedly saved his life. He did not choose to sacrifice it needlessly and accordingly piled up a number of stones where he was supposed to be and retired to a more sheltered spot. The enemy repeatedly fired at the pile of stones in an effort to get at him, while he stood at a convenient distance and laughed at their efforts.

After being mustered out, Mr. BELL returned to his home in Tippecanoe county, Indiana, and lived with his parents until 1878. In the meantime his mother had died. After marrying in the spring of 1878, Mr. BELL and his young wife went west and located in Guthrie county, Iowa, and continued to reside there until 1886, when he moved to Harrison county. Since locating in this county Mr. BELL has acquired a fine farm in Raglan township, where he engages in general farming and stockraising. He feeds about one hundred and twenty-five head of hogs for the market each year and keeps some dairy cattle for his own use. He is a mechanic of no ordinary ability. He does all of his carpentering and blacksmithing, having a completely equipped shop on his farm.

Mr. BELL was married January 14, 1878, to Sarah MORGAN, at Winterset, Madison county, Iowa. She was born in Jefferson county, Indiana, April 28, 1858, and is the daughter of Harvey R. and Mary (BARROW) Morgan, natives of Indiana and Pennsylvania, respectively. Her parents came to Iowa and located in Cedar county about 1864. Later they moved to Madison county, Iowa.

Mr. and Mrs. BELL are the parents of four children three sons and one daughter, Edna, Fred, Luther and John. The latter is still living at home. Edna is the wife of John Girton, a farmer of Raglan township. Fred, a farmer of Raglan township, married Bessie Whitney and has three children, Verva and Verdie, twins, and Bessie. Luther, a farmer living near Pisgah in Jackson township, married Millie Hagerman.

Mr. BELL and his three sons are all members of the Republican party. Mr. BELL has never been active in political matters, although his party elected him as trustee of his township several years ago. He and his family are all members of the Methodist Episcopal church, to whose support they have always contributed of their means.

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