Bell, Charles Emlen (1858-1932)

BELL

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 9/15/2019 at 16:53:55

Charles Emlen Bell
Mar 31, 1858 - May 10, 1932

(From the 1891 Biographical History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, p.485)
BELL and BERLINGHOF are architects and superintendents of building, having their office in rooms 405 and 406 in the Sapp Block in Council Bluffs, and a branch office in room 615 Paxton Building, Omaha. The company was formed November 1, 1883, and they have erected some of the principal buildings in the city, as the Sapp Building, Marcus Block, Kearney Bank Building, Woodbury Building, City Hose House, etc., Saunders Block, and the residences of W.W. Loomis, J.J. Steadman, W.C. James, J.A. Herald, J.P. Hess, H.H. VanBrunt, Foster Flats, Dr. H.F. Hart's block, Robling Block, the residences of C.L. Duel, E.E. Savage, J.Q. Gaston, Gus. Hengen, the Chautauqua Building, the residences of W.L. Kearney, W.H. Thomas and Dr. Chamberlin, and also additions to the D. and M. Institute of Council Bluffs, the Abner Graves Bank Building of Charter Oak, Iowa, the T.P. Phillips Block at Belleville, Kansas, the Second Avenue public school for the independent district of Council Bluffs, and the addition to the Twentieth Avenue school building.
CHARLES E. BELL, the senior member of the firm, was born March 31, 1858 in McLean county, Illinois, the son of Chalkley and Mary BELL, natives of the New England states. The mother was a daughter of James and Sarah EMLEN, prominent in the Society of Friends. Mr. Emlen was a leading minister of that society, traveling through England, Scotland and Ireland. The parents are still living, residing at Bloomington, McLean County, Illinois. Six of their eight children survive: Walter H., resides in Belleville, Kansas; Sarah is the wife of Isaac P. GARRETT, living near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Mifflin E., formerly supervising architect and now superintendent of the public buildings of Chicago; Samuel A., resides at Bloomington; Arthur H. is city engineer of Bloomington; and Charles E., the youngest, is the subject of this biographical sketch.
He completed his school education at Philadelphia, in the West Town Boarding School, under the direction of the Friends. Then he learned the carpenter's and builder's trade, which he followed for 7 years, meanwhile studying architecture; one year he studied under the tutorship of his brother, Mifflin. In 1884 he came to Council Bluffs in the employ of the Government and assisted in the construction of the government building (the postoffice), and since that time has been a resident here.
In September 1887, he formed a partnership with J.W. Allen as architect for a year. He is an energetic and enterprising citizen, a Republican and a member of the orders of the Knights of Pythias and Royal Arcanum, Lodge No. 156.
He was married November 11, 1880 to Miss Nellie L. WICKHAM, of Springfield, Illinois, daughter of Henry M. and Emeline (LATHROP) WICKHAM, and they are the parents of three children: Walter H., Emeline L., and Edward Earl. They are members of the Presbyterian Church.