Hamilton McKinney "H. K." Bell and Elizabeth Ann McClain

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Husband Hamilton McKinney "H. K." Bell ^{1 2}

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           Born: 30 May 1837 - Buffalo Twp, Washington Co, PA 3
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

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         Father: Raphield Bell (1807-1872) 4
         Mother: Margaret Woods (1814-1854) 4

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       Marriage: 3 Jun 1868 3

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Wife Elizabeth Ann McClain ^{2 5}

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           Born: 
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         Father: Simeon McClain (Abt 1816-      ) 2 6
         Mother: Jane Carter (      -      ) 2 7

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Children

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General Notes: Husband - Hamilton McKinney "H. K." Bell

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In early life he learned of his father the trade of a millwright, and from 1853 to 1855 he conducted a grocery store at Ewings Mills, in Chartiers township, Washington County, Pennsylvania, now called "Meadow Lands." After leaving the grocery business he began to learn more thoroughly his trade, and followed the business of millwrighting until his enlistment, August 22, 1861, at Wheeling, West Virginia, in Company B, First West Virginia Volunteer Cavalry (for three years or during the war; but he served his country three years and five months on his first enlistment), which was led by Capt. Farabee, subsequently by Capt. H. P. Boon; said company was composed principally of men from Washington and Greene counties, Penn. Mr. Bell was a duty sergeant at the organization of said company, and was promoted to commissary-sergeant and afterward to quartermaster-sergeant. He was mustered in at Camp Carlisle on the island in the Ohio river, Wheeling, West Virginia, and took part in several battles, among which may be mentioned Blumery Furnace, Winchester, Port Republic, second Bull Run, and several other engagements; was taken prisoner at Berlin, Penn., June 30, 1863, by the Seventeenth Virginia Confederate Cavalry, and from there was taken to Gen. Early's headquarters in Berlin, where he was questioned by the General concerning the past and present movements of the Federals; but true to the country which was dearer to him than liberty or life, he turned a deaf ear to all questions of the Confederate leader, only replying: "I am not commanding the army of the Potomac." He then asked the General if he knew the nature of the oath a United States soldier was required to take, to which the latter replied that he did. Mr. Bell then remarked to the General that it was not befitting either a gentleman or a soldier to endeavor to get a prisoner of war to perjure himself by giving the enemy any intelligence of the movements of an army that he knew of; whereupon Gen. Early said: "I will not ask him any more questions." Mr. Bell was then turned over to the Fifth "Louisiana Tigers," and while a prisoner he witnessed the three-days' fight at Gettysburg, employing his time during the first day in helping to dress the wounds of his fellow-prisoners and directing them to hospitals. On the evening of the third day of the battle, he, with about fourteen hundred other prisoners, was sent
under a flag of truce to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, arriving within Union lines July 4; thence went to parole camp at West Chester, Pennsylvania, on July 5, 1863, and finally to Camp Stoneman to be remounted and equipped for duty. He was honorably discharged January 21, 1865. Returning home he settled in Prosperity, Morris township, Washington County, Pennsylvania, where he had come from prior to his enlistment. There he resumed his trade of a millwright, but was soon compelled to abandon it on account of ill health, having con-tracted asthma during the war.
For over twenty five years he was engaged in the banking and money-loaning business, in which he was successful. He was residing on his Highland farm, on the road leading from Prosperity to Sparta, in Morris township, Washington County. In politics he was a war Democrat, and with his wife was an active member of the Presbyterian Church of Upper Ten-Mile.

1 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 389, 981.

2 Joseph F. McFarland, 20th Century History of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens (Chicago, IL: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., 1910), Pg 738.

3 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 390.

4 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 389.

5 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 390, 981.

6 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 576, 981.

7 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 981.