Husband William Temple Bell 1
Born: 19 Feb 1843 - Northumberland, England 1
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Father: Joseph Bell (1819-1892) 1
Mother: Elizabeth Todd (1816-1899) 1
Marriage: 1 Dec 1869 2
Wife Rachel Likins 2
Born: - Ohio
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Children
1 F Anna Bell 2
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2 M John Bell 2
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Spouse: Florence B. Foote ( - ) 2
Marr: 1906 - ? Venango Co, PA
3 M Philip Bell 2
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Spouse: Ruth S. Martin ( - ) 2
Marr: 1903 - ? Venango Co, PA
4 M Edward Bell 2
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General Notes: Husband - William Temple Bell
He was born at the village of Eals, in the parish of Knarsdale, county of Northumberland, England. This village is situated in the valley of the South Tyne river, between the towns of Haltwhistle and Alston, and the little stone cottage in which he was born stood on what was called The Barrel Hill, the site of one of the old-time beacons that were lighted to alarm the neighborhood on occasions of inroads by the predatory Scotchmen.
He received but little education from the schools, as he began working when quite young, being employed with his father during the summer seasons, and going to school for but a few terms in winter. He never attended any college nor even a high school. Early in life he became interested in the wild and cultivated plants, and his interest therein never diminished. Largely to gratify a wish of his father he began the study of law, and on January 24, 1865, he was admitted to practice in the various courts of Venango County, Pennsylvania, and became a partner of Samuel Plumer, with whom he practiced the legal profession for some time, being most interested personally in the study and investigation of titles to real estate and the laws relating there-to, and in the preparation of conveyances, contracts, and other legal papers, and caring less for that branch of the business formerly known in England as "Old Bailey Practice."
His natural inclinations, however, led in other directions, and in 1868 he embarked in business on a small scale as a florist, being the first to engage in that pursuit in the section of country where he lived, but as there was but little demand for his productions at the beginning of his experience in that line he, as he expressed it, starved out twice and was compelled to seek other employment, being engaged by an attorney in Oil City to assist him in the practice of his profession, but after having saved a sufficient amount of money to justify him in doing so he returned to the business of his choice, which, by careful and intelligent attention and industry, continued to improve and was carried on successfully for more than forty years.
He contributed many articles relating to floriculture and other subjects to various publications, many of which were illustrated from photographs of his own production; was chosen to act as judge at several extensive flower shows, serving last in that capacity at the Pan-American Exposition at Buffalo, and upon invitation prepared and read an elaborate paper on the carnation and its culture at the convention of the American Carnation Society at Pittsburgh, in January, 1910, which was published in four or more of the florists' trade papers, and copied in part by other publications.
In 1862 he visited England and revisited it in 1864, going at that time to the North of Ireland on legal business, and returning home by way of Quebec. He made a third visit in 1867, and a fourth in 1908, during the former of which he went to London, Wales, Scotland, where he visited Edinburg, Glasgow, Loch Lomond, Loch Long, Ayr, and the birthplace of Robert Burns, and during the latter he re-visited Scotland, principally to see Abbotsford, Melrose, Selkirk, Yarrow and other places connected with the history of Sir Walter Scott; during all his visits to the land of his birth he was much interested in and made explorations along the line of the most notable Roman remains in Britain, the Roman Wall.
His children all possessed musical talent, probably inheriting that tendency from their father, who was a natural musician, although wholly untrained.
His experience as a rhymester began while he was still quite young, certain of his earliest productions of that character being published in local newspapers while he was a schoolboy; in 1866 he had two small collections of verses published, entitled, respectively, "Writings on the Sand" and "Lanercost Abbey." In 1909 a book called "Various Verses" was issued for him by a New York publishing firm, and later a smaller collection of verses was published in Franklin and named "An Aftermath of Rhyme." He had previously written and had published a small book of prose called "The Fossil Hunters;" and in 1910 he prepared the matter that was published by the Old Home Week Association, entitled "Notes on the Early History of Franklin and Venango County," and he was also the author of the words of the song published and used on the same occasion called "Home Again in Franklin." He wrote several other songs, for three or more of which he composed the music and had the same published.
He prepared several lectures, nearly all of which he delivered several times to interested audiences, on the following subjects: "Butterflies," "The Stuarts," "The Botany of Venango County," "The Roman Wall in England," "Robert Burns," "Sir Walter Scott," and "Darwinism and Evolution."
He was a member of a literary society, the Cosmos Club, of Franklin; served his district for six years as a director of schools; was chosen as one of the managers of the Franklin cemetery and elected by his fellow members president of the board of managers. He also redeemed the old Franklin burial ground, the Park cemetery, from its condition of absolute neglect and disrepair, had it cleared and fenced, and cared for it thereafter without receiving or caring for any pecuniary remuneration.