J. Edward Bell

As printed in 1912

J. EDWARD BELL.

It is an excellent thing to be born to great wealth, like a Vanderbilt, but it is also an excellent thing to be born to a good name. When ancestors through many generations have lived useful lives and have made a splendid name for themselves by devotion to duty and honor, it is one of the brightest inheritances that can be left to descendants. And so the families that had ancestors in the Revolution or in the service of the country many years ago boast of such services and found organizations of the descendants with the record of their fathers for the foundation stone. And so descendants of families that came to the wilderness of Ohio and carved refined and Christian homes from the primeval wilds may well boast of the deeds of their fathers

8o8 and mothers who conquered the woods and made the soil blossom with the flowers of industry and peace. J. Edward Bell, farmer and stock man of Hilliar township, Knox county, had such ancestors.

Mr. Bell was born on February 12, 1865, on the farm, three miles northwest of Centerburg, where he has always lived. He is the son of Hiram and Mary Ann (Hughes) Bell, the father born near Utica. Licking county, and the mother on a farm in Clay township, Knox county. The father spent his boyhood in his native county, coming to this county in early life and he and his wife settled in the spring of 1864 on the farm in Hilliar township, where their son, J. Edward, now lives, and there they continued to reside. This farm, consisting of one hundred and twenty-five acres, has always been regarded as one of the best in the community. The father was a progressive farmer for his day and became an influential citizen here, active in Democratic politics, and he held local offices with credit, such as that of township trustee. His death occurred on July 6, 1900. His widow survives.

Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hiram Bell, one of whom died in infancy; besides the subject, Florence is living, being the wife of J. M. Ervin, of Columbus, Ohio.

J. Edward Bell spent his childhood and youth pretty much as the average farmer boy, and he received his education in the common schools. He was married on October 2, 1886, to Mary Taylor, daughter of Josiah and Elizabeth Ann (Bradfield) Taylor, of Morrow county, Ohio, and to this union two sons have been born. Ray C. and Jay M., both at home.

For fourteen years after he was married, Mr. Bell operated a rented farm of one hundred acres, lying north of his father’s farm, and at the death of the father the subject bought all the interests in the home place, and moved there and this has continued to be his place of above. He has kept the old place so well cultivated that it has retained its original fertility and has yielded abundant crops from year to year. He has kept it under a high state of cultivation and has been very successful as a general farmer and stock raiser and has a good home and a competency as a result of his close application and good management. He has also purchased the farm which he rented for fourteen years when he first started out in life, and in addition to this another tract, all adjoining, making in all a most excellent farm of two hundred and ninety acres. But notwithstanding this large amount of productive land, Mr. Bell is not an extensive crop raiser, producing only enough to properly feed his flocks of sheep and other stock. He has long been one of the largest sheep raisers in this part of the state. His Delaine sheep are greatly admired by all who see them and because of their superior quality they find a very ready market when offered for sale, and they are known to lie great wool producers. His home is one of the most attractive in Hilliar township.

Mr. Bell is a thoroughly progressive man in all that the term implies, adopting whatever measures, through investigation, prove to be the best. Politically, he is a Democrat, but is not a partisan, being an independent voter, supporting candidates and measures instead of parties. He has never been an office seeker. Fraternally, he is a member of the Centerburg Knights of Pythias lodge.

As printed in Past and present of Knox County, Ohio (1912). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.