James Hall Bell was the fourth of eight known children of Josiah Hughes Bell (1791-1838) and Mary Evaline McKenzie (1799-1856), who married 01 Dec 1818 at Hopkinsville, Christian County, Kentucky.

I used to have 12 Jan 1825 for Judge Bell's birthdate, but the 21 Jan 1825 date has been confirmed.

James married Catherine Elizabeth Townsend (1827-1895) on 01 Dec 1847 at Houston, Harris County, Texas. James and Catherine were the parents of eight known children, namely:

1. Evelyn Hunter Bell Wright (1848-1904)
2. Barclay Townsend Bell (1850-1930)
3. Elizabeth Lucinda (Lucy) Copes Bell Stiles (1853-1906)
4. Leah Emily Bell Copes (1855-1911)
5. Jane (Jennie) Rebecca Bell Andrews (1857-1952)
6. Thaddeus Constantine Bell (1860-1916)
7. Manson McCormick Bell (1862-1863)
8. James Hall Bell (1872-1872)

James attended college in Kentucky and then went to Harvard University Law School,
graduating from Harvard College in 1847. He then returned to Texas to begin his law career in partnership with the Honorable Robert J. Towns. He was elected District Judge for the First District in Texas in 1856 and was elected as an associate Justice of the Texas Supreme Court in 1858. Judge Bell voted against secession in February 1861. However, as a Texas Supreme Court justice, he took the oath of office to the Confederacy when Texas voted to leave the Union, remaining as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of Texas until he was defeated in his reelection effort in 1864. After the Civil War was completed, Judge Bell served as the Texas Secretary of State during the administration of Governor Andrew Hamilton, he worked tirelessly to reinstate the state of Texas to its rightful place in the Union during Reconstruction, and he was instrumental in bringing the Republican Party to Texas.

Contributor: Robert Arnold (49799819)

Judge Bell practiced law in Austin until his death. In 1850 James and his family was living near Columbia (now West Columbia), Brazoria County, Texas. In 1860 (census taken 02 Aug 1860) the parents, Evelyn, Barclay, Lucinda, Leah, Jennie and Thaddeus (age 6 months) were living at Austin, Travis County, Texas. In 1870 James, Catherine, Evelyn, Barclay (a farmer), Lucy, Leah, Jenny (sic) and Thaddeus were living at Austin(?), Travis County, Texas. In 1880 the parents, Lucy, Jennie (Jane), Thaddeus and two nephews: James H. Bell (age 22) and Thaddeus Bell (age 16), were living at the 3rd Ward, Austin, Travis County, Texas. Catherine's widowed sister Emily Baker (b. c1840 in Mississippi) was living with them.

Links to James' parents, wife, all of his eight known children and three of his seven known siblings are included below.