FRANK BELL, well known to everybody in the county and one of the first settlers of Fair Haven township, died last Thursday evening, July 7, at the Whiteside county poor farm. Bell was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Jan. 20 [should be 28 Feb], 1819, and reached nearly his eightieth milestone, being 79 years, 5 months and 17 days old. He came to Illinois in the spring of 1853, settling in Fair Haven where he has made his home with the exception of a few years. Before coming west he married Anna C. French [should be Prince] of Bradford Co. Pennsylvania. Of the six children born to them, three are living: Mrs. S. O. Taylor of Morrison; Joseph T. Bell of Fair Haven and Mrs. Henry Shamel of McCook, Neb. Bell was largely indentified with the early business interests of Fair Haven township. Singular as it may appear, he had held more township offices than any other man in this town, holding at different times nearly every township office. He was a somewhat strange and queer character and for his propensities for lawing he became widely known. As long as he had money and was physically able to be in court he would be on hand with one or more suits. At one time he was in possession of considerable property but most of it went for lawing. For a number of years he kept going about the county stopping with former acquaintances. The past two years he failed rapidly and would have lost his life by freezing, last winter, if he had not been discovered in time. The remains were brought to the Fair Haven cemetery where short services were held at the grave and then consigned to mother earth.
Contributed by Karen Fyock - dated 1898
Contributed by Karen Fyock - dated 1898
FRANK BELL, well known to everybody in the county and one of the first settlers of Fair Haven township, died last Thursday evening, July 7, at the Whiteside county poor farm. Bell was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Jan. 20 [should be 28 Feb], 1819, and reached nearly his eightieth milestone, being 79 years, 5 months and 17 days old. He came to Illinois in the spring of 1853, settling in Fair Haven where he has made his home with the exception of a few years. Before coming west he married Anna C. French [should be Prince] of Bradford Co. Pennsylvania. Of the six children born to them, three are living: Mrs. S. O. Taylor of Morrison; Joseph T. Bell of Fair Haven and Mrs. Henry Shamel of McCook, Neb. Bell was largely indentified with the early business interests of Fair Haven township. Singular as it may appear, he had held more township offices than any other man in this town, holding at different times nearly every township office. He was a somewhat strange and queer character and for his propensities for lawing he became widely known. As long as he had money and was physically able to be in court he would be on hand with one or more suits. At one time he was in possession of considerable property but most of it went for lawing. For a number of years he kept going about the county stopping with former acquaintances. The past two years he failed rapidly and would have lost his life by freezing, last winter, if he had not been discovered in time. The remains were brought to the Fair Haven cemetery where short services were held at the grave and then consigned to mother earth.
Contributed by Karen Fyock - dated 1898
Contributed by Karen Fyock - dated 1898
Inscription
Francis Bell/ Born Feb 28, 1819/ Died July 7, 1898
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