Arthur Bell (1761 - 1833)

Born 1 Aug 1761 in Middletown, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Elizabeth (Greenwood) Bell — married 10 Mar 1783 in Middletown, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA

Descendants

Died 19 Jan 1833 at age 71 in Bell Township, Clearfield, Pennsylvania, United States

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Biography

Arthur Bell was pioneer Settler of Clearfield County.

Arthur Bell; b. 1 Aug 1761 at Middletown, Pennsylvania;

m. Mary Elizabeth Greenwood, daughter of Joseph Greenwood and Mary Siferd, 10 Mar 1783 at Middletown, Lancaster, Pennsylvania;

Arthur Bell is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor.
NSSAR Ancestor #: 112747
Rank: Private

Arthur Bell is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A008687.

History of Clearfield county
     

"Matthew Ogden married Elizabeth Bloom, daughter of William Bloom, in the year 1802. This was the first marriage ceremony performed in the county. " Squire " Arthur Bell officiated.
      Daniel Ogden died in 1819, at the advanced age of eighty-four years. His wife died in 1835, aged ninety-eight years. Several of the children returned to New York State. Daniel, Jr., moved over to the Allegheny River. Joab went West, but returned and settled near James Woodside, in Brady township in 1804, and was the second white settler in that locality. He died there.
      Arthur Bell came up the river from Big Island, in the same year, and soon after Daniel Ogden. He remained a few days with Ogden and helped put up his house, after which he went farther up the river, and commenced an improvement. Bell, who in after years was known as Squire Bell, came from Path Valley, Centre county. He, and his brother John, who also came about the same time, were veterans of the Revolution, having served on a privateer. Arthur was made justice of the peace in 1802. He was a great " fiddler," and exceedingly popular among the settlers. He was a tall, muscular man, of determined spirit, kind, and obliging, and the recognized leader in the settlement. Grier Bell, his son, was the first white child born in the county. He was so named after Rev. Grier, of Williamsport, who came to baptize him. Squire Bell used an old coffee-mill for grinding corn until Mat. Ogden's mill was done. He raised a family of several sons and daughters. Of his children William married a Miss Henry, and died, leaving a large family. His widow afterward married John P. Dale. Greenwood was a rheumatic, and suffered severely from that complaint. Grier, the first child born in the county. Letitia, who married James Young, and three other daughters who married respectively William, Thomas, and James McCracken, sons of James McCracken, sr."^[1]

"Arthur Bell, grandfather of our subject, married a Miss Greenwood, and was the third pioneer to make a permanent settlement in Clearfield county. In 1790 he made his way up the river in a canoe, and spent the winter as a hunter and trapper. In the following spring he brought his family to Clearfield county, and made a permanent settlement on the river bank, a short distance below the present site of Lumber City, where he improved what is known as the Far weather farm. Game was very plentiful, and was the principal source of food supply for the family. They had to go to Williamsport by canoe and across the mountains to Bellefonte for bread stuffs, and all the experiences of frontier life be came familiar to them. In the family were children as follows; Letitia, Rebecca, Rachel, Mary, Greenwood, William, Greer and Arthur, all now deceased. Grandfather Arthur Bell aided in organizing the county, was its first justice of the peace, and performed all marriage ceremonies for many years. When Bell township was later divided, the portion that was set 05 was called Green wood. From the days of its earliest development representatives of the Bell family have been prominent in its promotion." ^[2]

Known children of Arthur Bell and Mary Elizabeth Greenwood all b. at Pennsylvania were as follows:

• i. Greenwood; b. 20 Nov 1785; m. Elizabeth Roll, daughter of John M. Roll and Mary Elizabeth Frampton, 26 Dec 1809 at Clearfield, Pennsylvania; d. 8 Sep 1860 at age 74.
• ii. Letitia; b. 27 Oct 1787; b. 30 Oct 1787; m. James Campbell at Clearfield, Pennsylvania; m. James Young; d. 1 Oct 1871 at age 83.
• iii. Rebecca; b. 27 Sep 1789; m. Thomas McCracken, son of James McCracken and Sarah Rebecca Greenwood, circa 1808 at Clearfield, Pennsylvania.
• iv. Mary; b. 13 Sep 1791; m. John McCracken.
• v. Rachael; b. 13 Sep 1793; m. William McCracken, son of James McCracken and Sarah Rebecca Greenwood.
• vi. William; b. 22 Feb 1795; b. 22 Mar 1796; m. Martha Henry 1818; d. 28 Oct 1831 at age 35.
• vii. Grier; b. 1 Jul 1799; m. Hattie Rowles.

Sources

1. ↑ Daniel Ogden, publised in ["History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania: With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers"] by Lewis Cass Aldrich. (Publisher D. Mason, 1887) (Original from Pennsylvania State University) (Digitized Apr 29, 2011) (Length 731 pages) (Free e-book. Available at Google Play) (page53)
2. ↑ Frampton Bell, published in ["Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania: Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, and of Many of the Early Settled Families, Volume 1"] Access Level Public; Language English; Page Count 1005; Owning Institution FamilySearch Library; Publisher Digital FamilySearch International Page 731 (doc page 680-681)

• Source: S411 Record ID Number: MH:S403 User ID: 51962B4442A6F66A5D4BED9A4368B9C0 Author: StephenOwner White Title: henry Web Site Text: MyHeritage.com family tree CONT Family site: henry Web Site CONT Family tree: henry5 Media: 149489051-5 Type: Smart Matching Record ID Number: MH:SC9127 Page: Arthur Bell Event: Smart Matching Role: 5021819 Data: Date: 19 OCT 2013 Text: Added by confirming a Smart Match Quality or Certainty of Data: 3
• Source: S436 Record ID Number: MH:S427 User ID: 51C6175458DA71F02D4BED9A4368B428 Author: William R. Billotte Title: William R. Billotte, B. 10/10/1943 Web Site Text: MyHeritage.com family tree CONT Family site: William R. Billotte, B. 10/10/1943 Web Site CONT Family tree: billbilllotte Media: 36280611-106 Type: Smart Matching Record ID Number: MH:SC13292 Page: Arthur Bell Event: Smart Matching Role: 106018972 Data: Date: 12 JAN 2014 Text: Added by confirming a Smart Match Quality or Certainty of Data: 3
• Source: S723 Record ID Number: MH:S699 User ID: 53839F775D3943606D4BED9A4368B18B Author: Jamie Stott Title: Family site (Family Tree Legends) Text: MyHeritage.com family tree CONT Family site: Family site (Family Tree Legends) CONT Family tree: McAndieBrown Media: 175734261-2 Type: Smart Matching Record ID Number: MH:SC16830 Page: Arthur Bell Event: Smart Matching Role: 2001194 Data: Date: 26 MAY 2014 Text: Added by confirming a Smart Match Quality or Certainty of Data: 3

Research Notes

FamilySearch Person: KPH9-W23

Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled familie, Vol. 1 (https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/357324-commemorative-biographical-record-of-central-pennsylvania-including-the-counties-of-centre-clearfield-jefferson-and-clarion-containing-biographical-sketches-of-prominent-and-representative-citizens-and-of-many-of-the-early-settled-familie-vol-1) SAR Magazine 1939 January.PDF (https://www.sarconnecticut.org/BOM/SAR%20Magazine%201939%20January.PDF)

genealogy.com | User Home Page Genealogy Report: Ancestors of Rachel Tessa Gifford (https://www.genealogy.com/ftm/g/i/f/Michael-A-Gifford/GENE1-0014.html)