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Betsy Mills and Ron Brothers. The Death and Cemetery Records of Lamar County, Texas, ReBroMa Press, 2008, http://www.lamarcountytx.org/cemetery. (12/16/2025)

THE PARIS NEWS, Friday, July 15, 1921: "Capt. William Bell, a pioneer resident of Lamar county, died at 3 o’clock yesterday morning at the home of his daughter, Mrs. F. D. Mallory, on Graham street. He was confined to bed for four years, but did not suffer from sickness, his death having been due to old age. He quietly and peacefully laid down his earthly burden and yielded his body to the God who gave it. He was one of the oldest, if not the oldest settler, of Lamar county at the time of his death. He was ninety years of age on the 13th day of last February. He became a citizen of Paris in 1846, and was a citizen of Lamar and Fannin counties almost continuously from that time. At the time of his death he was perhaps one of the widest and best known men in the county. He was very entertaining in conversation and his companionship was much enjoyed by those who had the good fortune to be thrown with him. He was a Confederate veteran and represented Lamar county in the legislature in 1879. He was born in Knoxville, Tenn., in 1831, and when a child he moved with his parents to Alabama. When only eight years old, the family moved to Nacogdoches county where both of his parents died, leaving him an orphan at the age of 11 years to fight the battle of life alone. Refusing to be apprenticed to an aunt, he ran away, and began carrying mail from Monroe, La., to Minden, La., a trip of 100 miles. [Bad section in paper.] For his services he was allowed the munificent salary of $6 per month. By close application he succeeded in holding down the job three years. He went to work in 1846 in Paris when it was known as Pinhook for Dr. S. E. Clement in his drug store and post office. He managed to save enough money to permit him to attend school at the old McKenzie College in Red River county. The gold excitement of the ’50’s found him in California. He and some of his friends gathered up a large bunch of cattle and drove them through to California. They started from Gainsville and drove across the plains. They lost a great many on the way out there, stolen by Mexicans when they camped at night, and they had a great deal of trouble with Mexicans and Indians. He remained two years in California and raised hogs and stock. He sold out this stock for $3,000 and brought home his money in $20 gold pieces in a buckskin vest worn next to his body. When he returned to Lamar county after two years spent in California he settled on a farm three miles south of the present site of Petty, which farm he continued to own until a few years ago. He married ... whom he met in Nacogdoches county and they moved shortly afterward to the farm near the present site of Petty. There they raised a family of five children, only two of whom now survive him-- Mrs. F. D. Mallory, with whom he was living when he died, and R. R. Bell, an attorney of Oklahoma City. In 1880, he moved with his family to Honey Grove to afford the children the advantages of the Honey Grove High School, them conducted by Rev. J. W. Clark, a close friend of the family and one of the foremost educators of North Texas. The children all having married, he and his faithful wife returned to Paris, where they spent their declining years with their second daughter, Mrs. Mallory. The other two daughters, Mrs. J. F. Campbell of Paris and Mrs. J. J. Poole of Muskogee, Ok., died before their parents, and an elder son, died at the age of 20. The death of Capt. Bell recalls the saying, ‘the old-order changeth, yielding place to new.’ The old pioneers of sturdy character and courageous devotion to duty are fast treking their way over the Western hills. Capt. Bell cared little for this world’s wealth. His trust in his fellowman, resulted in his being compelled to pay money security debts, but he never shirked a duty, nor paid less than 100 cents on the dollar. Among those who knew him it was never necessary to interview him to find how he stood on any great moral question. He always spoke up in meeting and was always on the side of morality. The world is better for his having lived in it. He was personally acquainted with Gen. Sam Houston, having lived near him in Nacogdoches county. He asked him once why he left his wife and resigned the governorship of Tennessee, to which Gen. Houston replied that, ‘Time and the tide would reveal all things.’ He was the oldest Mason in Lamar county at the time of his death, having been a member 45 years. He was past master of Honey Grove lodge many years and past high priest of Honey Grove chapter. He always attended the meetings of the grand lodge, and on account of his service his dues were remitted many years. He held certification in the blue lodge and chapter for years and instructed many Masons. The funeral services will be held at 9 o’clock this morning at the home of his daughter on Graham street, and will be conducted by Rev. W. D. Mountcastle and ... Groseclose of Paris, assisted by Rev. M. L. Hamilton of Sulphur Springs, his former pastor and ... will serve as pallbearers. The burial will be at Evergreen cemetery by the side of his wife, who died five years ago."

Information from Eugene Russel Ulrich II, 20 Dec 1999, 513 Linda Kay St., Winnsboro, TX 75494, Email - ulricher@peoplescom.net: William Bell was born February 13, 1831 in Rhea Co, TN the son of Robert and Milinda Scott Bell. William died July 14, 1921 and was buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Paris, Lamar, TX. He married Sarah Lord VanWey. She was born on June 24, 1830 in McArthur, Vinton Co., OH and died on January 05, 1916 in Paris, Lamar Co., TX. She was buried at Evergreen Cemetery, Paris, Lamar Co., TX. William and Sarah were married on January 08, 1861 in Rosalie, Red River Co., TX. Their children were:
    1. Mary Catherine Bell, born December 15, 1861;
    2. William Clinton Bell, born July 04, 1863;
    3. Sarah Laura Bell, born March 26, 1866;
    4. Robert Richard Bell, born April 06, 1868;
    5. Harriett Ann Bell, born November 06, 1869.
   There is much of the information in the book by J. R. Mallory, Some "Mallorys and Bells," (Greenville Printing Company, Greenville, TX, Copyright 1950). Page 54-60 contains most of the information on William and Sarah Lord Bell. This book is in the Lamar Genealogy Society Library. The whole book is about the Mallorys and Bells, with other prominent surnames from the Lamar County area. On page 21 there is a discussion about where William was born. Pages 32-35 contain a lot of information on William. After his father died, he went to LA to live with an aunt. William arrived in Lamar Co. from LA in Oct 1842. He is shown living with his sister Harriet and her husband William Howith on the Rusk Co. TX 1850 census.
    William traveled to California and returned the last time on a stage coach. This stage trip consumed fifteen days, with two all-night stops. The Butterfield Company operated the stage line and the motive power was mules part of the way and horse part of the way. The fare was $100.00 per person and the stage accommodated six passengers, baggage and the driver.
    A deed for his farm is recorded in Lamar Co. Deed Records, Book L, pg 526 - 28 and was filed for record Dec. 26 1861 at 4 p.m. The farm was bought from William B. and Margaret Jane Fort.
    After the war in 1865 he organized a Ku Klux Klan in his neighborhood and he was the Grand Kleagle. (pg 56)
    Was very active in Masonry (pg 57). In Sept 1876 William and his family moved to Honey Grove, Fannin, TX.
    In 1878 William Bell went the Legislature from Fannin County. (pg 58)
    Second paragraph on page 244 contains the following ‘William Bells influence for good and right was not local in its scope but was state-wide. He disliked the limelight and let the credit for his wise counsel go to somebody else. It was by accident that I learned of the power exerted in the brilliant careers of the Culbertsons, and Governors Rotert, Irland and Hogg, as well as Sul Ross.

Children's names come from the obituary of his wife: "...She leaves surviving her heart-broken husband, Capt. William Bell, who was a resident of Paris when it was called ‘Pinhook,’ and two children, Mrs. F. D. Mallory of this city and R. R. Bell of Oklahoma City. A daughter, Mrs. J. F. Campbell of Paris, preceded her last year and another daughter, Mrs. J. J. Poole of Muskogee, OK, died about two years ago. The only other child was William Bell, Jr., who died in early manhood."

William Bell enlisted as a Private in Hill’s Lamar Cavalry, CSA. There was a William A. Bell in Co. F, 34th Texas Cavalry, a William H. Bell in Co. F, 1st (McCulloch’s) TX Cavalry and a William H. Bell in Co. K, 1st (Yager’s) TX Cavalry. It is not certain if any of these were this William Bell.

Tombstone is inscribed, “William Bell.” On the same stone with Sarah Lord Van Wey. Sexton records had interment date of 25 Mar 1943.