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r 3s5 P&G e, 2 PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF -WESTERN OREGON Containing Original Sketches of many well known Citizens of the Past and Present ILLUSTRATED CHAPMAN PUBLISHING COMPANY 1904 L PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 11°,3 JOHN COLGATE BELL. \Vith nearly vears. His Avife, who before her marriage was ninety years behind him the memory of John Sarah lsountz, d(iet in Salem, at the age of Colgate Bell goes back over the better part of sixt\ -sevey vears. Besides Mrs. Bell the other the nineteenth century and recalls the changes (lau'lhter Of this family now living is Mrs. Nancy which the years have brought to the nation and Belt, the wife of Dr. Belt, of Salem. to the individual. As a mere lad his hand was In i85o Dr. Belt brought his family to Oregon shaken by La Fayette on his tour of the country and Mr. Bell accompanied them, leaving his own in 1824, and he has listened to the retailing of wife in their Missouri home until he had first happenings of the two wars with Great Britain, tried the western life. They set out primarily by his grandfather, William Bell, who served as for the gold fields of California, leaving May i a soldier under Washington at-Brandywine and of that year, but through delays they changed other battles of note, fighting valiantly for his their intentions and came instead to Oregon. On adopted country, for he was a Scotchman by the way they fell in with Major Davis and came birth, and by his father, also William Bell, who to Portland, but left Mr. Davis here while they served as major of cavalry in the war of i8i2. journeyed on to Salem, which city was the The father was a pioneer of the state of Ken- scene of about twenty rears of the practical busi- tuckv and he himself has put the greater part of ness life of Mr. Beli. In the same year he was the continent between him and the scene of his appointed, manager of a store at The Dalles, birth, enduring the hardships and dangers of where he was employed in hauling supplies to the early days and now enjoying the affluence the soldiers as well as carrying on a large trade and prosperity which a wise use of opportunities with the Indians. Major Tucker was the com- entail. manding officer and Mr. Bell had been appointed The birth of Mr. Bell occurred in Mount by Colonel Loring. He built the first house and Sterling. Montgomery county, Ky., February 24, occupied it at The Dalles before the officers 1814. The father was a native of Philadelphia, were in their own quarters. Until i85i Mr. Bell and early removed to Kentmkv, where he en- remained there, then sold out, and purchasing gaged as a wholesale hat merchant. In 1834 he thirtv-two pack mules, conducted a pack train went to Missouri, where his death occurred at from Salem to Yreka, Cal., a distance of two the age of eighty-eight years. His wife, for- hundred and fifty miles, which occupation was merlv Virlinda Grimes, was born in Bourbon continued for a year. The year following he county, Ky., and (lie(l in Missouri at the age returned to Missouri and in i854 came back of fifty years. Of their four children the only across the plains with his family. During this one now living is J. C. Bell, of this review. He trip they experienced the horror, while camping received his education at the academy of his na- on the banks of the Ovhee river, of witnessing a tive town, his first employment being as a clerk massacre of a party of emigrants by Indians, in a store there. When his parents removed which would probably have been their own fate to the state of Missouri, Mir. Bell, then twenty had not Mr. Bell performed a strategic move- \,ears old, accompanied them, and there bought ment which averted the danger. In Salem Mr. a farm and engaged in raising tobacco, in which Bell opened a general merchandise establishment employment he remained for two years, in I837 and continued the same for many years, also entering the mercantile world as a wholesale and buying a farm near that city, where he engaged retail grocer of Clarksville, Pike county, Mo. in stock raising and cultivation of wheat, this This business was successfully conducted for latter, however, occupying his attention for only about three years, when he went to New Or- three years. After selling his business in Salem leans for eighteen months and then to Platte in I870 and also his farming interests he re- county, Mo., where he passed the ensuing ten tired from active duties until his appointment years. While in that location he was married by Cleveland as postmaster of Astoria, at which in Weston, in 1845, to Sarah E. Ward, who time be moved his family there and served in was born in Greenup county, Kv., in i829, after- that capacity for four and a half years. In i890 war(l becoming a resident of Fleming county, he removed to Portland, which has since re- where she was reared and educated. She was mained his home, conducting until his retirement the daughter c-f Gen. Thompson Ward, a com- a real estate business here, in which he met mander in the war of 1812, and an attorney and with the uniform success which had character- politician, representing his district in the Ken- ized the efforts of his life. tucky legislature for sixteen years. He moved Throughout his entire residence in this state to Weston, Mo., and in 1854 came to Oregon, Mr. Bell has been associated with the enterprises crossing the plains with ox teams in a journey calculated to advance the interests of the coin- of five months. He settled in Salem, where he munitv, taking an active part in all affairs that followed farming and stock raising until his have come within his range of influence, which death, which occurred at the age of eighty-five has, fortunately, been wide and far-reaching ,. , , - = '_ __ NMI IN IF -.- - - - ..- --- - -- - I - s P 134 PI )RTkAIT AN\-D PI( )( RAPHICAL RECORD. through his business contact with the people of During that time his career has caused him to the state. In I86i he was one of the stock- become recognized as a man of most estimable holders of The Arena, in Salem, the first Demo- personal qualities, who is unselfishly devoted to cratic paper of the city, and the same year as- the promotion of those movements calculated to sisted very materially in the election of Colonel enhance the numerous advantages of the city Baker to Congress, his tragic death at Ball's and the state as a desirable place of residence, Bluff, in i86i, being especially felt by those who as well as to educate the rest of the world in the had sent him as their representative. In i864, many material advantages offered by the com- while Mr. Bell was in San Francisco, the Demo- monwealth to men of energy and enterprise. cratic party nominated him for state treasurer, His father, Samuel H. Fields, was born near but he was defeated at the election. He has Lexington, Ky., in I821, and at an early age been very active in the Democratic conventions, was made an orphan. In his youth he went to acting as delegate to the state, county and local Missouri with the intention of assisting in the meetings. While living in Weston, Mo., he pioneer development of that state. There he gave much aid in the time of the Mexican war, learned his trade, that of mason, and about 1854 assisting in recruiting the regiments of Colonel removed to Milwaukee, Wis., where he estab- Donovan and General Price, both being organ- lished himself in business as a contractor and ized at Fort Leavenworth. Mr. Bell then ranked builder. Subsequently he carried on operations as lieutenant-colonel. in the same calling in Kilbourn City and New To Mr. and Mrs. Bell were born ten children, Lisbon, in that state. In 1875 he came to Ore- of whom two died in infancy in Missouri and gon and purchased a tract of twelve and one- one at the age of two years in Salem; Nancy fourth acres in Mount Tabor, which he con- Garnett, born in Missouri, married Walter Jack- verted into a fine fruit farm. The remainder son and died in Portland, leaving two children, of his life was spent at Mount Tabor, where his Alice Bell and Haroltl, who now make their death occurred in i896. During the Civil war home in that city; Laura W., born in Missouri, he served as a member of the Eighth Wisconsin married J. H. D. Gray, formerly county judge Infantry. His widow, who before her marriage of Astoria, Ore., but who is now deceased; they was Luconda Hamilton, now makes her home in became the parents of eight children; William T. Mount Tabor. In their family are four chil- is engaged in the mercantile business in Enter- dren, namely; Eliza J., wife of E. J. Brubaker, prise, Ore., and has three children, two sons and postmaster of and merchant in Mount Tabor; one daughter, namely: Memory, rnett and Louis R., superintendent of the Oregon division Helen; Alice is the wife of S. Z. Mitchell, of of the Southern Pacific Railroad; Charles E., Tacoma, Wash., the manager of the General who is engaged in the 'eal estate business in Electric and Improvement Company, and they Portland; and Frank S., the youngest child in have one son, Sidney A.; Sarah Blanche is the the family.

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