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 THE BELL FAMILY

 



 
 
ARTICLES
MONTGOMERY & COMFORT (BRITTAIN) BELL

 
 
 
 
 

 

MONTGOMERY & COMFORT (BRITTAIN) BELL
submitted by G.G. Bell
     Montgomery Bell was born in Burke (or Rowan) County on September 21, 1787, the son of Thomas and Jane Montgomery Bell.  His mother died at his birth, and his father married, secondly, Sarah Eve of Wilkes County.  In 1796 Thomas brought his family to Buncombe County.  Here Montgomery spent his entire youth on the west side of the French Broad River.

     He met and married Comfort Brittain, daughter of James Brittain Jr. whose family came to Buncombe from Virginia.  She was born April 24, 1796.  The date of their marriage is unknown, but they moved to Habersham County, Georgia by 1830.  What he did for a living while in Buncombe County is not known, but his main activities appear to have been buying and selling land in all the surrounding counties of North Carolina as well as Georgia and Tennessee.

     Montgomery was a gentleman of virtue, faithful and just in his many land dealings with men, an indulgent husband, and an affectionate parent.  His wife Comfort, was the sunshine of his life.  She died on May 3, 1873, and is buried in Chamblee, Georgia, but his death date and place of burial are not known. They were the parents of eight children whose descendants live in Texas, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee:

    1. Louisa Bell (1827-1880) married Judge H.H. Walker and had son William and daughter Victoria (1861-1866).
    2. Susan Bell (d. 1896) born in Haywood Co, NC, and died in Bartow Co, Georgia, married Mr. Posey.
    3. Carolina Bell (no further information).
    4. Montgomery Bell Jr. (1832-1897).
    5. Adaline Bell (no information).
    6. Eliza Bell married Samuel G. Castleberry and had one daughter and six sons.
    7. James Cicero Bell (1834-1908) married Mary Ann Ledford (1841-1935) who was a daughter of Buncombe County Ledfords.  They had eleven children:  All born in White County, Georgia.
        1. Louisa Jane Bell
        2. Marcilla Adaline Bell
        3. Harriett Ellen Bell
        4. Albert Allison Bell
        5. William Rufus Bell
        6. Mildred Caroline Bell
        7. Thomas Boulden Bell
        8. Birdie Brittain Bell
        9. John Cicero Bell
      10. Frank Montgomery Bell
      11. Marion Claude Bell.
    8. William Brown Bell (June 28, 1838 - April 2, 1899) married Bashaba Katherine McAfee (1835-1903) dau. of Thomas V. and Eliza (Findley) McAfee in White Co., GA, in 1857.  William was a traveling salesman and kept an accurate diary of his life.  They had twelve [sic] children:
        1. Marcus Bell (1859-1911)
        2. Thomas Montgomery Bell (1861-1941)
        3. Carrie Bell (1863-1922) (Mrs. Henry J. Jarrard)
        4. Emma Bell (Mrs. Millard Hunt) b. 1864
        5. Frank M. Bell (1868-1915)
        6. William W. Bell (1867-1867)
        7. Oliver Cicero Bell (1868-1947)
        8. Mary Bell (Mrs. Alf Gilmer)
        9. Augustus Bell , (b. 1872)
      10. Kate Bell (1874-1960) Mrs. E.H. Kenimer
      11. Lillie (Mrs. E.P. Weatherly) twin to Kate
      12. P. Lester Bell (1877-1909)
      13. Maud Bell m. 1st George Kytle, and 2nd, Edward Norton 

      --Old Buncombe County Heritage - NC, 
      article #229, p. 149
BELL FAMILY BIBLE PAGES
The New Testament of our LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST
NEW YORK: AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY
Instituted in the Year MDCCXVI (1851)
 
BIRTHS
Catharine Bell was born Nov 15th 1800

DEATHS
James F. Bell departed this life, May 31st, 1849
Hannah B. Phillips died Dec. 11th, 1848
Adam Phillips died January 2nd 18 -
Herbert Atkinson Bell died August 18th, 1883
Ida E. Lindsey died Jan. 16th, 1904
Mattie D. Bell died Feb. 13th 1904 (15 minutes after 8 a.m.)
Lawrence M. Bell died March 10 - at 11:50 am 1906
Catharine Bell died March 24th 1892
George H. Bell died Jan. 24th 1923

MARRIAGES:
James F. Bell & Catharine Phillips were married March 8th 1844.
Geo. H. Bell and Mattie D. Gragg were married March the 1sdt 1868
May E. Bell and Robert M. Carter were married Oct 8th 1890
Minnie Bell & Henry Clark were married Feb 2nd 1891
Ida E. Bell was married Dec. 27th 1893
Alma Bell and George Presley married Apr 15 1896

BIRTHS
Geo. H. Bell was born Aug 21st 1845
Baptised [sic]: June 12th 1870
Mattie D. Creasman was born October 30th 1844
Baptised: June 26th 1870
Minnie Agnes Bell was born September 6th 1870
Baptised: Nov. 13th 1870
Lawrence Murdoch Bell Born Oct 16th 1872
Baptised: Nov. 10th 1872
Ida Evangeline Bell born June 9th 1874
Baptised" August 9th 1874 by Dr, Buxton
Alma Leona Bell Born March 22nd 1876
Baptised: Sept 10th 1876
James Edward Bell Born (Easter Day) April 21st 1878
Baptised: July 21st 1878
George Folk Bell Born Oct 25th 1880
Baptised Dec 19 1880
Herbert Atkinson M. Bell Born Sept. 16th 1882
Baptised: Nov. 19th '82
Lillias Gertude Bell Born March 6th 1886
Baptized: Apr. 18 1886

--OBCGS vertical files
--A Lot of Bunkum May 1998