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Bell Witch of TennesseeWebsite Created By Phil Norfleet
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Bell Family GenealogyIntroduction The following report, concerning the genealogy of the family of John Bell (1750-1820), consists of outlines only. Other than John Bell himself, I have not personally researched this family with respect to the primary records. Instead, I have relied upon secondary sources. Accordingly, the report should be used as a starting point only, to use in forming genealogical hypotheses. To prove these hypotheses, the reader of this report must provide his/her own supporting rationale obtained from family documents such as Bible records and/or memoranda; and from official documents such as wills, deeds, court minutes, etc. The ancestor numbering system utilized in the report is that recommended by the National Genealogical Society (NGS).
Descendants of William Bell (Father of John Bell)
Generation No. 1 1. WILLIAM1 BELL was born in Isle of Wight VA, and died 1754 in Edgecombe County NC. He married ANN JONES 1721 in Isle of Wight VA, daughter of RICHARD JONES and UNKNOWN. She was born in Isle of Wight VA, and died Abt. 1750 in Edgecombe County NC. Children of WILLIAM BELL and ANN JONES are:
Generation No. 2
2. ARTHUR2 BELL (WILLIAM1) died 1775 in Halifax County NC. He married SARAH _____.
Children of ARTHUR BELL and SARAH _____ are:
3. JOSHUA JOSEPH2 BELL (WILLIAM1) died 1793 in Edgecombe County NC. He married PHEREBY NORFLEET Abt. 1745 in Edgecombe County NC, daughter of THOMAS NORFLEET and RUTH BLUNT. She was born Abt. 1728 in Nansemond County VA, and died Abt. 1798 in Edgecombe County NC.
Children of JOSHUA BELL and PHEREBY NORFLEET are:
4. JOHN2 BELL (WILLIAM1) was born 1750 in Edgecombe County NC, and died December 1820 in Robertson County TN. He married LUCY WILLIAMS Bef. 1790 in Edgecombe County NC, daughter of JOHN WILLIAMS and MOURNING _____. She was born Abt. 1770 in Edgecombe County NC, and died 1837 in Robertson County TN. Notes for JOHN BELL: This John Bell is the one made famous by the Bell Witch legend. John was purportedly slain by the Bell Witch in December 1820. The most complete account of this legend is contained in the book written by Martin Van Buren Ingram entitled "An Authenticated History of the Famous Bell Witch."
Children of JOHN BELL and LUCY WILLIAMS are:
Generation No. 3
5. BENJAMIN3 BELL (ARTHUR2, WILLIAM1) died Abt. 1775 in Halifax County NC. He married ABSILLA NORFLEET 02 July 1768 in Bertie County NC, daughter of MARMADUKE NORFLEET and NAME UNKNOWN. She was born Abt. 1754, and died Bef. 1795.
Children of BENJAMIN BELL and ABSILLA NORFLEET are:
6. WHITMAL3 BELL (JOSHUA JOSEPH2, WILLIAM1) was born Abt. 1752, and died 1824 in Edgecombe County NC. He married ELIZABETH "Betsy" _____. She died Aft. 1824.
Children of WHITMAL BELL and ELIZABETH _____ are:
7. WILLIAM3 BELL (JOSHUA JOSEPH2, WILLIAM1) was born Abt. 1762, and died Abt. 1800 in Edgecombe County NC. He married ANN.
Children of WILLIAM BELL and ANN are:
8. BYTHEL3 BELL (JOSHUA JOSEPH2, WILLIAM1) was born Abt. 1765, and died 1802 in Edgecombe County NC. He married NAME UNKNOWN.
Children of BYTHEL BELL and NAME UNKNOWN are:
9. JESSE E.3 BELL (JOHN2, WILLIAM1) was born Abt. 1790 in Halifax County NC, and died 25 October 1843 in Christian County KY. He married MARTHA GUNN Abt. 1817 in Robertson County TN, daughter of REVEREND GUNN and MARTHA MILES. She was born Abt. 1800 in Virginia, and died Aft. 1850 in Mississippi.
Children of JESSE BELL and MARTHA GUNN are:
10. JOHN3 BELL (JOHN2, WILLIAM1) was born 1793 in Halifax County NC, and died 08 May 1862 in Robertson County TN. He married ELIZABETH GUNN 25 November 1828 in Robertson County TN. She was born 1807 in NC.
Children of JOHN BELL and ELIZABETH GUNN are:
11. ESTHER3 BELL (JOHN2, WILLIAM1) was born 27 May 1800 in Halifax County NC, and died 26 March 1859 in Panola County MS. She married ALEXANDER BENNETT PORTER 24 July 1817 in Robertson County TN. He was born 17 January 1791 in Caswell County NC, and died 24 June 1846 in Panola County MS.
Children of ESTHER BELL and ALEXANDER PORTER are:
12. ELIZABETH3 BELL (JOHN2, WILLIAM1) was born January 1806 in Robertson County TN, and died 11 July 1888 in Water Valley (Yalobusha County) Mississippi. She married RICHARD ROWELL PTOLOMY POWELL 21 March 1824 in Robertson County TN, son of RICHARD POWELL and PARTHENIA _____. He was born 08 December 1795 in Halifax County NC, and died 13 January 1848 in Robertson County TN. Notes for ELIZABETH BELL: "Betsy Bell" Powell is buried in Long Branch Cemetery, near Water Valley, Yalobusha County MS. Her gravestone was still standing in 1999.
Children of ELIZABETH BELL and RICHARD POWELL are:
13. RICHARD WILLIAMS3 BELL (JOHN2, WILLIAM1) was born 06 January 1811 in Robertson County TN, and died 24 October 1857 in Robertson County TN. He married (1) SALLIE GUNN. He married (2) SUSAN GUNN. He married (3) ELIZABETH ORNDORF.
Child of RICHARD BELL and SALLIE GUNN is:
Child of RICHARD BELL and ELIZABETH ORNDORF is:
14. JOEL EGBERT3 BELL (JOHN2, WILLIAM1) was born 15 August 1813 in Robertson County TN, and died 25 January 1890 in Robertson County TN. He married (1) WILMOTH EDWARDS 09 May 1833, daughter of WILLIAM EDWARDS and ANN WALTON. She was born 21 February 1815, and died 25 September 1844. He married (2) REBECCA T. WILLIAMS 25 September 1847. She was born 23 February 1822.
Children of JOEL BELL and WILMOTH EDWARDS are:
Children of JOEL BELL and REBECCA WILLIAMS are:
Generation No. 4
15. SARAH4 BELL (BENJAMIN3, ARTHUR2, WILLIAM1) was born Abt. 1769 in North Carolina, and died 1786 in Edgecombe County NC. She married DREW SMITH Abt. 1783, son of ARTHUR SMITH and ANNE RUFFIN.
Child of SARAH BELL and DREW SMITH is:
16. MARMADUKE4 BELL (BENJAMIN3, ARTHUR2, WILLIAM1) was born Abt. 1771, and died 1797. He married MARTHA SMITH Abt. 1790, daughter of ARTHUR SMITH and ANNE RUFFIN.
Children of MARMADUKE BELL and MARTHA SMITH are:
17. HENRY CLINCH4 BELL (BYTHEL3, JOSHUA JOSEPH2, WILLIAM1) was born Abt. 1788. He married WINIFRED SMITH, daughter of DREW SMITH and SARAH BELL.
Children of HENRY BELL and WINIFRED SMITH are:
18. JOEL THOMAS4 BELL (JOHN3, JOHN2, WILLIAM1) was born 13 April 1831 in Robertson County TN, and died 30 March 1910. He married LAURA VIRGINIA HENRY 18 May 1859, daughter of LEMUEL HENRY and NAME UNKNOWN. She was born 18 February 1842, and died 22 September 1914.
Children of JOEL BELL and LAURA HENRY are:
19. CHARLES CALDWELL4 BELL (JOEL EGBERT3, JOHN2, WILLIAM1) was born 11 May 1838, and died 19 September 1912. He married MINERVA CATHERINE HENRY 04 November 1858. She was born 05 August 1840 in Robertson County TN.
Children of CHARLES BELL and MINERVA HENRY are:
Generation No. 5
20. WINIFRED5 SMITH (SARAH4 BELL, BENJAMIN3, ARTHUR2, WILLIAM1) She married HENRY CLINCH BELL, son of BYTHEL BELL and NAME UNKNOWN. He was born Abt. 1788.
Children are listed above under (17) Henry Clinch Bell. 21. MARGARET ANN5 BELL (HENRY CLINCH4, BYTHEL3, JOSHUA JOSEPH2, WILLIAM1) was born 28 July 1821 in Edgecombe County NC, and died 1874 in Jackson County FL. She married LAWRENCE HENRY HEARN 16 May 1836 in Edgecombe County NC.
Child of MARGARET BELL and LAWRENCE HEARN is:
22. JOEL HENRY5 BELL (CHARLES CALDWELL4, JOEL EGBERT3, JOHN2, WILLIAM1) was born 18 March 1860, and died 28 April 1904. He married ____ DAVIS.
Child of JOEL BELL and ____ DAVIS is:
Generation No. 6
23. LUCY HALL6 HEARN (MARGARET ANN5 BELL, HENRY CLINCH4, BYTHEL3, JOSHUA JOSEPH2, WILLIAM1) was born 03 April 1838 in Edgecombe County NC, and died 20 May 1833 in Georgia. She married WILLIAM (MAJOR - CSA) HENRY MILTON 03 December 1857 in Jackson County FL, son of JOHN MILTON and SUSAN COBB. He was born 04 December 1829 in Jefferson County GA, and died 06 August 1900 in Jackson County FL. Notes for LUCY HALL HEARN: The following information was provided by Leigh Skinner: "As a child, Lucy Hearn moved from Tarboro, Edgecombe County, NC to Jackson County, Florida in 1843. Lucy Hearn was educated at St, Mary's Episcopal School. She suffered poor health most of her life. She died in Newnan, Georgia at the home of her daughter, "Susie" (Mrs. W.Y. Atkinson)."
Notes for WILLIAM (MAJOR - CSA) HENRY MILTON: The following information was provided by Leigh Skinner, a direct descendant of William Henry Milton: "William Henry Milton, eldest child of John Milton and Susan Amanda Cobb, was born December 4, 1829 in Jefferson County, Georgia. His mother died when he was ten and he moved around with his father until they settled in Marianna, Florida in 1845. He spent the remainder of his life in Marianna, where he became a prominent member of the community. Milton graduated from the University of Georgia, studied law, and was admitted to the Florida bar. He was elected chief clerk of the Florida State House of representatives in 1849, in the same election that his father, John Milton, won a seat in the House. He was an active member of the Democratic Party, especially during the Reconstruction years following the Civil War, serving as chairman of the Jackson County, Democratic party. Like many prominent men of his day, he was also a member of the Ku Klux Klan. Another active member of the Klan was William Milton's half brother, John Milton, son of Governor John Milton and his second wife, Caroline Howze. "The Klan was organized in Jackson County in 1867, in response to abuses and atrocities conducted by the Republican, Reconstruction government. Many illiterate ex-slaves were thrust into positions of political and legal power, backed by "Carpetbaggers" and "Scallywags", from "up north". The Klan concentrated on preventing ex-slaves and Republicans from voting. It also engaged in vigilante action in response to a lack of law enforcement in the community. In 1869, a small race war broke out in Jackson County. When it ended in 1871, over 150 people, both black and white, had been killed in Jackson County alone. Another 70 or so were killed in surrounding areas. "William Milton was appointed to several judgeships by the Republican governor during Reconstruction but refused them all. In 1877, he was appointed State's Attorney by Governor Drew. He accepted and remained in that position until 1898, when he resigned because of failing health. Milton was also elected to the state legislature, was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1885, and served several terms as mayor of Marianna, Florida. "When the Civil War broke out, Milton enlisted as a private in the first company organized in Jackson County. However, he soon organized a new company of cavalry and secured the rank of Captain. This group, the 2nd Florida Cavalry, was mustered in on March 10, 1862. It was known as "Milton's Guerillas" and later, as "Milton's Dragoons." The unit was constantly on the move protecting the salt works along the Florida gulf coast and guarding the movement of arms and supplies brought to the beaches by blockade runners. Later, in August 1862 the 5th Florida Cavalry Battalion was organized. Captain Milton was placed in command of company G. He was later promoted to Major and placed in command of the battalion, which was active in state defense and participated in three minor battles, including the battle of Marianna in 1864. "William Henry Milton married Lucy Hall Hearn December 3, 1857, in Jackson County, Florida. They had seven children. Their first, Susan Amanda, named for her grandmother, was born in 1858. She later married William Atkinson, who became governor of Georgia. Their third child, William Hall, born in 1864, became Florida's U.S. Senator. Milton's wife, Lucy died May 20, 1883 in Newnan, GA. In 1889, he married Adelaide McClellan, but she died a year later. "Milton lived well, maintaining his home in Marianna and a summer home at Saint Andrews Bay, Panama City, Florida. He owned several plantations in Jackson County and divided his time between them and his law practice. He died August 6, 1900 and was buried in the cemetery at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Marianna." Children of LUCY HEARN and WILLIAM MILTON are:
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