Thomas A. Bell, Ireland>PA>NC, daughter Harriet Jane
I am looking for the family of Harriet Jane Bell, born 1828, Iredell County, NC, died 1913, AL. She married Samuel George Washington (Anderson) Ellis, December 25, 1850.
Family history says her father, grandfather and g-grandfather were all named Thomas A. Bell. G-grandfather Thomas came from Ireland before 1750 with a colony of folk. The colony lived in Pennsylvania for a few years and then they all settled in Iredell County, NC, before 1760. Thomas A. had a plantation about 10 miles outside of Stateville. He attended Fourth Creek Presbyterian Church until Bethany Presbyterian was built, which was closer to his home.
Harriet’s grandfather is to have married Clarissa Archibald. Their child, Mary, married Fergus Hall, moved to Tennessee and had 10 children.
Harriet’s father, Thomas was a clerk of Bethany Presbyterian Church. He had several wives. On the 1850 Iredell census, Harriet is listed with father, T. A. Bell. Harriet is 21 and father is 49. No wife was listed for T. A. Children listed are Robert M., 16; Martha E., 14; Catherine A., 8; Mary C., 6, James, 4. On the 1860 census T. A. is married to Caroline P. and the two youngest from the 1850 census, Mary and James, are listed.
Harriet’s brother, Robert was supposed to have been killed when the Yankees invaded Iredell and destroyed much of the property of Thomas Bell. Iredell history dispels this. Catherine married J. Marcus Shook. Mary was in Alabama late in life. James supposedly visited Grampa Ellis, rode off on one of Grampa’s horses and the horse was never seen again.
Anderson and Harriet Jane moved to Chambers County, Alabama soon after they married.
Parts of the story from the family may not be correct. We may have skipped generations or wives attributed to the wrong Bell. Anyone who has researched the Bells, knows that it is a twisted tale with Thomas Bells (Beall, Beal, Beale) all over the place. There are Pennsylvania Bells, Virginia Bells, South Carolina Bells and many others all here in 1700s and with given name Thomas in every generation.
I have found Thomas Archibald Beall, son of James Odell, son of David, that has a lot of common characteristics but haven’t made it work yet.
If anyone can help me, I would be most grateful. Please e-mail me.