WILLIAM HENRY BELL

WILLIAM HENRY BELL is one of the sturdy yeomen and popular citizens of Chester township, where he is the owner of a well improved farm, in section 30. He was born in Brighton township, Lorain county, Ohio, February 9, 1839, and is a son of John and Mary (Grimes) Bell, the former native of Scotland and the latter of Ireland, so that he has the two stanch strains which have been found so potent in the citizenship of America. His parents continued resident of Ohio until their death, -- the father at the age of sixty-four and the mother at the advanced age of ninety-three years. They were married in Ireland and soon afterward came to America, remaining for a time in the state of New Jersey and thence removing to Ohio, settling in Lorain county, where the father reclaimed and developed a good farm, remaining on the homestead until the close of his life. He was an uncompromising advocate of the principles of the Democratic party and was a man of superior mental powers. His wife was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Of the seven children, all are deceased except three, one son in Eaton county, one, a daughter still being resident of Ohio. William H. Bell received a common-school education, remaining at the parental home until he was sixteen years of age, and then working by the month on various farms, until he was married, thirty-one years ago. He came to Eaton county in 1861, and in 1863 bought eighty acres of wooded land in Sunfield township. He chopped off thirty acres in one winter and then traded the property for his present farm of sixty acres, which was cleared at the time. He has made many improvements on the place, including the erection of a commodious and substantial frame residence and large barn, besides other farm buildings of excellent type, and he has here resided continuously from the time the property came into his possession, being known as one of the enterprising farmers of the township. He is a stanch Republican in his political proclivities, but has never sought or held office. In 1873, Mr. Bell was united in marriage to Miss Susan Loveland, who was born in the state of New York, December 16, 1833, being a daughter of Loring and Mary (Warren) Loveland, the former of whom was born in Massachusetts and the latter in New York. They removed to Ohio when Mrs. Bell was an infant, and passed the closing years of their lives in Lorain county, where the father died at the age of seventy-five and the mother at the age of seventy-four years. Of their eight children only two are living, - Mrs. Bell and James, the latter being a resident of Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Bell have no children.