John Martin Bell Sr. (1839 - 1863)

Born 15 Dec 1839 in Saline Dist, Cherokee Nation, Indian Terr(OK)

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 12 Apr 1863 at age 23 in Rusk, Texas, United States [uncertain]

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Biography

John was Cherokee.

John Martin Bell was born in the Cherokee Nation about 1838. He was the son of David Bell and Nancy Martin, both Cherokee. ^[1] David and Nancy separated and she married William Cunningham. ^[2] Nancy's third husband was Bluford West Alberty . ^[3] Cicero Cunningham, James and John Bell appear with her, listed as Nancy Alberty, on the 1851 Drennan Roll, living in Saline District. ^[4]

John's grandfather and other members of his family moved south to Rusk County, Texas in the early 1850's. John went with them and married Sarah Harnage, also Cherokee, there in 1859. When the Civil War began John left his wife and children in Texas, went to the Cherokee Nation, and joined the Cherokee Mounted Volunteers as a lieutenant, with his step-father as his Captain. ^[5] He died in April, 1863 while home on furlough. ^[6] He is believed to have been buried in the Mount Tabor Indian Cemetery, Rusk County, Texas, since destroyed.

Sources

1. ↑ National Archives and Records Administration. Eastern Cherokee Applications of the Court of Claims, Application # 2678, grandson John Martin Bell, Jr.
2. ↑ National Archives and Records Administration. Eastern Cherokee Applications of the Court of Claims, Application # 5214, granddaughter Emma Vann. Digitzed at Fold3.
3. ↑ Hampton, David K. and Baker, Jack D., eds. Old Cherokee Families Notes of Dr. Emmet Starr. Baker Publishing Co., Oklahoma City, OK. 1987. Vol. 1, Note F587.
4. ↑ The National Archives at Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Record Group Number: 75; Record Group Title: Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1793-1999; NARA Series Number: 7RA-01; NARA Series Title: Drennan Roll. Saline District #480
5. ↑ Starr, Emmet. History of the Cherokee Indians. Oklahoma Yesterday Publications edition, Tulsa, OK. 1979. p. 147. Digitized edition at Starr
6. ↑ Hampton, David K. and Baker, Jack D., eds. Old Cherokee Families Notes of Dr. Emmet Starr. Baker Publishing Co., Oklahoma City, OK. 1987. Vol. II, Note H299.