Robert Allen Bell (hereafter RAB) is the father of Mary Caroline (Bell) Atkison (hereafter MCB), my grandmother. I will try to summarize in a coherent way what I think we know about RAB, discuss the evidence on which this is based and finally consider some unresolved questions.
RAB was born in Davidson County TN in 1816; he died in Durant, Bryan County OK in 1896. His father was probably Hugh Bell (1779-1845) (hereafter HB) whose father was Capt. Robert Bell (1722-1816) (hereafter RBI). RBI lived in Guilford and Caswell Counties NC in the mid 1700's, moving to TN after the Revolutionary War. His birthplace is variously given as PA, VA, NC and Ulster. RAB's mother was Margaret McKinney (MMB) about whom little is known.
RAB assisted in forming the Charity Hall school for Chickasaws in the 1820's[1][2]
RAB spent most of his adult life as a farmer in Pontotoc County MS near the towns of Toccopola and Randolph, arriving there about 1846. He was briefly in MO about 1852, He served as a lay minister in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and as a private in the Pontotoc County Militia during the Civil War.
In 1845 in TN, RAB married Elizabeth Dixon Kennedy. They had at least 10 children, 8 of whom survived to adulthood.
Sometime after 1890, RAB and his wife moved from Pontotoc County MS to Durant, Bryan County OK where they probably lived with the family of his daughter MCB.
The 1870 US Census, Mississippi, Township 10, Pontotoc County (Toccopola, Post Office) reveals that the families of Robert Allen Bell, Ellis McKinght Pickins and James Williams were neighbors. Bell and Pickins appear on p. 38; Williams on p. 36. Bell's eldest daughter, Emily, marries Pickins and remains in MS. A second daughter, Margaret, marries Williams' younger brother, Jessie, and moves to OK with him about 1900, roughly the same time a third daughter, Mary, and her husband move there.
The author's information about RAB's family apparently comes largely from George Emmett Bell, an insurance broker in Dallas TX about 1920, who corresponded with MCB.
This is largely a chronicle of the role of Rev. Robert Bell III's (hereafter RBIII) role in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and missionary activities among the Chickasaws and Choctaws. It appears to have been published in 1874, based in part on sources contemporary with it's subject. It contains some information pertinent to Bell family history which is consistent with [1].
[7]
This is a account of RBIII 's management of the Charity Hall missionary school. It too contains information pertinent to Bell family history which is consistent with [1].
RAB sells 80 acres to his son-in-law Jessie Green Williams for $200 in 1879. Williams sells what appears to be the same 80 acres to James Herndon for $250 in 1881. J. C. (?) Anderson sells land to Jessie Green Williams for $100 in 1889. Jessie Green Williams sells land to E. C. Turner for $ 500 in 1894.
[12a]
Foreman, Carolyn Thomas, of "Charity Hall: an Early Chickasaw School"], Chronicles of Oklahoma]. Vol. 11, no 3, September 1933.
Summary of documents pertaining to the application members of the Bell and related families to be recognized as members of the Mississippi Choctaw tribe.
This site has a research paper which describes Charity Hall a Presbyterian mission to the Chickasaws and Rev Bell's work there[3]
UNRESOLVED QUESTIONS
ANCESTRY
There are major discrepancies here, both among three accounts provided by family sources ([12], [13] and [14]) and between these accounts and that provided by public sources ([1], [3], [4],[5], [6] and [7]).
Public sources agree in the following. RAB was the son of HB HB whose father was RBII. RBII married first Mary Boyd (3042) whose son is HB and second Catherine Walker (3034) with whom he had a son, RBII. Thus, RBII is the half uncle of RAB. RBIII was a minister in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and a missionary among the Native American in MS. His career is discussed in some detail in [6] and [7] and placed in context in [8].
Pertaining to RAB's ancestry family sources offer the following:
[12] has
"Gilbert Allen Bell came from Ireland with his parents and settled in Virginia. He married Elizabeth (don't know last name) and they moved to Tennessee. Robert Allen Bell, his son, was born in Tennessee and was one of the first lay preachers of the Cumberland Branch of the Presbyterian Church. His work was among the Choctaw Indians in Tennessee, and later in Mississippi, where he went as a young man, He farmed near the town of Randolph."
[13] has
"In the Bell side of the family our Great Grandfather, Robert Bell, came out Ireland [?] [;] he was supposed to have married an Indian woman...Robert Allen Bell, was born in Tennessee and was a "Goodley [Godley?] Man" [,] held services in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church ...and when war was declared he was left at home to look after the women and children."
First, note there is an inconsistency in family sources. In [13] and [14], The role of Gilbert Allen Bell in [12] is attributed to Robert Bell ("Our Great Grandfather" in [13] and top of tree in [14]). Second, there is generation in public sources that does not appear in family sources. In family sources RAB is in the second generation in the New World; in public sources he is in the third.
According to [1], the father of RAB is HB. This account is also provided by [3], [4], and [5]. But, as indicated above, all these accounts may derive from [1].
It appears that the "Robert Bell" of [13] and [14] might be RBIII, a son of RBII and half brother of HB, referred to in [1] (as well as [3], [4], and [5]). It may be that "... was one of the first lay preachers of the Cumberland Branch of the Presbyterian Church. His work was among the Choctaw Indians in Tennessee, and later in Mississippi... [12]" actually describes RBIII rather than RAB. In [13] RAB is said to have "held services in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church", but there is no mention of missionary work. In contrast, [6] indicates that RBIII was hardly a "lay preacher". Much discussion in [6] is devoted to circumstances of his ordination.
There is independent evidence that RBIII was a preacher of the Cumberland Branch of the Presbyterian Church and a missionary among the Choctaws in Mississippi (So far as I know, there were no Choctaws in Tennessee).
Kidwell [8] mentions (p. 42, and note to p. 51) "Robert Bell" as a missionary to the Choctaws and Chickasaws from the Cumberland Presbytery who was involved in negotiations with the Native Americans about establishing mission schools. The events Kidwell describes occurred in 1819. So it would have been possible for RBIII to have participated in the events, but not RAB. [6] and [7] provide much more detail about these events.
The problem with RAB's parents is clearly illustrated in [14]. According to [1](as well as [3], [4], and [5]), the father RAB is HB. The author of [11] (CEA) apparently identifies her great grandfather with his half brother, RBIII. How this may have happened is not clear. I never heard Hugh Bell mentioned in any way in family discussion. So it does not appear that the author might have simply confused two persons, both known to her.
[13] says "Robert Bell...was supposed to have married an Indian woman". In [14] Robert Bell is matched with "Indian Woman". Responding to my inquiry, Dr. Kidwell (author of [8]) said she knew no more about her Robert Bell than appears in [8], but that it was not unlikely that he married a Choctaw and may even have presented himself (in certain contexts) as a member of the tribe. Since the Choctaws are matrilineal, this would not have been regarded as peculiar (not by the Choctaws, at least).
Public sources ([1], [3], [4], and [5]) tell us that RBIII married Grizelle McCutchen, but there is no mention of Native American ancestry for her. Her paternal ancestry can be followed at least three generations to Ulster and Scotland. But, little is known of her maternal ancestry. [6] and [7] discuss activities of the wife of RBIII in some detail without suggesting Native American ancestry. There is a substantial list of their descendants of RBIII in in these sources.
I can see two explanations for these discrepancies:
1) HB is identical with Gilbert Allen Bell (of [12]);
2) RAB is the son of RBII.
Neither seems completely satisfactory. In particular, neither explains the "missing generation" in family sources.
Explanation 2) is really a non-starter. Public sources ([1], [3], [4], and [5]) tell us that RBII had a son, Robert Bell IV Robert Bell IV, who "died young". [6] gives a more detailed account of his death of "inflammatory fever" while he was a student in his father's school.
Explanation 1) appears to be the most probable simply because, aside from the "missing generation", it is consistent with all public sources. Further, [12] mentions "Hugh Allen Bell" and public sources mention "Hugh Gilbert Bell" as a son of RAB. Aside from the difference in middle name, data on this person in public and family sources are consistent are pretty much identical. Perhaps, RAB named this son after his father and the full name of HB is 'Hugh Allen Bell" or 'Hugh Gilbert Bell'. Also note that both public sources and [12] mention a grandson of RAB named "Gilbert Allen Williams.
CEA could not have had much, of any, communication with her grandfather RAB. He died 3 years after she was born. She probably got most of her information from her mother MCB, daughter of RAB, and possibly from MCB's siblings. There is evidence ([13]) that MCB was a well educated, articulate woman. How could she have been wrong about this?
Could it be that RAB did not know, or did not care to tell his children, who his father was? It possible, as suggested above, that HB was also known as 'Gilbert Allen Bell'? Could it be that the CEA was just confused? Given the discrepancies in her accounts, this is plausible. But, Aunt Cammie (CEA) was not known to be confused about many things.
From one perspective, it is Gilbert Allen Bell who is the mysterious character here. He does not appear in public sources (to my knowledge) and only in [12] in the family sources.
There was extensive, ultimately unsuccessful, litigation (1899-1907) on the part of descendants of RAB to establish their right to membership in the Choctaw on the basis of his Choctaw ancestry. Success would have entitled them to land allotments from the privatization of Choctaw tribal lands and and ultimately a share in oil lease revenues from mineral rights retained by the tribe. Records of this litigation contain information related to the above in ways that are apparent, but difficult to sort out.
Based on the documents summarized in [17], the most salient facts about this litigation are the following. Page numbers refer to full texts of documents summarized in [17].
The applications of 16 descendants of RAB, are aggregated into the application of William D. Bell, his son.
Essentially, they claim that RAB was Choctaw and thus they have sufficient Choctaw ancestry to entitle them to membership in the tribe. In support of this claim they assert:
1) RAB's name appears on a 1830 role of Choctaws who claimed benefits accruing to Choctaws as a result ot the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek (a familiar event to those of us who studied OK history in high school);
In support of these claims, a genealogical chart is presented (pp.80-82) which shows the parents of RAB to be HB and MMB. This indicates that the children of RAB were well informed about his parents and suggests that this information was simply not accurately transmitted by CEA.
Regarding 1), the Commission agrees that there is a Robert Bell whose name appears on the 1830 role, but maintains that he is not identical with RAB. Regarding, 2) the Commission says no documentary evidence was presented.
I think the Commission's view of 1) is well supported. Their view of 2) is also correct. The only evidence presented is Elizabeth Dixon Kennedy Bell's (EDK) memory that RAB's, mother and siblings "looked like Indians" and the RAB spoke both Choctaw and English. This is mentioned in pages 76-77,
But, this lack of documentary evidence does not exclude the possibility that 2) is, nevertheless, true. I suppose EDK knew what an Indian looked like. It's hard to imagine her memory failing on something like this.
I have thought for a while that the Choctaw ancestry, if it exists, must come thorough MMB. However, there appears to be little chance of learning more about her. Her birth place is unknown and only the names of here parents are known to me. The marriage (11/15/1800) record of HB and MMB may survive in the Davidson County TN Courthouse. He is said to appear in the 1820 census for Limestone County AL. No mention is made of 1830. He sold his land in AL in 1837 and moved to Pontotoc County MS. So he might be in the 1840 census. This might tell us where MMB and her parents were born.
On the face of it, a marriage in TN does not suggest the bride was a Choctaw. But then, 'people get around"...then as now. If Native American at all, I think she was more likely Cherokee. Europeans in western NC had contact with Cherokee from ~ 1720. Plenty of time to get to know them.
There is testimony from both MCB and General Forrest Atkison, though is is not crucial to the outcome. There may be separate files pertaining to other applicants are probably available at the source for [17]. If it could be found, it would be interesting to at least see the full testimony of these individuals, my grandparents.
CHILDREN
All public sources (including [2] ) agree on the following children:
[Bell-885|Alfred Henry Bell (1846-1846)]
[Bell-886|Emily Jane Bell (1847-1913)]
[Bell-887|William Donald Bell (1849-1891)]
[Bell-888|Hugh Gilbert Bell (1851-1918)]
[Bell-876|Margaret Elizabeth Bell (1852-1903)]
[Bell-889|Thomas Ellen Bell (1856-1910)]
[Bell-890|Seila Castilla Bell (1858-after 1899)]
[Bell-882|Sarah Frances Bell (1860 - about 1946)]
[Bell-1124|Mary Caroline Bell (1862-1948)]
[Bell-891|Robert Kennedy Bell (1864-1865)]
[2] 1880 Census shows household next to RAB's to be that of son Hugh Gilbert Bell.
[12] has, "They had twelve children, some dying in infancy. The children were:" following which is a list of 8 children with no dates.
The following identifications appear plausible:
Emma Bell = 2) Emily Jane Bell (1847-1913)
Robert Donald Bell = 3) William Donald Bell (1849-1891)
Elizabeth Bell = 5) Margaret Elizabeth Bell (1852-1903)
Hugh Allen Bell = 4) Hugh Gilbert Bell (1851-1918)
Thomas Ellen Bell = 6) Thomas Ellen Bell (1856-1910)
Lelia Bell = 7) Seila Castilla Bell (1858-after 1899)
Sarah Francis Bell = 8) Sarah Frances Bell (1860 - about 1946)
Mary Caroline Bell = 9) Mary Caroline Bell (1862-1948)
So there is pretty good agreement about children who survived to adulthood. The only problem is that [12] suggests there might be 2 more children who did not survive. Given the spacing of the children's births, this is possible.
PLACE OF DEATH / INTERNMENT
Public sources ([1], [3], [4], [5]) indicate that RAB died in Pontotoc County MS. [15] says the he was buried in the Old Indian Cemetery in Durant, OK. [16] confirms that there is a monument for RAB with dates consistent with public sources. in the Pioneer Cemetery in Durant OK.
Robert Bell's burial site is Pioneer Cemetery and a picture of his gravestone is at
Two persons identified as 'Robert A. Bell' from MS appear in family and official records pertaining to Civil War service. Call these 'RAB1' 'RAB2'. I believe that RAB1 is my great grandfather. The following summarizes what is known about the military service of both.
RAB1
[3] has: "Served with with the Pontotoc County 5th Regiment, 1 Brigade, CSA."
I have been unable to [3]'s source for this information.
Units of the Confederate States Army by Joseph H. Crute, Jr. contains no history for this unit.
[9] lists "R. A. Bell" as # 12 on list.
The location " Randolph Beat " is consistent with:
[12] "He farmed near the town of Randolph" (Pontotoc County MS)
Militia service is consistent with:
[13] "Robert Allen Bell, ... when war was declared he was left at home to look after the women and children."
RAB2
[10] contains
Robert A. Bell (First_Last)
Regiment Name 10 Mississippi Infantry.
Side Confederate
Company E
Soldier's Rank_In 2 Lieutenant
Soldier's Rank_Out Captain
Alternate Name
Notes
Film Number M232 roll 3
and no other listing under a similar name from MS.
Records for the above Robert A. Bell provided by [11] are summarized below.
Summary Company and Field and Staff Muster Rolls appear below with gaps in the records indicated.
Mustered into service 03/15/1861 as 2ndLt. At Columbus MS; Joined for duty and enrolled for 12 mos 03/27/1861 at Columbus MS
Present 03/27 E 06/30 1861
Present 07 E 12 1861 10 present at Camp Phillips
01/1862 station Camp Phillips absent with leave for 34 days from 01/27
GAP 02-03/1862
Apparently present as Capt. 03/29/1862
GAP 04/1862
Present 05 E 12/1862 enrolled for 3 yr; wounded slightly in abdomen at Munfordville KY 09/14/1862; 06 station Tupelo MS
See regimental histories below for an account to the Battle of Munfordville)
Present 01 E 04 1863 on detached duty as commander of Cos. F & K, 10 MS Inf.
GAP05/1863
Present 07 E 08 1863
Present 09 E 10 1863 commanding Regt.; reported as "competent and efficient"
11 E 12 1863 absent on furlough 21 days around 12/25/1863 exact dates unclear
Present 01 E 02 1864
GAP 03-04/1862
Present 05 E 08 1864; sick at Division Hospital; unclear for how much of this period
GAP 09/1864-03/1865
Paroled 04/26/1865 High Point NC (Jos. E. Johnson surrenders to W. T. Sherman)
There is a good bit more in the records; but nothing that would indicate RAB2's date or or place of birth. Clearly, he was in the War from the beginning to the bitter end, serving with some distinction.
Approximate conception dates for RAB's children are
Mary Caroline Bell 06/1861
Robert Kennedy Bell 10/1863
It is not clear where RAB2 was during 06/1861. He was listed as present, but it's not clear where his unit was stationed. Camp Phillips is a possibility. Regimental histories (See below.) for the 10th MS suggest that it might be in FL. A list of "Alabama Civil War Camps" provides:
He is also listed as present during 10/1863 and commanding his regiment. Regimental histories (See below.) indicate the the 10th MS was in TN at this time, It does not appear likely that RAB2 could be the father of these children. So, I don't think he is my great grandfather.
I have also tried to approach this from the other direction, i. e. finding out more about RAB2. But, I've had no luck. No one that might be he turns up in any of the genealogical information I find on the web. I considered the possibility he might be a distant cousin. But, there's nobody in my Bell data base that might be he. The index of [1] lists 7 Robert Bell's, none of whom appear plausible. It would be interesting to know what he did before and after the War. The only clue to his residence is that he enlisted in Columbus MS. There are now about 2 dozen Bells in The Columbus MS phone book. Perhaps some (even all) of them are his descendants.
REGIMENTAL HISTORIES
Units of the Confederate States Army by Joseph H. Crute, Jr. contains
10th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry
10th Infantry Regiment completed its organization in April, 1861, at Jackson, Mississippi. Its members were recruited in the counties of Adams, Claiborne, Lowndes, Itawamba, Warren, Marshall, Madison, and Yazoo. After serving in Florida and fighting at Shiloh, it saw action in Kentucky. Later the unit was assigned to General J.P. Anderson's, Tucker's, and Sharp's Brigade, Army of Tennessee. It took an active part in the campaigns of the army from Murfreesboro to Atlanta, was with Hood in Tennessee, and ended the war in North Carolina. This regiment took 360 men to Shiloh and lost 13 killed and 95 wounded at Munfordville and 8 killed, 70 wounded, and 6 missing at Murfreesboro. For a time it was consolidated with the 44«sup»th«/sup» Regiment and in December, 1863, totalled 476 men and 308 arms. Few surrendered on April 26, 1865. The field officers were Colonels James Barr, Jr., Seaborne M. Phillips, Robert A. Smith, and James M. Walker; Lieutenant Colonels J.G. Bullard, Joseph R. Davis, and George B. Myers; and Majors James M. Dotson and Edward H. Gregory.
The following includes additional information, but the source is unclear. I got it from:
Charles Walthall
Past Div. Cmdr,
KS Div, SCV (Sons of Confederate Veterans)
Munfordville Also known as Green River Bridge Date(s): September 14-17, 1862
Principal Commanders: Col. Cyrus L. Dunham and Col. John T. Wilder [US]; Brig. Gen. James R. Chalmers and Gen. Braxton Bragg [CS]
Forces Engaged: Union garrison [US]; Army of the Mississippi [CS] Estimated Casualties: 4,862 total (US 4,148; CS 714) Description: In the 1862 Confederate offensive into Kentucky, Gen. Braxton Bragg's army left Chattanooga, Tennessee, in late August. Followed by Maj. Gen. Don Carlos Buell's Union Army, Bragg approached Munfordville, a station on the Louisville & Nashville Railroad and the location of the railroad bridge crossing Green River, in mid-September. Col. John T. Wilder commanded the Union garrison at Munfordville which consisted of three regiments with extensive fortifications. Wilder refused Brig. Gen. James R. Chalmers's demand to surrender on the 14th. Union forces repulsed Chalmers's attacks on the 14th, forcing the Rebels to conduct siege operations on the 15th and 16th. Late on the 16th, realizing that Buell's forces were near and not wanting to kill or injure innocent civilians, the Confederates communicated still another demand for surrender. Wilder entered enemy lines under a flag of truce, and Confederate Maj. Gen. Simon B. Buckner escorted him to view all the Rebel troops and to convince him of the futility of resisting. Impressed, Wilder surrendered. The formal ceremony occurred the next day on the 17th. With the railroad and the bridge, Munfordville was an important transportation center, and the Confederate control affected the movement of Union supplies and men.
Please consider moving Evidence/Public Sources/Family Sources section to Sources and use inline citations per WikiTree guidelines. Also consider moving unresolved questions to this Research Notes.
Fact: Residence (1850) Pontotoc, Pontotoc, Mississippi, United States
Fact: Residence (1860) Pontotoc, Mississippi, United States
Fact: Residence (1870) Pontotoc, Mississippi, United States
Fact: Residence (1880) Beat 3 Randolph, Pontotoc, Mississippi, United States
Fact: Burial (1896) Durant, Bryan, Oklahoma, United States of America
This person was created through the import of JDS_09_17_10.ged on 09 February 2011.
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