Alexander W. Bell

DECATUR HERALD 10/8/1901

ALEXANDER BELL DIED AT HIS HOME IN MT. ZION SUNDAY MORNING AT THE AGE OF 90 YEARS. HE WAS IN MANY WAYS AN INTERESTING CHARACTER AND ONE OF THE FEW CONNECTING LINKS BETWEEN THE PRESENT AND THE PIONEER DAYS. HIS DEATH OCCURRED AT THE HOME OF HIS DAUGHTER, MRS. M. L. OUTTEN. HE HAD LIVED IN MACON COUNTY SINCE HE WAS 18 OR 19 YEARS OF AGE, WAS A VETERAN OF THE BLACK HAWK WAR AND OF THE MEXICAN WAR AND WAS THE LAST SURVIVING MEMBER OF THE CUMBERLAND PRESBYTRIAN CHURCH, THE FIRST IN THE COUNT. WHEN THE NEW CHURCH WAS DEDICATED IN 1900 HE WAS THE LAST OF THE CHARTER MEMBERS TO WITNESS THE SERVICES AND WAS THE MOST INTERESTING PERSON PRESENT ON THAT OCCASION.

MR. BELL OR UNCLE ALEX AS HE WAS KNOWN TO ALL PEOPLE, WAS A NATIVE OF TENNESSEE. HE WAS BORN IN GREENE COUNTY, MAY 22, 1812. HIS FATHER JAMES BELL WAS A NATIVE OF EAST TENNESSEE AND WAS OF GERMAN DESCENT. ALEXANDER WAS THE LAST OF THE FAMILY. HE CAME TO MACON COUNTY WITH HIS WIDOWED MOTHER AND HER FAMILY OF YOUNG CHILDREN AND LIVED WITH HER UNTIL HER DEATH, WHEN THE FAMILY SCATTERED.

HE MARRIED DECEMBER 4, 1832, MISS NANCY, BROWN, A NATIVE OF E TENNESSEE, AND THE BECAME THE PARENTS OF FOUR CHILDREN: ELIZABETH J, WIDOWN OF R. S. TRAUGHBER OF MT. ZION TOWNSHIP, MARY A., WIDOW OF B. G. HENRY OF DECATUR, SARAH C, AND NANCY M. WIFE OF W. H. PRICE OF WHEATLAND TOWNSHIP. THE MOTHER OF THIS FAMILY DIED SEPTEMBER 13, 1846 AND WAS BURIED IN MT ZION PRESBYTERIAN CEMETERY.

ON APRIL 15, 1847, MR. BELL MARRIED MRS. MARY WILSON, WIDOW OF ALLEN WILSON. BY THIS UNION WERE BORN FOUR CHILDREN: JAMES M. WHO RESIDES IN KANSAS, MARGARET L. OUTTEN OF MT. ZION, MARTHA A. WIFE OF J. E. DAVIS OF MT. ZION AND ROBERT A. WHO DIED IN CHILDHOOD. ELIZA E. A STEPDAUGHTER IS THE WIFE OF A. H. CHAMPION OF MT. ZION.

MR. BELL WAS AN EARNEST, PRESEVERING CHRISTIAN MAN. HE WAS RIGIDLY HONEST AND UPRIGHT IN ALL OF HIS DEALINGS WITH HIS FELLOWMAN. HE PARTICIPATED IN THE FAMOUS BATTLE WHEN STILLMAN MET DEFEAT DURING THE BLACK HAWK WAR. ALL THE HARDSHIPS AND PRIVATIOUS THAT CAME TO THE SETTLERS WERE HIS LOT, BUT HE WAS ONE OF THOSE RUGGED CHARACTERS THAT COULD NOT BE BLOCKED BY SEEMINGLY INSURMOUNTABLE OBSTACLES. MR. BELL HAD NEVER ENJOYED THE ADVANTAGES OF SCHOOLS BUT HIS SELF EDUCATION WAS SUFFICIENT TO EQUIPT HIM TO MEET EVERY CARD THAT LIFE DEALT HIM.