James Augustus Bell
Surnames: BELL, ERSKINE, RICHARDS, HARPER, STEELE, PARTON, ELLISON, LEWIS, CATHEY, HENRY, JARAM, AMAN, WRIGHTJames Augustus Bell, b May 31, 1842 in South Carolina, d December 29, 1928 and buried in Garrett Cemetery at Stranger, Falls County, Texas - a son of Samuel and Anna Bell, natives of South Carolina who settled in Blue Ridge (present-day Stanger) in 1852.
On September 9, 1861 in Falls County, Texas, James Augustus Bell was married to Amanda M. Erskine, b 1838 in McMinn County, Tennessee, d 1886 and buried in Garrett Cemetery at Stranger - a daughter of Hugh and Jane (Richards) Erskine, natives of South Carolina, who settled in Blue Ridge (present-day Stanger) in 1852 - probably traveling with the same group with which the Bell family came. James A. left soon after his marriage, to serve with the Confederate States Army.
After the Civil War, James Augustus Bell returned to Falls County to his young bride, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits. Their identified children were:
John Bell, b 1865 - no further information.
Letha Anna Bell, b 1867, who married James Harper, b 1862 in Ireland - a son of John and Elizabeth Ellen (Steele) Harper.
James Augustus Bell, Jr. , b ca 1869 - no further information.
Robert S. Bell, b October 12, 1870, d November 21, 1949 and buried in McClanahan Cemetery - who married Laura H. Parton, b January 25, 1876, d August 24, 1939 and buried in McClanahan Cemetery - a daughter of Hugh L. and Martha A. (Parsons) Parton, b March 18, 1836, d July 24, 1908 and buried by her daughter in McClanahan Cemetery, Falls County, Texas. Robert S. and Laura moved to Robertson County, Texas about 1900, and resided in the White Rock Community there for many years. When he died in 1949, he was survived by seven of their children: A daughter who had married H. B. Ellison of Hearne, Texas; and six sons: Samuel Bell, E. E. Bell, William Bell, and Fred Bell - all of Franklin, Texas; Eugene Bell of Houston, Texas; and Thomas Bell of Bremond, Texas.
Albert Hilliary Bell, b 1878, d 1966 and buried in Garrett Cemetery at Stranger, Falls County, Texas - who married Florence May Lewis, b 1878, d 1961 and buried in Garrett Cemetery at Stranger - a daughter of Reverend Henry B. Lewis - Farmer and Methodist Minister, and his wife, Clara May (Cathey) Lewis, of Bell County, Texas. Among the children of A. H. and Florence May were: Birtha M. Bell, b June 4, 1904, d February 8, 1915 and buried in Garrett Cemetery at Stranger; Edward E. Bell, b August 30, 1906, d March 21, 1969 - who served as a Private in the U.S. Army during World War II - and buried in Garrett Cemetery at Stranger. Katie Lee Bell, b July 31, 1913, d May 10, 1982 in Houston, Texas and buried in the Community Cemetery at Security, Montgomery County, Texas - who married James Parnell Harlan, b May 31, 1907 - a son of Frank Burleson and Georgia (Aman) Harlan, grandson of Jonathan and Mary Elizabeth (Wright) Harlan, and great grandson of Dr. Isaiah and Nancy (Henry) Harlan.
Some biographies from "Families of Falls County", compiled and edited by the Falls County Historical Commission.
Permission granted to Theresa Carhart by the Falls County Historical Commission, for use on this page.
