Butte County
Biographies
HUGH THOMAS BELL
HUGH THOMAS BELL.--Though a native of
England, where he was born, in Cumberlandshire, in
1833, Hugh Thomas Bell spent most of his mature life in California, "Doing
his bit" toward the upbuilding of his adopted
land and rearing a family of native sons and daughters to help carry on the
work of advancement. He was brought up a farmer's boy in England,
and on reaching manhood, decided that the New World held greater opportunities
for him and came to its hospitable shores, locating at first in New
York state. During the gold
excitement he came to California,
crossing the plains with Mr. Goodspeed, in the Smith
ox-team train.
On
reaching the coast Mr. Bell tried mining for a time, as did most of the
pioneers on arriving here: he then was a bookkeeper for the Union Lumber
Company, at Marysville. About 1872 he became associated with the Springer
Lumber Company, at Chico, in the same capacity. In 1876 he began farming near Chico,
purchasing land along the Southern Pacific railway, at Shaw's Switch, later
known as Pond's Switch, and now called Gimble's
Switch. He owned three hundred twenty acres here and became a successful
grain-raiser and stockman. He later bought three hundred acres on the Nord
road, which latter piece of property he made into his home ranch, taking up his
residence there in 1903, and making the necessary improvements for comfort and
utility. He leased land from General Bidwell and others, aside from the six
hundred twenty acres he owned, and engaged in grain production.
In 1868 Mr. Bell made a trip back to his old
home in England, going by way of Panama
and New York, and there his marriage took place, in Coldbeck, Cumberland, England,
in 1871, to Miss Eleanor Ivison, born in Cumberland,
a daughter of Francis and Mary (Ivinson) Ivison, farmers. The mother's people were woolen
manufacturers in Coldbeck,
England. In May, 1871,
Mr. Bell brought his bride to California, and they have
since 1872 been numbered among Butte County's
representative citizens. Mr. Bell's death
occurred in April, 1906, the
community losing a worker for its best welfare, a real upbuilder.
Always interested in the advancement of education, Mr. Bell was for many years
a trustee of Nord school district. He was Episcopalian in religious belief, as
is his wife, a member of St.
Paul's Church, in Chico.
Mr. Bell was made a Mason in England
and since his residence here has been a member of a Chico Lodge, No. 111, F.
& A. M., and of Chico Chapter, No. 42, R. A. M. In politics he was a
Republican.
Since
her husband's death, Mrs. Bell devotes her time to looking after the large
interests left by him. She rents most of her lands, which produce grain,
alfalfa and stock. Mr. and Mrs. Bell had eight children born to them, as
follows: Francis Thomas, a rancher on the home place; Adelaide Mary, wife of
Dr. Plummer, retired U. S. A.; Frederick William, died at thirty years;
Eleanor, resides with her mother; Hugh John, was a member of First California
Regiment in the Spanish-American War, is now a business man in the Philippines
Islands; Mary Agnes, Mrs. Nople of Raymond,
Cal.; Ivison Washington, on
the home ranch; Gertrude Lucile, Mrs. Dawson, of Sacramento.
In
February, 1914, Mrs. Bell, with a son and daughter, made a trip back to England,
visiting her old home and other points of interest, returning in May, 1914. She
is a very liberal, kindhearted woman, and these traits have endeared her to the
community in which she has made her home for years.
Transcribed by Sande Beach.
Source: "History of
Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Page 521, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2007 Sande Beach.
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