James S Bell - James Family?

Assuming Saml is indeed his father. There's a few threads to pull at.

NC Military?
http://dp.la/item/17a655b0a96f38078e265125b77ac8e1

Irish Famine Ships? The age is in the ballpark. other details sketchy atm.
http://www.famineships.info/index.php?id=115585

1870 Census, looks like Saml Sr. is gone, and there's a younger brother called Saml now
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M8RV-8T7

More fleshing out of Samuel Bell and Sarah A Bell. Daughter George Virginia Bell.
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M4BF-HBX

Potential displute points are the name of Etta Bell vs. Annetta Bell, and Saml vs. Samuel, with Saml being used in the later census.

This does place Saml/Samuel in the states in 1847 for the birth of George Virginia Bell. It feels like a pretty strong match to me at the moment, but more research couldn't hurt. I feel this rules out the Saml on the irish famine ship in 1848.
Annetta R Bell

According to some research. Saml is an abbreviation for Samuel, and might have been used by the census takers.

Based on Birth etc, Saml isn't the right vintage for the military link, unless he's a junior and that's for senior.