Eli Jasper Bell

Eli J. Bell, identified with farming and stock raising, owning an excellent ranch near Logan, was born on the Sandwich Islands, December 2, 1866, and is a son of Eli and Louisa (McClellan) Bell, the latter a daughter of James and Cynthia (Stewart) McClellan. The father, Eli Bell, was born, in Shelby County, Illinois, November 12, 1834, and was a son of Alfred Bell, a native of North Carolina, who in 1832 removed west- ward to Illinois, settling in Shelby county. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Martha Louisa Montgomery, was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.

From Illinois the family removed to Iowa in 1846, crossing the river to Nashville, Iowa. In the fall of 1851 they came to Utah, settling at Lehi, where Alfred Bell spent his remaining days. He was a lawyer and practiced that profession in Utah, serving as judge at Lehi for several years. He was reared on a farm but received a liberal education and on leaving North Carolina first lived in Tennessee before going to Illinois. He then be- came a pioneer resident of Utah and from that time forward was closely associated with the development and up building of this state.

His son, Eli Bell, learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed in Utah, and in community affairs he was active and prominent. He became the first policeman of Logan and his name is identified with many events which figure on the pages of the history of the county. He filled a mission to the Sandwich Islands when nineteen years of age in 1854 returning in 1858. He was then married, after which he again went to the Sandwich Islands, taking his wife and family with him. He remained there from 1865 until 1871, when he once more took up his abode in Logan, where he spent his remaining days.

His military record covered service as a minuteman and he was well known in various connections. His musical talent found expression in his activity as a member of the first Logan band. At the time of his death he was one of the seven presidents of the Seventies of Cache stake. With his return to Utah in 1871, he located in Logan, where he became owner of city property. He was a carpenter by trade and followed contracting and building, erecting many homes and business houses. He was prominently identified with all public works and contributed much to the development and up building of the district in which he lived. Associated with Joseph F. Smith and others, he established the first mission in the Hawaiian Islands. He passed a-way July 31, 1895, and Cache County thus lost one of her representative citizens.

Eli J. Bell acquired his education in the public schools of Logan and when his textbooks were put aside took up the occupation of farming and stock raising, which he still follows. In 1899 he opened a meat market on North Main Street, which he conducted until a recent date, when he sold the business and is now concentrating his attention upon his farm of one hundred and eighty acres near Logan, all of which is under irrigation. He runs about one hundred and fifty head of beef cattle and milk cows upon his place and has a well developed property.

On the 22d of December, 1898, Mr. Bell was married to Miss Elizabeth Jane Bywater, a daughter of Henry G. and Sarah (James) Bywater, the former a native of Wales and the latter of Brighton, England. Her father was a brother of George G. Bywater, of Salt Lake City. He came to Utah in 1883, settling at Salt Lake City, where he passed away in December, 1888, having for nearly two years survived his wife, who died in February, 1887. The grandfather of Mrs. Eli J. Bell was George Henry Bywater, a native of Wales, born in 1803. He came to America in 1864. He married Elinor Gwilyms, who was born in 1808. They started across the plains in 1865 and en route George H. Bywater died. His wife and family continued the journey, becoming residents of Utah at a very early period in the colonization of the state. His son, Henry G. Bywater, was born in Wales, December 26, 1834, came to Utah in September, 1883, and died December 16, 1886. He had become a convert to the Mormon faith in the east and was president of the Brooklyn branch of New York for seventeen years. His wife, who was born in New Brighton, England, passed away in Salt Lake City on the 16th of February, 1885. She was president of the Relief Society.

To Mr. and Mrs. Bell have been born five children: Louisa; Olive; Bonna Elizabeth; Eli J., Jr.; and Adelbert F. Mr. Bell holds to the religious faith of his fathers and is a member of the Quorum of Seventy. While born on the Sandwich Islands, much of his life has been spent in Utah, where he has a wide acquaintance, high regard being entertained for him by all who know him. He has been active in public affairs, having been chosen city councilman in 1907 for a two years' term, while in 1915 he was elected county commissioner for a term of four years. Mrs. Bell is the secretary of the Cache stake of the Daughters of Pioneers, an organization which has nineteen camps in Cache county and maintains a relic room of choice collections.

Source: "Utah Since Statehood", Noble Warrum; Chicago

Parents:

Eli Bell (1834 - 1895)

Louisa Ann McClellan Bell (1840 - 1916)

Spouse:

Elizabeth Jane Bywater Bell (1870 - 1949)

Created by: C. Brad Schoening

Record added: Dec 09, 2009

Find A Grave Memorial# 45285218