Mary Bell

Questions about her relationship to John Neale have been resolved by the new information that he had *two* daughters, and that Mary was the older one, born c. 1632, married to Thomas Bell Sr circa 1650.

• Mary was born circa 1632 at Elizabeth City, VA.
• She married Thomas Bell Sr., son of Robert Bell and Alice Colston, circa 1650.3
• Mary was named in her husband's will on 6 July 1678 at Northampton Co, VA. In his will Thomas Bell Sr. gave to son Thomas Bell my 250 A. plantation where I now live. To my son Thomas 350 A. in Northampton Co. on the seaboard side near Matchepungo as mentioned in my pattent dated 20 Oct. 1661 subscribed by Francis Morryson and Thomas Ludwell. To my son Thomas my handmill. To my sons William and Robert Bell 300 A. which belongs to the land I now live upon to be eq. div. as they themselves have agreed. To my son George Bell one shilling and I hereby disinherit him from any part of my land. To my dau. Elizabeth Giddins now the wife of Thomas Giddins one shilling. To John Giddins the youngest son of my dau. Elizabeth, one heifer. To my loving wife Mary Bell her full 1/3rd of the remainder of my cattle, and the remaining 2/3rds to be eq. div. by my children Thomas, George, William, Robert, and Anthony Bell, my dau. Mary Maddux, and my granddau. Elizabeth Gethings. Wife Mary extrx. and to dispose of remaining estate as she sees fit. Witt: Morgan (M) Dowell, Thomas Barton, John Burroughs..3

https://espl-genealogy.org/MilesFiles/site/p667.htm#i66629

Northampton County, Virginia, Orders Deeds And Wills 975.515 P2W Transcribed by Frank V. Walczyk Copyright 1998 {Barb note: This publication is much better, and contains exact wording, same document} Peterson@aol.com Publisher. Book 1V 1651-1654 {In the margin}page 15

9th and 10th days of January 1652 Lt. Col. Edm. Scarburgh assigned out of this certificate unto Wm. Colelonen 350 Acres of land and unto Edm. Harrington 250 at which time he taken in a… assigned out of he same rights to Mr. Francis Wright 600 acres where upon with the foremost certificate expressed upon the margin in this page Mr. Scarburgh certificate is who … out.

{Exactly as in document.}

Page 2:

2. At County Court held at Northampton ye 3rd of January Anno 1653, Present Major John Andrews, Capt. John Stringer, Capt. Steph. Charlton, Mr Wm. Jones, Mr William Whittington.

In the name of God Amen, I Edward Harrington being sick in Body, yet in perfect sense and memory, do make this my last will and testament in manner and form following:

I bequeath my soul to God that gave it my body to the earth to be burried. Item 1: I give unto Thomas Bell, his youngest son, two hundred acres of land at the seaboard side, adjoining to a creek, called by the name of Phillip Creek. Also one young cow called by the name of “Coal.” Item one younger cow called by the name of “Browne,” with a bull calf. Item I give unto Mary Bell, {Wife of Thos. Bell} one cow called by the name of “Goodman.” I give unto the boy Daniell Shettlwood, one calf with a white face. Item, I give unto Thomas Bell, one hundred and fifty acres of land lying at the seaboard side and all my whole estate {undisposed of} unto the said Thomas Bell, he paying all of my debts and legal as he seeing me decently burried. (whom I do make whole executor of this my last will and testament). Signed: Edward Harrington

Witness: Edward Moore, Richard Saywell, Robert Berry, John Tilney

Teste: Edm. Mathews Clk. Cur.

Memorand that this was proved in open court by the corporal oath of the witnesses

No specific mention is given of any children.

Note: It isn't stated that Mary Bell (wife of Thomas) is Edward Harrington's daughter. Harrington may have been close friends with the Bells, or owed them money, or felt he owed them for some other reason(s). (updated 7/3/2022)

Updated 7/1/2015: I have very little on Mary

• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Oct 22 2016, 8:27:16 UTC

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