Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-05-23

O0ucko4 W N1hN4 - O1pU ~ MS
home in this town between the
hours of Z and 8 O'Clock, Monday
morning, May 81, 1900, aged 80
years, 9 months and 10 days. He
was highly esteemed and respected
by a large circle of friends. He
lived at MifflintOwn all his life, ex-
lcepting when he was temporarily
called away to attend to business
in other places, and excepting the
time he spent in the army. He
was a first rate citizen, warm and
courteous friend with an old time
natural dignity that is seldom met
with these days. He was the scion
of Tuscarora Valley pioneer stock.
His grand father William Bell war
rented lands in TuscarOra valley in
1755, lands now owned by the Rob
isons along TuscarOra creek. His
grand father was a soldier under
Braddock in the unfortunate expi-
dition against the French and In
dians at Fort Duequane now Pitts
burg and afterwards he was an Of
ficer in the revolutionary army
against the British for indepen-
dence. His father who was also
named William, came to Mifflin-
town when a young man and en-
gagged in the mercantile business.
He had a store on the hill opposite
the old canal lock north of town.
The house the store was kept in is
in ruins. The land on which it
stood is now owned by B. F.
Schweier. That location at that
time was a good one for store bus
iness. 1t was landing place for
fiat boats and RATS that passed
down the river and commanded a
considerable portion Of the Lost
Creek Valley trade. There Will
liam Bell prospered. He married
a Miss Bryson, daughter of Judge
Samuel BrysOn, who was also a
revolutionary soldier, who served
throughout the war for indepen-
dence and saw regiment after regi-
ment pass away and by the time
the battles were over he had serv-
ed as an officer in four different |
regiments. William Bell and his
wife became the owners of the is
land farm in the river at Mifflin-
town and made it their home 1t
was there that the subject of this
obituary General William
Bell-was born, August IL, 1917.
He lived there many years, becom-
ing the owner of theproperty after
the death of his parents. In his
time he farmed and meIchandised
and when the Pennsylvania rail-
road first ran its trains through
the Juniata valley, he managed
the railroad house at the station at
this town. The trains stopped at
the hotel for meals. He had lit
tie ambition for civil offic, though
at one time he was nominated by
the wings for Shorthand was elected.
He was fond of military affairs.
1t was not hard to see where his
inclination came from
when one stops to consider that he
was the grand son of the pioneer
of the family in the mountain wilds
of the province of Pennsylvania,
fighting Indians and telling forests
and marching with the English
army against the French and In
1ians in western Pennsylvania and
4 few years later battling against
the British for Independence Of
kingly rule seven long years. Such
\ grand father must in the nature
IF man impress his martial spirit
,n some of his successors. The
martial spirit of the grand father
was largely manifested in the Gen
sral, which is abundantly proven
BY his constant participation in the
of the military in the
Juniata Valley and particularly in
his native county. He was an ac-
i've man in the militia organiza-
ions before the war between the
north and the south took place.
He was Second Lieutenant in the
Guards, a company
that was organized in 1S43. He
was Captain of the American Ar
tillery in the early fifties He was
\ Major, then a Colonel. then a
of Pennsylvania Militia.
When rebellion took place he Or
yanized Company of Cavalry in
1861 and became Lieutenant Col
,nel of the Regiment, the 10Th
Cavalry. In a gal
ant charge of the regiment which
ne was leading at CharlestOwn,
Virginia, he was severely wounded.
His nephew, T. V. Irwin, who was
Adjutant of the regiment was also
n the charge and was captured,
,ut made his escape one dark night
several days after he was captured.
since the war the General engaged
n merchandising and in the sale ,
# Agricultural machinery until
within the period of two years he i
etired from business in the enjoy
nent of good health till the past
winter when he took a severe cold,
which left its dregs and resulted
n heart failure, which terminated
lis life within three weeks time.
3e was member of the Presby- :
erian church as was his father
md grand father before him. He
,ecame a member of the church
,arly in life and lived a life con-
istent with his church profession.
lie led the singing in the church .
It Miff1intOwn a half century. He ,