Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-26
HOME AND BoYHoop oE cALIEoRNIAs NExr GOVERNOR
Birthplace School A.
Campaign With
Of
Front tho
FROM the Sacramento Bee.

father and mother. and It is needless
to say they are very proud Of their son.
The old folks live q peaceful md COM
tented life on the farm. They arc
pioneers of California. having come to
the state from Connecticut I'm 1850. They
crossed the plains with an OK team,
and first located I'm Trinity county,
where the elder MIR. Bell engaged IN
mining.
They remained at the mines until
1862, when they lost all their property
in a flood. They then moved to Vallejo,
where MIR. Bell worked for many years
at his trade, that of shipwrlght, which
he learned in the east.
They afterward moved to the farm
i'm NapG county. where they now reside.
and reared family of eight children.
The elder Mr.. and Mrs. Bell are de-
scendants OF old New England Puritan
families, and have all the characteris-
tics Of those thrifty people. They are
honest straightforward and outspoken.
They are both well educated ard well
read Although the elder Mr.. Bell is
now past 80 years of age, he is still q
great reader, and keeps well Informed
on all current happenings. He Is re-
markably active for q man Of his age,
and as spry in his work around the
farm as many a man much younger In
years. The parents, of course, are
deeply Interested in their sons candi-
dacy, and are very hopeful of his suc-
cess. They Will celegrate the golden
anniversary of their wedding next
spring, and it is the hope of Mrs. Bell
that the event will take place in the
governors mansion.
Not far from the Bell farm is the
Crystal Springs school, the only school
that Theodore A. Bell ever attended.
The building is not a large one, but Is
situated between two hills, and the
picturesque location makes It exceed
ingly attractive. The building is shaded
by thick growth of trees, and the spot
seems to be an ideal one for school,
Theodore A. Bell attended this school
until he was Is years of age, and after
he graduated from ii he never again
entered another school for education.
He received a good common school
education, but not satisfied with that,
he began to study at home at night,
after he had finished his days work on
the farm. lie prepared himself for the
examinations for q certificate to teach
and passed successfully. He then
taught school for couple of years
and during his spare moments took up
the study of law. He took the exami-
nation for admission to the bar when
he was 20 years of age. He passed it
with honors, but not being of age, had
to wait several months--until he was
21-before he could practice. He then
went into a law Office where he was
employed for a year and half, until
elected district attorney of Napa
county
The city of Napa, where Theodore A.
Bell now makes his home, has many
pretty dwellings,, and Mr.. Bell and his
family reside in a neat shingled resi-
dence on Oak street. The home is pret-
tily furnished, and is as cozy as any
one could wish for. They have one
5 years of age. Little Maurine is a
bright, handsome child.
The excitement attendant upon the
early hours of the campaign has put
Mrs. Bell under something Of a nervous
strain, but the encouragement she re-
ceives from her many friends makes
her confident of victory.
I'VE received so much encoura cement
while we were in Sacramento" said
Mrs. Bell in conversation with a Bee
reporter, that feel confident Mr.. Bell
will be elected. A political campaign
is not an easy thing TO go through, and
/ am hopeful that Mr.. Bell will keep
his good health while making speeches
at the different towns.
II read the papers very carefully to
see what both sides say about him.
am sure of one thing, and that Is that
they cannot say anything against his
character l do not care how often
they call him a boy or how they cartoon
him. But | will be glad when the cam
paign is over" she said, with a quiet
smile.