The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-04-22


| tHYGH and one half years old, ac-
~ companied by a younger
| EIaFH brother, arrived in Richmond
| &AI aboard a stage coach in the
| ES10gs9s year 1S48
Although ninety years of
age, Edward Bells, the young English
man, is yet a resident of Richmond.
| His astonishing spryness and activity
| of mind is the marvel of his friends
every time they visit his home or
meet him along the streets in any kind
| of weather bent on business of the
most diversified nature.
Edward Bells lives at 208 North
| Eighth street in the house which he
| and his wife moved into in 1852. 1t
| has been his residence since that time.
And that was long time ago. TO
quote Mr.. Bells words today.
How have l kept my present good
| health, and to what do l attribute my
longevity" smilingly repeated Mr..
Bells. why simply to good living.
A man or woman can not expect
| health nor long life, if he or she
ruthlessly disobeys the laws Of nature.
| No, / do not mean by being bad, as
we say, but by Forgetting the ever
present demands of our body and
mind. Sleep, food, rest, every man
must have, and if he does not take
them in their due time. he will suffer
| in his due time"
Can Sleep Ten Hours.
Have you always slept eight hours
and eaten your meals on time" he
was questioned?
NO, l can remember many nights
xr-1A 7 oil ,txl< but I
too have paid. Nowadays, can sleep
| ten hours with good grace"
Richmond in 1s4S was a vastly diff
| ferent spot on the earth than is the
Richmond in 1919" recollected Mr..
| Bells. when we first came to Rich
mond the east side of Eighth street
There were about 5000 inhabitants
| here then. Four notes.-the City,
| Starr, National and Huntington hotels
were perhaps the biggest buildings in
town. Albert Blanchard's home where
| ST. Mary's priest house is located, was
the largest residence in the village
| The present Elgar Hibberd home on
| the northwest corner of Ninth and A
| streets was soon afterward erected
by Cincinnati man and proved to be
| the finest house in town.
Where the High school building is
now located was then a wheat field.
as well as all the land east of Eighth
| street. Corn was the article raised
where the Westcott hotel now stands"
l believe
1--WE first lived in the Nixon house
on Fort Wayne avenue, across from
the old Deuker grocery" Mr.. Bells
said
I'VE lived there with Mr.. and Mrs.
Dickinson with whom my brother and
came to America, as apprentices.
In explaining the reason for his
coming to this country, he brought
out an "indenture" which was drawn
up in Sheffield, England. on the
| twelfth day of January, 1912, when
| Edward Bells was fourteen years of
age. The sheet is very yellowed, and
the letters are dimmed. 1t states:
"This indenture, on the twelfth day
of January, fifth year of the reign Of
Our Sovereign Lady Victoria by Grace
of God of the United Kingdom Of
Great Britain and Ireland, Queen de-
fender of faith, and in the year of our
Lord, one thousand eight hundred and
forty-two, between Edward Bells, OF
York, in the county of Yorkshire. son
of Samuel Bells, deceased, of the part
one. and Henry Dickinson Dickinson,
of Sheffield, in aforesaid county, tail
or, provides for term of service for
seven years."
Decided to Come to U. S.
81 had yet year and one-half to
serve Mr.. Dickinson as an apprentice
tailor when he decided to come to
Amrica and to Indiana. He explained
j to me that he would turn me over to
another tailor to finish my apprentice
ship, or bring me with him to the
western country. I chose the latter
for my health was not very good, and
thought year and one half in this
country probably would bring back
my old vigor. | had not the slightest
idea of remaining in America more
than year and a half, but here l am.
and I've never been back since. My
younger brother was also apprenticed
to Samuel Dickinson and he too,
came with us.
Samuel Dickinson's brother Joseph
Dickinson Trust Company" Mr.. Bel
lis explained. when we first came to
Indiana, which we did within three
weeks after landing in New York, we
went to Milton, where we lived very
short time before definitely settling
in Richmond.
No Paved Streets
There were no paved streets then,
and the only good street in town was
that on the east side of North Eighth
running from the Starr hotel, situated
on the lots now occupied by the
Dickinson Trust company, on down to
the Tan yards where the Railroad
store is now. This street was smooth
ed off, but the other streets of the viii
lage were either gravel or Paris stone
A log cabin stood where the Shell
hotel is now on North Eighth, and at
the foot or the street there was
spring of very fine and clear water
"The first circuses IN Richmond
we're held on North Eighth street
right next door to my home here"
said he. LAS I remember Robinsons
circus came here as early as 1S4S and
with few wild animals and other
/ amusements on a very small scale
! staged performance here on this
corner.
John Sailor, for whom Sailor street