Washington County Pioneer Dead

The Schulengberg, (Texas) Sticker, published by D. O. (Davie) Bell contains a notice of the death of his eldest sister, who was the daughter of James Bell, the man who laid out the Fontanelle townsite and the man for whom Bell Creek was named. Deceased was reared at Fontanelle from childhood to womanhood and was a sister of John T. Bell, whom Washington County people knew so well and esteemed so highly during his many years residence amongst them, and since on the occasions of his visits amongst them, the last visit being made last fall when he was the guest of Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Jones, of this city. “Davie”, editor of the Sticker is the younger brother and learned the printer’s trade in the old Blair Times office in the early days of Blair, when that paper was published by V. C. Lantry, and will be remembered by a few Blair people who have survived.

Following is the announcement of his sister’s demise.
“D.O. Bell received word yesterday from his niece, Mrs. Howard Morris, notifying him of the death of his eldest sister, Mrs. Mary Morris, at Humboldt, Nebraska, on April 13, aged 80 years. 4 months, and 25 days. The mother died when writer was less than three months old, the youngest of a family of eight, four boys and four girls. Sister Mary, only a child at the time, assumed the role of little mother to the children younger than herself and well did she play her part until married to Johan Morris in 1860. Soon after the war she reared to splendid manhood and womanhood. In her passing the world looses one of her best, a sweet Christian woman who every thought was how to give pleasure to others. All that was mortal of this mother, sister, was laid to rest in the burial ground at Union Star, Missouri, by the side of her husband, and two children Oliver and Alice.”

Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file at the Blair Public Library.