Blair County PA Archives Biographies.....Bell, Martin September 30, 1849 - ????
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Judy Banja http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00004.html#0000757 December 19, 2024, 2:02 pm

Source: Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Blair Co, PA: Philadelphia, 1892.
Author: Samuel T. Wiley

MARTIN BELL,
district Attorney of Blair County, and a lineal descendant of Edward Bell,
the founder of Bellwood and an early iron manufacturer of the Juniata Valley,
is a son of Rev. A.K. and Mary E. (Allen) Bell, and was born in Antis
Township, Blair County, Pennsylvania, September 30, 1849. The founder of the
old Bell Family of central Pennsylvania was John Bell, who settled in Sinking
Valley prior to the Revolutionary War, during which he was often compelled to
flee with his family to Lowery's Fort to escape massacre by the Indians. His
son, Edward Bell (grandfather), was born in Sinking Valley, March 17, 1769
and died April 14, 1852, aged eighty-three years. He was a millwright by
trade. In his first year of the present century he came to the site of
Bellwood, where he built a grist mill, distillery and saw mill, which
improvements gave the place the name of Bell's Mills, and later, in honor of
Mr. Bell, was named Bellwood. Edward was remarkably energetic and successful
man, and in 1830 had come into the ownership of three thousand six hundred
acres of land. Two years later he built Elizabeth Furnace and Mary Ann Forge,
and in 1836 his son, Martin Bell, at Elizabeth Furnace, was the first man in
the world to use escaping gas from the tunnel head of a furnace for the
production of steam. Edward Bell married Mary A. Martin, by whom he had nine
children, seven sons and two daughters. Mrs. Bell was a daughter of Rev.
James Martin, of Scotch-Irish descent, who was the first Presbyterian
minister that ever preached in Blair County. Rev. A.K. Bell, D. D. (father)
was born in Antis Township, in 1814 and died in 1888, aged seventy-four
years. He was a Baptist minister, and served several churches in central
Pennsylvania, as well as being pastor for a number of years of one of the
largest and leading Baptist churches of Allegheny City. He was an
abolitionist and republican in politics, and married Mary E. Allen, a native
of Dauphin County, and a member of the Baptist church, who is now
seventy-five years of age and resides at Hollidaysburg. They reared a family
of children.
   Martin Bell was reared in Blair County and Allegheny City, and received
his education at Lewisburg, now Bucknell University of Union County, from
which institution he was graduated in 1869. After graduation he read law with
Samuel S. Blair, of Hollidaysburg, and was admitted to the bar in 1873, and
since then has been in the active and continuous practice of his profession
at Hollidaysburg.
   In 1877 Mr. Bell was united in marriage with Irene Lemon, a daughter of
Robert M., and a niece of Hon. John A. Lemon, of Hollidaysburg. They have
five children, two sons and three daughters: Eliza, Elizabeth, Roberta, A.K.
and Martin Jr.
   Martin Bell is a stanch republican in politics. He was elected district
attorney of Blair County in 1886, and served so acceptably and with such
efficiency that at the end of his term he was re-elected for a second term,
which he is now serving. He is a member of Portage Lodge No. 220, Free and
Accepted Masons-Mount Moriah Chapter No. 166, Royal Arch Masons of
Hollidaysburg, and Mountain Commandery No. 10, Knights Templar of Altoona. As
a lawyer Mr. Bell wins his cases by thorough preparation, close examination of
witnesses, and able presentation of his testimony to the jury.

Additional Comments:
Originally submitted 2001. Transcribed by Janet Gray.

This file has been created by a form at http://www.usgwarchives.net/pafiles/

File size: 4.0 Kb