DR. WILLIAM E. BELL (1847 1920)
1883 History of St. Clair County MO, National Historical Co., pg: 1076
WILLIAM E. BELL, M. D., was born in Polk County, Missouri, in 1847, and is the son of Robert H. Bell, M. D., a native of Lexington, Kentucky, born in 1819. He studied medicine in Lexington, and graduated at the Transylvania college in that city. Coming to Missouri, he settled in Polk County, practicing there and in Benton County for fifteen years, and then removed to Pettis County, where he is now a prominent physician. William's mother was formerly Sarah M. Ferguson, a Kentuckian by birth. He was the oldest of five children. While young, he fitted himself for the practice of medicine, studying with his father as percepter. He received a good academic education, and after a thorough preparation he practiced in Polk County two years, and for two years in Benton and Hickory Counties. He attended two full courses of lectures at the medical college in St. Louis, where he was graduated in 1879. In September, 1880, he came to Osceola, where he secured a good practice. He is making the diseases of women and children a specialty, and when not otherwise engaged, his time is taken up in the investigation of diseases, and keeping up with the new complications and their remedies. Few men of his age have made a more enviable reputation than Dr. Bell.
St. Clair County Republican, 13 February 1889:
Miss Ada Pugh received a bad fright last week while out riding. The horse she was riding became frightened and ran away, but Miss Pugh held on until Dr. Bell caught the animal, and escaped without injury.
Appleton City Tribune, 18 May 1909:
In Osceola the water rose to within three feet of the flood of '95 and communication with the East Side was principally by boat. All of Happy Hollow was under water, the river reaching nearly to the fence of Dr. Bell and going up to the Second street bridge.
St. Clair County Marriage Records, LDS batch #m515161:
W. E. Bell and Ella Constable married 18 April, 1883.
1910 St. Clair Co., MO Census Osceola Twp., Osceola City:
Dist. 6, ED 136, Page 10A, Line 6, 4 May, living on Second Street
273/224 Bell, W.E., head, white male, age 58, married 27 years, born MO, father born VA, mother born KY, speaks English, Physician, General Practice, can read & write, owned home free
(too faint to read name), wife, white female, age 48, married 27 years, 2 children, 2 living, born OH, parents born OH, speaks English, no occupation, can read & write
(cant read first name) May, daughter, white female, age 18, single, born MO, father born MO, mother born OH, speaks English, no occupation, can read & write, attended school
Willie, son, white male, age 13, single, born MO, father born MO, mother born OH, speaks English, no occupation, can read & write, attended school
1920 St. Clair Co., MO Census Osceola Township, Osceola Town:
Dist. 6, ED 146, Ward 2, Page 10A, Line 45, 16 January
Living on 2nd Street
110/115 Bell, William E., head, owned home free, white male, age 72, married, can read & write, born MO, parents born US, speaks English, Medical Physician, General Practice, farm # 43
Eleanor C., wife, white female, age 57, married, can read & write, born MO, parents born US, speaks English, no occupation
1930 St. Clair Co., MO Census Osceola Township, Osceola City:
Dist. 10, ED 93-15, Ward 2, Page 5B, Line 99, 20 April
147/163 Bell, Eleanor, head, owned home, $3000 value, not living on farm, white female, age 67, widowed, married age 22, not attending school, can read & write, born OH, parents born OH, speaks English, no occupation
St. Clair Co., MO Cemetery Records:
Osceola Cemetery
Bell, Eleanor C., 1862-1946
Bell, W. E., M.D., 1847-1920
Bell, W.E. Jr., 1895-1918
