Forty-Niner Profile: Stewart E. Bell

Previous California Gold Rush posts mentioning Stewart E. Bell:

“A Pocket Full of Rocks Bring Home”

The Ohio 49′ers: Some Stay, Some Return

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Stewart E. Bell came from good pioneer stock:

Stewart E. Bell died March 11, 1896, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Arthur Phinney, in Sandusky, Ohio. He was born in Middleberry township, Hartford county, Connecticut, November 25th, 1809. He was the son of Elizur Stewart Bell and wife Polly.

His father, with a party of eighteen families, left Connecticut for Ohio in September, 1815, making the journey with oxen, cows and wagons — Mr. Bell’s father being the only one of the party having a horse ; one other of the party, Mr. Beatty, father of General Beatty, having a very long eared donkey, which gave much amusement to the children during the journey. After spending about six weeks on the way, they arrived in Sandusky the latter part of October. Mr. Beatty owned a large tract of land in the vicinity of Sandusky, and sold parcels of it to the members of the party.

Schooner (Image from http://www.schoonerman.com)

Mr. Bell‘s father purchased 140 acres at $4 per acre. Mr. Bell’s father was a ship carpenter and soon after his arrival he built a schooner, which he named ” Polly of Huron,” after his wife. The boat was built about a mile and a half from the lake shore and it took forty yoke of oxen — all there were in the counties — to haul it to the lake. The hauling was done in one day. He died in October, 1816, and his widow subsequently married a man by the name of Munger but lived with him but a short time.

Mr. Stewart E. Bell, on May 8, 1834, married Elvira Dibble, who was born in Connecticut but emigrated from the city of New York with a brother to Sandusky in 1832. They first located on Hancock street, but later bought a house on Adams street, where they resided till 1870, when they moved to their country home about two miles from Sandusky on Columbus avenue.

Mr. Bell was a ship carpenter, following the trade of his father. In 1849 he caught the gold fever and went to California, where he remained about sixteen months. During the fore part of his stay there he worked at his trade, making the first boat ever built at Sacramento Harbor ; for which he received sixteen dollars per day and board. He afterwards went to the mines, but before securing much gold he was called home by sickness.

After the death of his wife in 1887, Mr. Bell lived with his daughter, Mrs. Arthur Phinney, at whose home he died as above stated, aged 87 years.

Underground Railroad (Image from http://strattonhouse.com)

His wife, Elvira Dibble, was an active member of the Underground Railway and assisted many runaway slaves on their way to Canada. Two sons and one daughter survived him. Both sons reside in Columbus, Ohio, and his daughter, Mrs. Phinney, died January 7, 1898.

From:
The Fire Lands pioneer (1882)
Author: Firelands Historical Society
Volume: 12, ns. p.533-534
Ohio — History Periodicals
Publisher: Norwalk, Ohio : Fire Lands Historical Society

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This next article isn’t about Stewart E. Bell (although it mentions him,) but about John Beatty and some of the other pioneers mentioned above:

Seventy-Five Years in Perkins.

BY W.D. GURLEY.
FOR THE REGISTER.

At the close of the war of 1812 the Rev. John Beatty and Julius House, then living in Connecticut, formed a colony of twelve families. Late in the fall of ’15 they arrived in Erie county and selected their farms in Perkins township on the sand ridge now leading from Bogarts to Bloomingville, then an Indian trail. Each family built his own campfire and slept in their wagons while building their one story log cabins. The country being new, they were surrounded by wild beasts and savage tribes. These cabins were built without boards, nails or glass. During the winter of ’15 they organized the first M.E. church on the Firelands, John Beatty being a local preacher and Julius House an exhorter. Mr. House was chosen class leader, which office he held for more than fifty years. The number of members was about fifteen. At a meeting in ’36 there was 108 added to their number. This society has prospered for the last seventy five years under such preachers as the Rev. John H. Powers, Wm. Runnells, John Rellam, Adam Poe, Rev. T.B. Gurley, Sawyer, Dunn, McMahon, Mitchell, Barkdull, Breckenridge, Broadwell, Thompson and a host of others.

Image from http://magickcanoe.com

The Rev. James Gray has been returned for the second year to Perkins for to persuade the people to come out to church and receive the blessings reserved for them. These old pioneers, fathers and mothers, went to work, fenced and cleared their land, plowed the ground, set out several apple orchards which grew and thrived and in a few years furnished apples and cider not only for the neighborhood but also for Sandusky.

In a few years those old log cabins were removed, frame buildings took the place of the old ones, barns and outhouses were erected, rail fences torn down and picket and board fences became the fashion of the day. These old pioneer fathers went to work, toiled hard early and late for more than half a century, then they one by one passed away, leaving their homes to their children and grand children.

There are today six of those children living who came with their parents to Perkins seventy-five years ago: Mr. Stuart Bell, of Sandusky; Mrs. Susan O. Monnett, of Norwalk; Mrs. Riley, of Avery; Mrs. Green, of Perkins; Ellery Taylor and Lindsley House, were all children when they arrived here.

The new generation that has sprung up was not satisfied with those old pioneer orchards because they were old fashioned and somewhat infirm with age, so they have all been cut down and cleaned away.

Mr. T.B. Taylor, grandson of Jessie Taylor, now occupies his grandfather’s old homestead of seventy-five years. A magnificent mansion has just risen on the sight of the old cottage by Mr. Taylor. It is built in the latest French style, its windows filled with French cut glass, while those of the hall are Chinese glass. The building fronts the road and is built with its hip roof, its stack chimneys and surmounted spires; it is roofed with slate and painted in the latest style of the nineteenth century. The driveway leading from the road to the stable curves to the east parlor door, then passes through a beautiful potochere, a French name, and is a very convenient part of he house. The way is covered with slate and pebble stones; the sidewalk leading from the gate to the house is laid with long square flag stones imported from some foreign port. Shrubbery occupies the yard, while in front of the house stands a beautiful row of maples. The old barn has been removed a little back and a magnificent one erected on the site of the old one, with its surmounted cupola and spire; it is painted red and tipped with white. Thrift and fashion have removed the old land marks by Mr. Taylor and introduced a new era into the shady paradise of the past.

Mr. Taylor and family are now comfortably settled in their new home and the well arrainged furniture shows the taste of Mr. and Mrs. Taylor.

There was one of these old pioneers’ apple trees standing in the door yard which had escaped the notice of hte woodman’s axe.

Sandusky Daily Register (Sandusky, Ohio) Dec 29, 1890

See previous post The Pioneer Apple Tree HERE

Sudden Death

Mr. Charles L.* Bell, well known in Sandusky, died suddenly of appoplexy at his home on King avenue in Columbus on Saturday morning, July 6. Mr. Bell was in the sixtieth year of his age, eldest son of Mr. Stewart E. Bell and brother of Mrs. Arthur Phinney, of this city.

Sandusky Register (Sandusky, Ohio) Jul 9, 1895

*(probably should be Charles Stuart/Stewart Bell)

The Ohio 49’ers: Some Stay, Some Return

Placer Times August 18, 1849

From the Sandusky Mirror.

Capt. Dibble has handed us a number of the Placer Times, printed at Sacramento City, California, dated August 18, 1849. It was forwarded by Mr. Stewart E. Bell. It is a trifle larger than a foolscap sheet and contains about as much news matter as two columns of our Daily, and is printed weekly at $10 per year by T.R.Per Lee & Co.

Mr. Bell writes that of the eleven young men from Sandusky, who were in the first overland company that arrived in California, he was unable to recognize one of them, although intimately acquainted with all of them last January. So great was the hardships they had endured, they were but the shadows of men. They had recruited and Mr. L. McGee was at work at his trade in Sacramento City. Mr. B.B. Barney was clerking at $400 a month. The other nine of the company, including Messrs. Jennings, Whipple, Pettibone and Johnson, had gone to the mines.

The mules of the Sanduskians were sold on their arrival, at three to four hundred dollars each. The baggage they started with had nearly all been left after leaving Salt Lake.

Mr. J.K. Glenn, of Lower Sandusky, arrived here yesterday morning, we understand, in the Queen City, direct from San Francisco. He went out last winter with a large cash capital, to purchase gold dust, and comes back, we learn, dissatisfied with the country, and satisfied that nothing can be made at the business he intended to engage in.

Huron Reflector (Norwalk, Ohio) Oct 30, 1849

American House Advertisement 1849

From the Sandusky Mirror.
Letter from California.

F.D. Parish Esq., has received a letter from Orlando McKnight, Esq. from which we are permitted to make the following extracts:

SACRAMENTO CITY, UPPER CAL., Aug. 26.
DEAR SIR:
I have only time to say that I am keeping the American House in this place, and that I am doing a good business, board $3 per day without lodgings. But rent and expenses are enormous, I pay my cook $300 per month. Rent at the rate of $2,400 per year. This place contains 3,000 or 4,000 inhabitants and is growing very fast. There are about 20,000 persons in the mining country and about 30,000 more coming.

Persons in the mines can make 1 oz. per day, which is worth here sixteen dollars 00 some make more. The Mansfield and Tiffin company have made 2 to 9 oz. per day per man. Mr. S.E. Bell is here, gets $16 per day and board; laborers get $10 per day or $1 per hour. This is the greatest country in the world for a poor man but a rich one better stay at home. There is a great deal of sickness at this place, but mostly caused by imprudence, sleeping out doors and living like brutes. Gov. Shannon was here last week with a company of 20 men; they are now at work on the Uba river, about 70 miles from here.

The Lower Sandusky company arrived last week. The Sandusky company are well, and doing well. I know some men who have been getting 1 lb. per man per day but they have had great luck, 1 oz. is near the average of those who are able and willing to work. Goods are sold for less than they are in New York, provisions are getting to be very cheap. Flour $18 per bbl.

O. McKnight

Huron Reflector (Norwalk, Ohio) Oct 30, 1849

Image from http://bancroft.library.ca.gov

From the Sandusky Mirror June 4th.
Californian Returned.

Mr. Stewart E. Bell, of this city, arrived from California on Saturday evening last. He comes back in good health and good spirits. He has been one of the fortunate adventurers, having had good health during his entire absence from home — about one year and three months — and, we understand a fair share of success in business.

He has been engaged in ship building at Sacramento City, and in trading and mining at Weaverville, in company with Messrs. Wensinger and Pettibone, of this city, to whom he sold his interest in the establishment when he left.

Mr. Bell informs us that every thing in California depends on luck and chance, and that the chances of being sick and undergoing much suffering and misery are greater than those of being healthy and successful.

Mr. Cornwall, formerly of Mansfield, arrived in the same steamer with Mr. Bell.

Before leaving, he sold his interest to his partner in business, Barton Lee, formerly of this city, for 450,000. Mr. Cornwall has been absent about three years.

Mrs. Lee, and family of children came out in care of Mr. Bell; and Mr. Lee will return to this country as soon as he can arrange his business satisfactorily in California.

(Mrs. Lee and children we understand, are now at the residence of Benjamin Lee, Esq. in Bronson in this county.)

Our friend McKnight was doing a successful business in Sacramento City, although in poor health. He had erected a splendid hotel in this new made city.

Messrs. Walter and Lathrop were trading at Weaverville. They had not been very successful.

H.U. Jennings has been sick through the past winter. Messrs. Whipple and Johnson have not been heard of since they left for Oregon to regain their health.

Mr. Bell informs us that cities are spring up all over the mining country with the most astonishing rapidity, where real estate is held at prices above lots in New York city. Sacramento City, when Mr. Bell arrived there, contained but 3 houses; — when he left, in less than one year, it contained 30,000 inhabitants. It enjoys the advantage over San Francisco, in commerce, that vessels pass close beside the bank of the river and land their cargoes without lighterage. Vessel property is now worth but little in California. There were hundreds of vessels at San Francisco without anything to do. Vessels that cost $30,000 in New York, could be bought for $10,000.

While some were making fortunes in California, many more were finding premature graves, and others wearing out a miserable existance, afflicted with disease, and without the comforts of civilized life.

Huron Reflector (Norwalk, Ohio) Jun 11, 1850

** The Placer Times Newspaper images can be found HERE.