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Currituck County Photographs

Bell - Baxter Family Album

Caleb Bell

The man on the left is identified as Caleb Bell but the man on the right is unknown at this time.  They look to be contemporaries so it could be a brother of Caleb.  If you can identify this man please send me a note.

According to census records, Caleb Bell was born between 1800-1810.  The 1830 shows that he has a presumed wife age 15-20, one son age 0-5 and 4 slaves.  In 1840 he has 2 sons 0-5, 1 son 5-10, a wife 20-30 and 7 slaves. In 1850 he is listed as age 43 and a farmer with $4000 real estate.  His wife's name is Sarah who was born c1815.  They have children named Haywood born c1830, Jesse born c1835, Branson born c1838, Wiley born c1840, Joseph born c 1843, Archian born c1846 and Columbus born c1849.  The slave census for that year shows him with 14 slaves.  By 1860 Caleb has amassed a total of 29 slaves and has real estate worth $10,000 and a personal estate worth $20,000....quite a wealthy man for that time!  Their daughter & son, Archian & Columbus, are not in the household in 1860 and are presumed deceased.  The oldest son, Haywood, married Elizabeth A. Whitehurst on June 26, 1856 and by 1860 was living on Knotts Island where they had 2 children of their own.
 

Wiley Bell


If you have any information on Wiley please let me know.
 
Joseph Etheridge Cartwright Bell


Angerona (Lovett) Bell
2nd wife of J.E.C. Bell


   Mary Adelia (Baxter) Bell
3rd wife of J.E.C. Bell
   Mary Adelia (Baxter) Bell - older

Joseph Etheridge Cartwright Bell was born to Caleb & Sarah (Duke) Bell on May 16, 1843 and died July 27, 1906.  He is buried in the Bell Cemetery in Shawboro.  He married Mary Ellen Dozier on Nov. 1, 1866.  Mary Ellen was born Sept. 9, 1843.  Joseph and Mary Ellen had one daughter, Love Estell Bell (Aug. 18, 1867 - May 5, 1941) who married Charles Edward Brewer on Oct. 28, 1891.  Mary Ellen died on Dec. 14, 1870.

Joseph E.C. Bell then married Angerona Lovett on June 27, 1872.  "Rona" was born on Sept. 9, 1845 to Dr. Martin G. and Martha Lovett.  Rona died Mar. 28, 1876 and is buried in the Bell Cemetery in Shawboro.  No children were born from this union.

Joseph E.C. Bell married for the 3rd time, on Feb. 15, 1877, to Mary Adelia "Mamie" Baxter, daughter of Burwell M. Baxter and Margaret Dozier (Humphries) Baxter.  Mary was born Oct. 31, 1856 and died Dec. 10, 1907.  She is buried beside her husband in the Bell Cemetery in Shawboro.  Joseph and Mary Adelia had at least five known children.  [see the list below]

In 1880 Joseph & Mary were living on Brewer St. in Norfolk, Va. with two children, Love E. (age 12) and Maggie B. (age 2).  Joseph was listed as a "retail clothier".  The 1889 & 1890 Norfolk, Va. City Directory shows that J.E.C. Bell was in business with William L. Wiginton at 168 Main Street where they were "clothiers & furnishers".

By 1900 Joseph had moved his family back to the Crawford Twp. of Currituck County where the following people were living in the home.

Bell, Joseph E.C.

 head May 1843 57 Marr: 23 yrs farmer
Bell, Mary A. wife Oct 1857 42 5 children/4 living  
Bell, Maggie B. dau Apr 1878 22 single  
Bell, Caleb B. son Dec 1884 15   at school
Bell, Joseph E.C. son Jun 1888 11    
Bell, Burville B. son Feb 1894 6    
Baxter, Margaret D. mother-in-law Jan 1832 68 widow -1 child/1 living  

1) Margaret "Maggie" Baxter Bell - born April 22, 1878 & died Oct. 23, 1970 in Fairfax, Va.  She married a dentist, Dr. James McNair Stover, on Aug. 28, 1907.  They had at least one child, Joseph "Joe" Bell Stover (July 1, 1915 - May 19, 2005)

2) Kate Kenny Bell - born Sept. 13, 1880 & died Sept. 29, 1883

  

3) Caleb Branson Bell - born Dec. 28, 1884 & died in Beaufort Co., NC on Oct. 30, 1963.  He married Claudia Grist Simmons, daughter of Enoch Spencer Simmons & Elizabeth Latham Grist, in Beaufort County on December 30, 1908 [their wedding photos are below].  In 1920 & 1930 they were living in Washington, NC where Caleb was an automobile dealer.  They had sons, Caleb B. Bell, Jr. (Dec. 8, 1909 - Sept. 30, 1975) and Enoch Simmons Bell (June 18, 1916 - died in infancy), and a daughter, Mary Elizabeth Bell (June 29, 1917 - ???).  Claudia was born Dec. 12, 1887 and died Dec. 1 1975.

4) Joseph Etheridge Cartwright Bell, Jr. - born June 11, 1888 & died Apr. 13, 1961.  He married Mabel Halstead Kelly in Henderson, Vance Co., NC on April 20, 1910.  J.E.C. Bell, Jr. became the Sheriff there.  They had 4 children: Mary Baxter Bell (b Jan. 8, 1911); Ellen Halstead Bell (b Sept. 2, 1913); Mabel Kelly Bell (b July 12, 1915); and Josephine Branson Bell (b Mar. 8, 1917).


J.E.C. Bell, Jr. as a young boy


l-r: Joseph E.C. Bell and his older brother, Caleb Branson Bell

5) Burwell Baxter Bell, Sr. - born Feb. 6, 1890 & died Sept. 28, 1953 (dates are according to his tombstone).  According to his WWI Draft Registration, he was medium in height, had a slender build, and had blue eyes and dark brown hair.  He was listed as a Currituck County Superior Court Clerk in 1930  He married Myrtle Rollins (1890-1957) in Asheville, NC on Oct. 28, 1915 and they had 3 children: Burwell Baxter Bell, Jr. (b Oct. 27, 1916 Asheville, NC - May 20, 2001 TN); Jackson Rollins Bell (b Aug. 2, 1919 Asheville, NC - May 29, 1982 Knoxville, TN) and Thomas Rollins Bell (b Sept. 16, 1921 Currituck Co. - June 6, 1991 Victoria Co., TX).

Sons of Burwell Baxter Bell, Sr. & Myrtle Rollins Bell

Unknown newspaper article submitted by Judy Brickhouse.

Much of the information that is contained above comes from the Joseph Etheridge Cartwright Bell Bible along with this added information--

Joseph Baxter was born Jan. 1, 1748 - Died Feb. 2, 1822.
Mary Ferebee was born Oct. 20, 1750. She married Joseph Baxter March __ 1772.

Isaac Baxter, son of Mary Ferebee and Joseph Baxter was born April 1, 1781.
Isaac Baxter married Mary Bell Dec. 24, 1806.
Mary Bell was born Jan. 17, 1787.

Burwell M. Baxter, son of Isaac Baxter and Mary Bell was born June 11, 1821.  Died June 8, 1873.
Burwell M. Baxter married Margaret Dauge/Dozier Humphries Nov. 15, 1852. Margaret was the widow of John Gregory.  Margaret was born Jan. 13, 1832 and died Sept. 14, 1901.


 Margaret Dauge/Dozier (Humphries) Gregory Baxter
Mother-in-Law of J.E.C. Bell
(Jan. 13, 1832 - Sept. 14, 1901) 


Adelia (Ferebee) Humphries- mother of Margaret
Daughter of Samuel Ferebee & Elizabeth Dauge
(June 12, 1813 - May 18, 1873)

Photos and information kindly provided by Ginger Bell Smith.  No part of this document may be used for any commercial purposes. However, please feel free to copy any of this material for your own personal use and family research.  Images are for personal use only, not for redistribution.